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Making a character in a book seem realistic and interesting is no easy task. It’s not down to just your skills as a writer, though. You actually have to know a bit about who you’re writing about. In other words—do your research. Unfortunately, some male writers out there seem to have major problems writing female characters and seem shy about asking their female friends for advice.

The ‘Men Write Women’ page on X (former Twitter) documents these scary and cringe-worthy examples of men writing about women without having any idea about them or their anatomy. The project was started back in 2019 when Meghan Vondriska launched her version of the ‘Men Writing Women’ Reddit community. Now, the ‘Men Write Women’ X page has over 69k followers, and there are over 2k fans who follow their Instagram page.

“Women just want to be written as human. That’s it. There isn't some wild scientific equation to writing women, and it isn't difficult. Write them as human, with complex feelings, not as body parts that happen to be put together into a feminine form,” Vondriska told Bored Panda.

Let’s take a look at these examples of how men write women and see what Vondriska has to say about this annoying depiction.

More info: MegVondriska.com

#1

This Is The Best One Yet

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Samantha Lomb
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3 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

wow. so many weird misogynistic stereotypes here. Does this person also believe our wombs detach, fly about our bodies and make us crazy once a month?

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#2

We Don’t Get Real Pockets In Pants Because We Have Tiny Purses In Our Vaginas!!! (Stuart Woods, Desperate Measures)

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Samantha Lomb
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3 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

This is horrifying. Has this man ever seen a vagina? I could not imagine jamming credit cards up it.

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#3

"3 And A Half Milliboobs Per Handful"

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Daria Z
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3 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

The picture on the right is quite accurate and can apply to this whole post 😳

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What Does it Mean When a Woman is Written by a Man?

At times, male authors depict female characters as sexualized, unrealistic beings who are mere accessories that meet the desires of these authors. Men portraying women in this manner is called the male gaze. The male gaze or a woman written by a man tends to focus on the body rather than the character itself. When women are objectified without giving them a voice in the story, it’s typically said that the woman is written by a man.

#4

Yes, Men Would Be Amaaazing At Handling Pregnancy - Evolution Really Screwed This One Up. Bonus Points For “No Woman Gets Raped Unless She’s Looking For It.”

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RaroaRaroa
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3 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Oo. This writer does not like the look of pregnant women, so has decided that women must hate it - you know, because he hates it and they surely all want to appeal to him because he's so awesome.

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#5

Well Damn, Where Are All My Kids Then??

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Samantha Lomb
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3 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Oh someone needs to tell this person men also get stretch marks and they are not ll from having kids. weightloss or gain does it too

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#6

Let's Not Forget This Gem Either

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Stephanie Did It
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3 years ago (edited) DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Just imagine the reverse: "every hair in my beard becoming a tiny penis"

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Women Written by Men: What Does Vondriska Say?

“I’m an avid reader, but the straw that broke the camel’s back was a novel my boyfriend lent me, where the female character was described by her breasts, and the male character was described by his personality.”

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“Working in advertising, I tend to be Very Online, so taking my anger to Twitter seemed like a natural parallel. I was familiar with the Men Writing Women subreddit, but created a Twitter account in order to craft a consistent narrative and to build a community that wasn’t hidden behind anonymity,” Vondriska revealed what inspired her to create ‘Men Write Women.’

Vondriska, from Wisconsin, devours 3 to 5 books each week. (Meanwhile, our piles of started-but-unfinished books keep on growing.) According to her, a lot of male writers who tend to be thought of as the “founders of the literary canon” are continuous offenders. “John Updike, for instance. But the greatest repeat offender is definitely Stephen King. His portrayal of his female characters is honestly offensive,” Vondriska said.

#7

Ugly Women Without Good Personalities Should Kill Themselves [rivers Of London By Ben Aaronovitch]

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#8

This Made My Breasts Frown

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Rowlie
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3 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Lately my breasts only cry and sigh deeply. I miss all the smiling

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#9

That's Not How Any Of This Works

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Male Authors Writing About Women Actually Well

However, it isn't all doom and gloom in the literary world. There are male writers who can write women well, too. “Terry Pratchett is wonderful, and I’ve yet to see a submission from Michael Crichton,” Vondriska shared that she, like many of us, is a Pratchett fan. Vondriska also pointed out that, in her opinion, the best writers are well-read. So, she encouraged all of us to read more and (most importantly) read more widely.

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“Pay attention to what you’re reading and who you’re reading. You have to make sure your bookshelf isn't made up of just men. Add in some spice—some female authors, some nonbinary authors, or authors of color. And lastly, just because you were assigned a book in high school doesn't mean it’s good!”

#10

Unsurprisingly, The Book's Terrible Writing From A "Proclaimed" Writer Does Not End Here (The Wedding Plot, Jeffrey Eugenides)

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Samantha Lomb
Community Member
3 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Boobs are testicles. They don't "withdraw" because there is muscle and a rib cage underneath and they are just mounds of fat and milk producing tissue. I feel like so many people here did not pay attention in health class. How can they be so clueless about the female body?

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#11

Male Authors Writing Women Are Actually Just Horror Stories And Here's Why

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#12

Ah Yes, Exactly How I'd Describe Myself (The Diamond Age, Neal Stephenson)

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Theodore Theodora
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3 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Woman: "I'm SO HOT omg." Dude: "Just like my dead wife." What?!

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Rani
Community Member
3 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

I've read this book. This is a woman is not describing herself. She's deliberately and sarcastically using a stereotypical description in order to get a rise out of the man. They've only communicated by writing and have never seen each other.

