Greetings to all. Today I wanted to chat about writing females. For those of us that do so on occasion or on the regular, we try to craft a woman with spunk. At least I do. To me, there’s nothing worse than a dainty, whiny, want-to-be rescued, female. Even in this day and age where we’ve been told we’ve come a long way, baby, we’re still portrayed as weak, unintelligent, and needy. Believe it or not this is still a popular thing in books, television, and movies and yes, in everyday life, society still treats women as second class citizens.
Ugh!
We are every bit as capable as a man of doing the same things if we so chose, but that’s another topic for another day. Let’s stick to fiction.
In Facebook chats and from fellow authors and readers, I’ve heard the same sentiment. Why do females get painted with the same broad brush? Many have said they no longer read het romance for just that reason. They don’t want to read about the damsel in distress who needs saving or the clueless female who can’t survive without her male counterpart. They want strong characters in their books and so many cisgender, straight women have turned to reading only m/m romances. That is their prerogative and yes, it is also our choice as authors if we want to go that route, but this author is at least trying to buck that stereotype. I’m a rebel. A rule breaker and I, for one, love a woman with spunk who can take care of things in her own way.
Another thing that annoys me about how some females are written is their attitude towards sex. What do I mean? Well, it seems like even Miss Kick Ass has to be a virgin, or she can’t sleep with any man or woman she feels like because she’ll automatically be a slut. I mean, why? Think about the women you know. Your best friends, sisters, women you know at work, even your good old momma. Do you really think every woman you know waited until marriage to have sex or they NEVER had a fling? If you do, you are indeed living in a fantasy world. Readers always cry for reality, so why on earth do you expect kick ass females to be virgins or not be sexually active?
To me it really depends on the character. Miss Hirah, pictured above is having her own adventures in the Hirah Blaze Series. She’s a talented female, gorgeous, and she’s had her share of women and men in bed. She’s not afraid to say it either because he’s proud of who she is. Some would call her a slut, but I call her a woman because not every female is a dainty flower. We’re strong, confident, and intelligent and we can stand on our own two feet when it comes to sex. We know what we like and for some of us, we like a lot more action than others. And that’s okay. Why shouldn’t it be? Whether you like being Miss Polly Pure Bread or a tigress in the sack, doesn’t matter. Either way, you are still a woman! Let’s hear you roar!
GRRR!
I’ve also written a character in my PROTEKT series by the name of Miranda Ashley, who one reviewer said should’ve been a man.
*laughs*
I suppose I’ll take that as a compliment, but it makes me wonder, why should she be a man just because she refuses to back down from anyone? Why do females have to cower when it comes to their male counterparts? My belief is, even in romance, a woman should be able to hold her own. It’s total fine if she gets her guy or girl, but the lasting impression should be she did it on her own terms and not a way that shows her as weak. As romance authors, we’ve come a long way in adding more substance to our plots. A lot of romances aren’t about the guy getting the girl anymore. If we can go the length to make our books more interesting, why can’t we make our women stronger characters?
What do you think? Should Miss Kick Ass be a dainty flower in bed or should she be just as active as a man? I believe if she wants to be a tiger, let her do what she wants. Let me hear your thoughts!
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