Wish-fulfillment in fiction is not limited to one gender. Both men and women have used such tropes in romance books and video games

Routine-Present-3676 · 2025-04-25T06:06:21+00:00

Who is trying to gender enjoyment of fictional realities and why does that person imagine anyone would want main characters that aren't exceptional in some way? I'm not trying to spend my time imagining being average but with different scenery.

I'd enjoy books a lot less if the male lead was just Jim from my company's accounting department instead of Darrow from Red Rising. I'll exclude Arthur Dent from that statement.

nonquitt · 2025-04-25T07:35:51+00:00

Feminism in academia is generally pretty cogent and appropriate in their treatment of such topics. Online feminists on the other hand are sometimes people who lack the willingness and sometimes the capacity to appropriately treat topics, and also sometimes aren’t primarily motivated by a desire to create valuable discourse, so there is often some one-dimensional discussion, or even worse.

BobtheArcher2018 · 2025-04-25T05:08:13+00:00

Women seem to have a more complex attitude towards how attractive their ideal guy should be compared to the woman herself. With reactive sexuality and other female typical traits, women don't necessarily dream of HIM being the pretty one.

Different_Cress7369 · 2025-04-25T05:04:55+00:00

Most young woman fiction these days is romantasy stuff where the powerful, beautiful protagonist finds a similarly powerful, attractive partner. Mills and Boon and 50 shades are yesterday’s culture.

CuckCake321 · 2025-04-25T06:08:44+00:00

Lol the guys in women's smut romance books are always Billionaire Werewolves or some cringe shit like that.

Peter_Andre_IQ · 2025-04-25T07:55:34+00:00

I've talked to female publisher once who specialized in mass produced romance books aimed at women. According to her they were making experiments with having successful women as main protagonist - but these books were met with resentment, women were jeleaous of the main character and couldn't identify themselves with them. Women wanted to read about secretaries, preschool teachers etc. being seduced by handsome and wealthy men. In general - women are not inspired by strong female characters, they consider them as competitors living the lives they wish to live, but know it's out of their reach.

Any-Mycologist8868 · 2025-04-25T10:40:39+00:00

The male power fantasy is being a hero and sacrificing your life. The female power fantasy is being a bitch and having everyone love you anyway.

im_rarely_wrong · 2025-04-25T06:25:31+00:00

Feminists are usually ugly women who can't get men, so they become feminists and want to uglify other women in fantasy to own the chuds. Have you ever read a wattpad fanfic by a woman? It's always a 7'4 rich vampire with a 12 inch dick who borderline r#pes the petite woman in the story, but he's too hot to say no to. Everyone when left alone without the brain rot of "sending a message", will fantasize about hot people. Nobody likes ugly shit. We have enough of that in real life.

Vikklee · 2025-04-25T16:29:34+00:00

It’s a little different when men make fictional girls with hugs tits and ass with a small waist, as opposed to women writing about men who will treat them well and protect them. I understand the point that all genders like to make fictional characters that they desire, but I think it’s a little different in most cases.

For example, female comic book characters often are scantily clad and have little to no character development other than romance with a male character. There are exceptions to this of course. These stereotypes in fiction indirectly harm women by perpetuating unrealistic beauty standards. It is physically impossible without surgery to obtain large breasts and ass and also have a small waistline. I’ve met guys personally who have expected women to actually look like that.

Of course, this can also be true of books in terms of forming unrealistic standards for women, but these stereotypes are not quite as harmful. Books less so push a certain look (because they’re words) and instead they push a standard for personality. Women love men in books because they’re kind, thoughtful, and protective. Most woman don’t actually expect a man to have bat wings and be 7 feet tall (again, there are exceptions to this, especially on social media). Books aren’t objectifying men. The male characters in books have their own distinctive personalities and desires and character development, OUTSIDE of just being a love interest or sex object. Again, before the responses come at me “well some women on TikTok read books about sex and it’s just porn and they actually DO expect men to look that way!!1!1” I know, there are always people on social media like that and they’re not representative of the average woman.

The difference between the two is the objectification. I dislike the way female video game characters or comic book characters are depicted by men because they have no depth. Female characters are rarely shown by men to be anything but sexy and into the male protagonist. There’s nothing wrong with having attractive female characters or even them being dressed more revealing! It’s just frustrating when that’s all they are. It’s hard growing up a little girl and having every female superhero you see to be little more than just a love interest or diversity inclusion.

The point is, it’s okay for a character to be sexual, it’s just not okay for that to be all the character is. THAT is why feminists don’t like sexualized female characters, not because they are against men liking hot women.

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Legate_Retardicus84 · 2025-04-26T03:21:36+00:00

It is lame regardless imo.

Mick427 · 2025-04-26T21:14:02+00:00

It's almost like we're a binary species...

Yes, men and women have loved interests in the opposite sex.

Between the sexes, there's a very distinct difference in how that love interest is written or portrayed.

Illustrious_Wish_383 · 2025-04-29T15:28:41+00:00

"Protuberant bosom." Damn, nearly destroyed an expensive keyboard with my coffee there. Gotta find a way to work that into conversation somehow :P

Melodic_Structure928 · 2025-04-25T08:23:16+00:00

Yes they are hypocrites and need to leave men centric media alone. Unless there down to also have there media regulated, and forced to include more fat, short, ugly, balding, men with small dicks then I’m down, at least that way things are fair and consistent but ya know feminism in 2025 so that ain't happening.

Title	Wish-fulfillment in fiction is not limited to one gender. Both men and women have used such tropes in romance books and video games
Author	Abject_Purpose302
Upvotes	29
Comments	71
Date	April 25, 2025 4:53 AM UTC (1 year ago)
Subreddit	Posted in /r/PurplePillDebate
Original Link	https://old.reddit.com/r/PurplePillDebate/comments/1k7crlm/wishfulfillment_in_fiction_is_not_limited_to_one/
Archive Link	https://theredarchive.com/r/PurplePillDebate/wish-fulfillment-in-fiction-is-not-limited-to-one.1550564 https://theredarchive.com/post/1550564

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