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Women On Tumblr Point Out The Most Common Mistakes In Female Characters Created By Male Writers
Women On Tumblr Point Out The Most Common Mistakes In Female Characters Created By Male Writers
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Women On Tumblr Point Out The Most Common Mistakes In Female Characters Created By Male Writers

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Sometimes when you read a book, you ought to suspend your disbelief to believe the fantasy. However, there are times when it’s impossible to ignore some of the blatant inaccuracies, especially when they are connected to a substantial demographic (like half the world’s population).

It’s no secret that, at times, male authors describe women in the weirdest most sexist ways, creating awkward, unrealistic female characters that, unfortunately, other men often buy into. Well, women are not too happy about it, and some have come together to compile an ‘open letter’ to men writers. From the realities of periods to the functionality of high heels, these ladies cover a wide range of topics, correcting the misconceptions found in books with female heroes penned by male authors.

Now, we are not trying to be overly feminist, but if a strong female character demeans an average men’s masculinity, there’s something wrong with the guys themselves, not the women and feminism is not to be blamed of that.

Scroll down below to learn a thing or two about the gender roles and real women. Girls, if you have your own additions, don’t forget to leave them in the comments!

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    Giedrė Vaičiulaitytė

    Giedrė Vaičiulaitytė

    Author, Community member

    Read more »

    As a writer and image editor for Bored Panda, Giedrė crafts posts on many different topics to push them to their potential. She's also glad that her Bachelor’s degree in English Philology didn’t go to waste (although collecting dust in the attic could also be considered an achievement of aesthetic value!) Giedrė is an avid fan of cats, photography, and mysteries, and a keen observer of the Internet culture which is what she is most excited to write about. Since she's embarked on her journalistic endeavor, Giedrė has over 600 articles under her belt and hopes for twice as much (fingers crossed - half of them are about cats).

    Read less »
    Giedrė Vaičiulaitytė

    Giedrė Vaičiulaitytė

    Author, Community member

    As a writer and image editor for Bored Panda, Giedrė crafts posts on many different topics to push them to their potential. She's also glad that her Bachelor’s degree in English Philology didn’t go to waste (although collecting dust in the attic could also be considered an achievement of aesthetic value!) Giedrė is an avid fan of cats, photography, and mysteries, and a keen observer of the Internet culture which is what she is most excited to write about. Since she's embarked on her journalistic endeavor, Giedrė has over 600 articles under her belt and hopes for twice as much (fingers crossed - half of them are about cats).

    What do you think ?
    Elissa Casiano
    Community Member
    7 years ago Created by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    I agree with lots of this, but feel really badly for the woman who has THAT much of a problem putting in a tampon. 🙄

    Kat Waterflame
    Community Member
    7 years ago Created by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    I physically can't use tampons, and have to use pads, so I thanks for feeling bad for me. :)

    Load More Replies...
    Jilltdcatlady
    Community Member
    7 years ago Created by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    ALL OF THIS! ++++! And women in combat or post apocalypse roles, they don't have a toiletry kit to have clean shaven pits and legs. Or a 5 step face care to remove zits, hairs, bushy eyebrows, bags, or black circles. And where are they getting so much water that they have shampooed, conditioned hair daily while dying of thirst and starving and under a constant threat? Deal with it, women in their natural state are furry.

    ADVERTISEMENT
    Marina Rios
    Community Member
    7 years ago Created by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    The problem with badly written female characters is about more than bras and periods. I find all these “strong female leads” unrealistic because they don’t do the one thing all women I’ve ever met in my life always do: talk to other women about what happened and how they feel about it.

    Nora H.
    Community Member
    7 years ago Created by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    Actually not all women (nothing is true for all women). I honestly hate "girltalk", the going over daily events, he-said/she-said, feeling-sharing etc.

    Load More Replies...
    Rubee Tubesteak
    Community Member
    7 years ago Created by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    If a woman has said she is not interested in you, she does not want to be "convinced" through a series of gestures you deem romantic.

