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Men, specifically, like to dream about and create 'art' of fake visions they believe to be fantastic, despite not only creating competitions for women, but sexualised fantasies of things that shouldn't be looked on that way.
This is not only men, bare in mind, but mostly.
One particular thing people love to grope onto is the whole fucking 'not like other girls' thing.
Like, what.
It not only creates a bad image towards women who, according to these people 'are all the same' ('bitchy', make-up, 'unnatural', sexy, etc, etc- you get the gist) but its deeply unrealistic too.
The main problem about this, is how it turns women against themselves.
"Not like other girls"- is telling people that yeah- girls, women, females- whatever, that gender is bad, stupid- and not only that, but bitchy- slutty. But-! Since this girl, this one particular girl you're reading about, is different- well, she gets a pass, doesn't she? She's doesn't wear make-up (why is that such a big problem in the first place??) Not only that, but she never cares what she looks like, wears baggy stuff (unlike everyone else who wears skinny bikini-like crop tops and skinny jeans) looks all natural but somehow 'perfect'. Like, okay, we get it- thanks.
It's wrong and it's flown through literature for a long time, like nothing.
It's wrong and it's flown through literature for a long time, like nothing.
Still, it is not only this- but the stupidity of sexualization (in young children too)
Like, no, Phill, her perfect, round breasts did not smile at you, nor were excited to see you. Her smile was not inviting you to anything.
And Stephen King really has a thing for describing young girl's breasts- as if it were crucial, too.
Let's not forget that women are so so under-represented in literacy.
How many famous female writers can you name apart from J.K Rowling and like, idk, Mary Shelley.
It's annoying.
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Sánchez
Truly a terrible symptom of patriarchy. There's even old examples of men romanticizing/s3xualizing women in death in old literature, "she was too beautiful to die" etc. There's very few media that treats female characters like... humans. I'd love to read more women-made books, games, and etc to get a fresher perspective though.
MJ
THIS RIGHT HERE.
I'm ashamed to say that I used to adore the "Not like other girls" trope when I was in middle school because I thought it set said female character apart from, well, other girls. But now... ugh, it's demonizing. I don't know if it's winding down these days, but WOW this was so common back in the early to mid-2010s, especially in One Direction fanfiction.
aaa right? dw me too omfg
by Kuba !!; ; Report
ells
i completely agree.
For example in the poem Pophyria's lover the male writer decides to kill Pophyria because she did not want to sleep with him after she showed him her shoulder???
Who knows what happened after he killed her because it was never disclosed in the poem.
Oh! I know that poem, however, I guess I'd call that more of an interpretation, which is totally valid. To me, Porphyria's Lover is more or so about how the man in the monologue can't cope with his deep emotion towards his lover, hence strangling her. Still wrong but in my opinion, it's more of a mental portrayal than a sexist one. However, there are definitely poems that are just purely misogynistic. Once again though this is just an opinion and my own interpretation :) But ty 4 pointing that specific piece out
by Kuba !!; ; Report
ells
i completely agree.
For example in the poem Pophyria's lover the male writer decides to kill Pophyria because she did not want to sleep with him after she showed him her shoulder???
Who knows what happened after he killed her because it was never disclosed in the poem.
Lace
Thank you for being one of the few decent guys out there who understand how people still sexualize woman this was a great take on the topic.
gabbs! >:D
honestly it really sucks to see women being sexualised in books, not just books but within the media too.
Zoe
I think this also makes men just treat and view woman horribly. It just shows we still have a gendered problem and I am not against the whole gender of men or anything, but they really need to be taught a lot and they need to see the harm they're causing because somehow they don't.
Like we need to treat woman so much better. The only people I ever see getting upset or annoyed when this is pointed out is men. Men are the ones bringing woman down, but whenever the problem is spoken about they are so quickly to push it off or say it's annoying feminism.
by Zoe; ; Report
I totally agree- and as a guy myself, this is a massive problem. It's just gross to have to live through and see how women are treated day to day, with this and all normalized. It's disgusting how men treat women, even today.
A lot don't see a problem with it and that's the main thing, people just aren't raised right, y'know- its just shocking tbfh
by Kuba !!; ; Report
gi
amazing take, all of this makes sense and i totally agree; women aren't taken as seriously in writing and its totally unfortunate ;(
my favorite writings ive read were usually written by women and its rly disappointing at how downplayed writing is for them
Right? Like it's just genuinely so upsetting.
by Kuba !!; ; Report