   Jessica Pryce 2008-07-27 . chapter 37I am so tired of seeing rape in badly-written fiction because it’s never addressed, it’s used, and used badly, and used for all the wrong reasons.
Because it’s used and abused by writers we're running the risk of trivializing rape. Or, worse, seeing it as something slightly arousing...That point comes when it stops being about helping, informing, or supporting people who have been raped and becomes more about how many people you can shock and how many reviews that will generate. And that is really disgusting.
Why is rape thrown in as a plot point, or for a bit of easy characterization?
This story is disgusting, and gets a 0/100.
If you see a character raping someone, that is usually an indication that the character is meant to be evil. It’s quick and easy for you to do this. I wonder if you've even considered the implications of it?
Another reason writers use rape is to show that a character (99 percent of the time a female one) is ’strong’. She may have been raped, but that didn’t reduce her to a snivelling mess, oh no! She got angry! She got strong! She got even! Thus passively putting down any woman(or man) who was actually raped and did not react in that way. This is also quick characterization, and it’s just as cheap and lazy as ‘he’s a rapist so we know he’s the bad guy’.
The problem with this use of rape in fiction is twofold. It’s cheap and lazy, as I said, and it’s also using rape instead of addressing it. When we see rape in media, we see it used as a way for men to exert their power over someone weaker, or used as a way to tell us something about a character, or used to drive a plot in a certain direction, or used to highlight vulnerability, depravity, and power struggles FOR ENTERTAINMENT.
Challenge me. Tell me you're right about using rape as a plot point. And even if you're not, this plot is overdone. Not only that, this plot is a POOR PLOT. It's a formula where all you have to do is plug in names and descriptions.
It's so trivial, and so wrong.
You mention rape in two chapters (14, 25), and actively use it in two more (29,37).
There's also the abuse (24) and the suicide attempt (27). Abuse and suicide are not trivial issues. They should not be used to highlight vulnerability or weakness or be evidence that a character is feeling really low. They're serious issues.
The "trans" which you so lovingly mention in your summary. Transsexualism, being transgendered, and just generally not being happy with your gender are one thing. While crossdressing is usually a part of that, crossdressing (or attempting to masquerade as the opposite sex to attract the attention of someone you like, then hiding that you're the same person) does not equal being "trans". If your plot (MINORLY!) involves crossdressing, put crossdressing. Don't misrepresent.
My final issue: The twinks. Oh, my god, the twinks.
Why does every gay male have to be pretty and always with some bit of femninity?
Do you know what that is? Ever hear of lesbians being tired of being harassed by men? What you do is the female version of that.
Pretty boys and blond, feminine lesbians are a person-specific fetishization.
It is patronizing, it is sometimes condescending, it's annoying as hell, and not a single gay man I've known has thought girls who did that actually approved of the gay lifestyle; they just like the pretties, which many gay males are not. And that's how it's objectifying. It says all real gay men are twinkboys and are OMG YAOI and yes, of course yaoi would have to focus on personality; all the boys look the same (and very unattractive, at that; I don't see what you girls get from boys who look like girls. They're basically girls with penises, as far as I see). |
 Ghostmoon Dancer 2007-06-24 . chapter 37 finally reviewing this one. i read it the minut you posted, but was to lazy/busy to review. sorry *puppy eyes*. i think you should def. post another chap to this story, to like round it off or something. i was really sad to see iggy screw up, i can understand aerik leaving him, but at the same time i don't want it to be true. they we're so good together. anyways don't want to guess how
you'll be solving/continuing this, i just hope it has a happy ending in the end, preferably with iggy and aerik as a couple ;).
and i really think jimmy and nicky has to talk. hope you update soon. hugs |
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