    Valerie Lessard
    Community Member
    7 years ago Created by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    thanks, Rubee Tubesteak. This. IF i say no, I mean no, and to f**k off and leave me alone. I believe in my own judgement and if I don't want a guy, I've made a sound DECISION, not a moment of delusion.

    Load More Replies...
    Priscyla Marçal
    Community Member
    7 years ago Created by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    it would be cool to hold period like pee.

    Rachel Dant
    Community Member
    7 years ago Created by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    I seriously witnessed a guy express annoyance at a girl 'choosing to deal with her period' (by changing her tampon in the bathroom) at a particular time and place because he deemed it a stupid time/location to do it.

    Load More Replies...
    fruit_panda
    Community Member
    7 years ago Created by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    So glad to see gardeners included in the list of reasons for having short nails! I have short hair and short nails. Both were a choice made for convenience - I garden a ton and backpacking with super short hair is soooo nice! Everyone always assumes it's a statement about my sexuality.

    fruit_panda
    Community Member
    7 years ago Created by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    Not that there's anything wrong with either way. I just feel weird when people assume.

    Load More Replies...
    Kat Waterflame
    Community Member
    7 years ago Created by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    I would like to add to this list that not all women wear bras and/or make up to sleep! Therefore, we don't wake up wearing a bra and a perfect face of make up! If we do fall asleep with our make up on, it doesn't look that great the next day!

    Rachel Dant
    Community Member
    7 years ago Created by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    I actually find it shocking that some women do wear bras in their sleep. Like ... whaaat? That sounds so uncomfortable to me. I definitely go to sleep in my make up sometimes, though ... due to sheer laziness. But I guarantee you it doesn't look pretty the next morning.

    Load More Replies...
    It’s Ritchie
    Community Member
    7 years ago Created by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    Why is it that almost every strong female character I see is some violent Mary Sue chick that can kill everyone with ease? Violence does not make someone strong or powerful, it just makes you violent.

    Guy Williamson
    Community Member
    7 years ago Created by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    At the age of 68, being a male, you still find it hard to believe what society inflict on lady's, Meaning lady's shouldn't be sold short! Thank you,ladys

    K L
    Community Member
    7 years ago Created by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    What I, as a woman, learned from this is that I'm way more uncaring about my appearance than most of the women who contributed to the Tumblr thread. I don't shave anything. I don't wear underwear unless I have a skirt on. I only just obtained bras in the last couple of years that my boobs have gotten bigger as I gained weight; I spent my teens and 20s outspokenly bra-free. The only makeup I own is eyeshadow, which I don't put on very much because the only places I routinely go are Walmart and my therapist's. I don't have a clue where to even start with other makeup, and don't really care anyway; if people don't want to look at my splotchy acne skin, too bad. The clothes I usually put on if I leave the house are jeans and a t-shirt or tanktop, usually. At home I wear the same shirts or tanktops and pj pants or boxers. I'm disabled and usually in some level of pain, and very tired at all times, so a lot of this could be because of that. I go for comfort and ease first, appearance second.

    Carrie de Luka
    Community Member
    7 years ago Created by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    Being in pain does make a difference - I use to care a lot more about clothing and now it's comfort first and appearance second just as you say. Shaving - I'm blonde so what they eye can't see the woman gets away with!

    Load More Replies...
    Load More Comments
    Elissa Casiano
    Community Member
    7 years ago Created by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    I agree with lots of this, but feel really badly for the woman who has THAT much of a problem putting in a tampon. 🙄

    Kat Waterflame
    Community Member
    7 years ago Created by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    I physically can't use tampons, and have to use pads, so I thanks for feeling bad for me. :)

    Load More Replies...
    Jilltdcatlady
    Community Member
    7 years ago Created by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    ALL OF THIS! ++++! And women in combat or post apocalypse roles, they don't have a toiletry kit to have clean shaven pits and legs. Or a 5 step face care to remove zits, hairs, bushy eyebrows, bags, or black circles. And where are they getting so much water that they have shampooed, conditioned hair daily while dying of thirst and starving and under a constant threat? Deal with it, women in their natural state are furry.

