Re: Sawdust and Milkshakes
Oct. 21st, 2024 06:40 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
deemoyzaContinuing my foray into romance fiction, and slowly telling myself that it's okay to enjoy it for what it is. But something keeps gnawing at my brain:
The love interests in these stories are all super hot or super ripped or super rich. I mean, I get that this is a genre dedicated to women's fantasies, but not every woman's fantasy is the same. Personally speaking, muscles and money are not exactly what I find most attractive about men, fictional or otherwise. There's a lot to be said about personality and actions, especially those small actions that slowly build into a relationship. For an example, Barney Snaith of The Blue Castle could charm the pants off me any day, and the book explicitly states that he is nothing to look at. His attractiveness lies in his personality, and the way he treats those he cares about. (I consider he fact that he's secretly a multimillionaire irrelevant to his appeal, since I -- and Valancy -- fell in love with him as the shabby recluse with a heart of solid gold.)
Furthermore, while I applaud the diversity of women that we're beginning to see in these types of books, especially in regards to curvy and plus-size heroines, it seems incredibly hypocritical to keep insisting that the love interest be unrealistically gorgeous. If we, as women, are still holding men to ridiculous standards, in what world would those same men even look at a woman who doesn't meet those same standards? Even if it falls along the lines of "every girl deserves a hunk," how is that still not a disgusting double-standard?
Give me short guys and chubby guys and those with unique facial features. Give me poor guys and working guys and those that have finally become financially secure, but not exactly rich. Give me guys with some kind of texture, for lack of a better word, those who offer something beyond their looks, something that feels real and valuable. Give me someone I could fall in love with, so I can actually root for the heroine to do the same.
Just give me a story of two regular people finding love. Maybe that's too boring to a lot of people, but in the sea of Greek gods and billionaires, it sure would be a breath of fresh air.
Anyway, the search goes on!
Where are all the regular guys?
The love interests in these stories are all super hot or super ripped or super rich. I mean, I get that this is a genre dedicated to women's fantasies, but not every woman's fantasy is the same. Personally speaking, muscles and money are not exactly what I find most attractive about men, fictional or otherwise. There's a lot to be said about personality and actions, especially those small actions that slowly build into a relationship. For an example, Barney Snaith of The Blue Castle could charm the pants off me any day, and the book explicitly states that he is nothing to look at. His attractiveness lies in his personality, and the way he treats those he cares about. (I consider he fact that he's secretly a multimillionaire irrelevant to his appeal, since I -- and Valancy -- fell in love with him as the shabby recluse with a heart of solid gold.)
Furthermore, while I applaud the diversity of women that we're beginning to see in these types of books, especially in regards to curvy and plus-size heroines, it seems incredibly hypocritical to keep insisting that the love interest be unrealistically gorgeous. If we, as women, are still holding men to ridiculous standards, in what world would those same men even look at a woman who doesn't meet those same standards? Even if it falls along the lines of "every girl deserves a hunk," how is that still not a disgusting double-standard?
Give me short guys and chubby guys and those with unique facial features. Give me poor guys and working guys and those that have finally become financially secure, but not exactly rich. Give me guys with some kind of texture, for lack of a better word, those who offer something beyond their looks, something that feels real and valuable. Give me someone I could fall in love with, so I can actually root for the heroine to do the same.
Just give me a story of two regular people finding love. Maybe that's too boring to a lot of people, but in the sea of Greek gods and billionaires, it sure would be a breath of fresh air.
Anyway, the search goes on!
no subject
Date: 2024-10-23 03:19 am (UTC)Anyway, I wonder if it's just the fact that most people get drawn to very specific personalities, so trying to write a more real-life character that would appeal to a wide audience of readers on such a personal level is too challenging? Like, there's already the question of whether the reader identifies with the protag, but then you have to write a love interest the reader would be comfortable hanging out with on top of that...?
I mean as you said, it can be done, but I wonder if that's why you have to sift through a hundred "safe bet" stories with pretty cardboard cutouts first lol
no subject
Date: 2024-10-23 05:30 am (UTC)Re: what most people are drawn to, I'd argue that it seems to be less about personality than it is about archetypes, but the rest of your statement is pretty spot-on. I suppose it should clue me in that so many of these books are marketed by the tropes they contain. Not just the usual romance clichés, but actual tropes you'd find on AO3, like "grumpy x sunshine", "forced proximity", "opposites attract", etc. A lot of contemporary women's fiction does seem to be heavily influenced by the TikTok crowd, and that's disheartening. Along with the cartoon covers, it makes the whole genre feel juvenile, which is exactly what women's media should be fighting against (since it's almost always deemed "lesser-than" just by existing).
Oof, sorry for the mini-rant. I agree that stepping out of these neat little pre-defined boxes to create unique characters is a risk, as well as a challenge, but I guess I'd just like to see more writers put in the effort. Or, at least, be able to find the writers that do. I know they're out there somewhere (they have to be!), I just have to find them!
no subject
Date: 2024-10-23 07:41 am (UTC)Although I think I hate the idea of TikTok influencing literature even more; we live in bleak times. XD
Still, best of luck on your continued search!