    ADVERTISEMENT
    Marina Rios
    Community Member
    7 years ago Created by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    The problem with badly written female characters is about more than bras and periods. I find all these “strong female leads” unrealistic because they don’t do the one thing all women I’ve ever met in my life always do: talk to other women about what happened and how they feel about it.

    Nora H.
    Community Member
    7 years ago Created by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    Actually not all women (nothing is true for all women). I honestly hate "girltalk", the going over daily events, he-said/she-said, feeling-sharing etc.

    Load More Replies...
    Rubee Tubesteak
    Community Member
    7 years ago Created by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    If a woman has said she is not interested in you, she does not want to be "convinced" through a series of gestures you deem romantic.

    Valerie Lessard
    Community Member
    7 years ago Created by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    thanks, Rubee Tubesteak. This. IF i say no, I mean no, and to f**k off and leave me alone. I believe in my own judgement and if I don't want a guy, I've made a sound DECISION, not a moment of delusion.

    Load More Replies...
    Priscyla Marçal
    Community Member
    7 years ago Created by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    it would be cool to hold period like pee.

    Rachel Dant
    Community Member
    7 years ago Created by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    I seriously witnessed a guy express annoyance at a girl 'choosing to deal with her period' (by changing her tampon in the bathroom) at a particular time and place because he deemed it a stupid time/location to do it.

    Load More Replies...
    fruit_panda
    Community Member
    7 years ago Created by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    So glad to see gardeners included in the list of reasons for having short nails! I have short hair and short nails. Both were a choice made for convenience - I garden a ton and backpacking with super short hair is soooo nice! Everyone always assumes it's a statement about my sexuality.

    fruit_panda
    Community Member
    7 years ago Created by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    Not that there's anything wrong with either way. I just feel weird when people assume.

    Load More Replies...
    Kat Waterflame
    Community Member
    7 years ago Created by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    I would like to add to this list that not all women wear bras and/or make up to sleep! Therefore, we don't wake up wearing a bra and a perfect face of make up! If we do fall asleep with our make up on, it doesn't look that great the next day!

    Rachel Dant
    Community Member
    7 years ago Created by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    I actually find it shocking that some women do wear bras in their sleep. Like ... whaaat? That sounds so uncomfortable to me. I definitely go to sleep in my make up sometimes, though ... due to sheer laziness. But I guarantee you it doesn't look pretty the next morning.

    Load More Replies...
    It’s Ritchie
    Community Member
    7 years ago Created by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    Why is it that almost every strong female character I see is some violent Mary Sue chick that can kill everyone with ease? Violence does not make someone strong or powerful, it just makes you violent.

    Guy Williamson
    Community Member
    7 years ago Created by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    At the age of 68, being a male, you still find it hard to believe what society inflict on lady's, Meaning lady's shouldn't be sold short! Thank you,ladys

    K L
    Community Member
    7 years ago Created by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    What I, as a woman, learned from this is that I'm way more uncaring about my appearance than most of the women who contributed to the Tumblr thread. I don't shave anything. I don't wear underwear unless I have a skirt on. I only just obtained bras in the last couple of years that my boobs have gotten bigger as I gained weight; I spent my teens and 20s outspokenly bra-free. The only makeup I own is eyeshadow, which I don't put on very much because the only places I routinely go are Walmart and my therapist's. I don't have a clue where to even start with other makeup, and don't really care anyway; if people don't want to look at my splotchy acne skin, too bad. The clothes I usually put on if I leave the house are jeans and a t-shirt or tanktop, usually. At home I wear the same shirts or tanktops and pj pants or boxers. I'm disabled and usually in some level of pain, and very tired at all times, so a lot of this could be because of that. I go for comfort and ease first, appearance second.

    Carrie de Luka
    Community Member
    7 years ago Created by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    Being in pain does make a difference - I use to care a lot more about clothing and now it's comfort first and appearance second just as you say. Shaving - I'm blonde so what they eye can't see the woman gets away with!

    Load More Replies...
    Load More Comments
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