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N G
Community Member
3 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

A description of his late wife and EVERY FANFIC MARYSUE EVER

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LSS
Community Member
3 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

ROFL. Apparently guys have a thing for black hair and green eyes combo

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Jo Choto
Community Member
3 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

I'm hoping this is ironic or humorous. I mean, who on earth would ever describe themselves like that, whether it was true or not?

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Eric George
Community Member
3 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

When I read this book, I assumed that the character was poking fun at the same trope this thread is.

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Rani
Community Member
3 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

I've read the book - this is written from the point of view of a woman who's being snarky - she's not describing herself, she's being snarky about female beauty because she is trying to get a rise out of the man. It doesn't count.

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ispeak catanese
Community Member
3 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

What human would ever describe herself in this way??? *starts typing it as my Tinder profile*

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Storm Anne
Community Member
3 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

pert... PERT.. REALLY PERT BREASTS!!?!?! person: describe yourself please Girl: I have PERT breasts ??????

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JD Lee
Community Member
3 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

“She” is describing herself like a man would describe her in this... oh. Wait. You’ve just been catfished dear Duke. Meet Gerald. He lives in his mothers basement & likes wool sweaters and Cheetos.

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Pandana
Community Member
3 years ago (edited) DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Okay ladies, lets explain ourselves as detailed as this. "Average height, shitty brown eyes, brown hair that falls to my chin until I pin it up with a bobby pin, hairy but okay legs, cheekbones less defined than a vsco girl, tired ass eyes, cracked dry lips, tanned skinned that makes me look like a f*****g rrotisserie chicken, hips wide enough for me to hold two kids at the same time, and my boobs are none of your busness."

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🌺🍍🌼🌻🌼🍍🌺
Community Member
3 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

wow... do men realize that just because someone is pretty, they dont always see it? mainly because men have written s**t like this and forced women in our society to fit a certain beauty standard?

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Trudi McLaren
Community Member
3 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

I think this is actually the whole point of this paragraph - I read it that she's being sarcastic and poking fun at the stereotype (and he's quipping back about his dead wife). I don't think this one really counts...

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Jessica McConaha
Community Member
3 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

I'm totally going to start describing myself like this anytime some asks:Just a hair taller than average, too short to were average jeans though as the cuffs drag the ground, but it allows me to roll them up to accent my rebellious punk rock IDGAF style & I can show off my high-top chuck Taylor's easier so BOUNUS! My eyes are green & blue with flecks of yellow & they turn demon red when i'm angry because I turn into a raging werewolf, which is great because I don't have much muscle otherwise. but wolfn' out makes me a badass. It's just too bad that all that extra hair covers up all of my tattoos.

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Joanne Hudson
Community Member
3 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

"Nothing special". When someone tells you who they are, believe them the first time.

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Friedlander Rosenzweig
Community Member
3 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Yeesh, I hate when other women copy my Match.com profile without asking me first.

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Sarah Pugh
Community Member
3 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

This *was* the author poking fun at men who describe women like that. The character was deliberately obfuscating who she was - I think there was a Turing test involved here. In any case, Neal Stephenson has committed some crimes against literature but this ain't one of them.

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Colleen Hindson
Community Member
3 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

What absolute garbage. Take away this guy's typewriter. He wants a Barbie doll not a real woman.

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Monika Soffronow
Community Member
3 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Come on, no woman uses that kind of language descibing hersel, nor descibing another woman.

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Georgia Namdets
Community Member
3 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Maybe I can get my driver’s license changed to show I have flashing green eyes. After all, one wants to be accurate 😂

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Iris Wolfie (づ ◕‿◕ )づ
Community Member
3 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

If i had to respond like this: "Sexily petite, emerald green eyes, thick chestnut hair falling to my shoulders which I keep down because i'm lazy-er, adorably tired. Skinny, lil' feet, lots of tiny pimples"

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Nala 9401
Community Member
3 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

horrendous representation of women aside, this is the laziest writing I have ever seen, it's as though there were no other opportunity for character description in the entire story... which I guarantee there will have been

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Pumpkin Spice
Community Member
2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

me: slightly shorter than average, with thug breasts. f*****g thug breasts. they will beat you up.

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Judith Petree
Community Member
2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

It doesn't get any more cliched than "alabaster skin". Get a thesaurus, dude.

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Sarah
Community Member
2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Do people actually buy this author's books? Tell me know one's ever heard of this loser!

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BananaAnna
Community Member
3 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Love her "luxuriant" description of herself. Would be worthy of a job application. Or a porno film.

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Meko
Community Member
3 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Weirdly specific like she said i am the stereotypically beautiful woman and have “skin that flushes vividly when I am passionate about something” oh wow LIKE MY DEAD WIFE

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Leila Noury
Community Member
3 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

I am a male but I know how to write from female perspectives... oh wait, I'm trans. Well, still you have to pay attention to actual women perspectives from well-written books.

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Jane Sullivan
Community Member
3 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

it sounds like this author was hitting a roadblock in trying to describe what she looked like.

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Jaybird3939
Community Member
3 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

What woman describes herself with "flashing" eyes, "luxuriant" waves of hair, "alabaster" skin.? Yeeessshhhh

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Rachel Waller
Community Member
3 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

If you get a description like this of the person on the other end, you're almost certainly cybering with another sad lonely guy.

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Nicole Tomme
Community Member
3 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

No woman describes herself like that. We are taught to hate our bodies.

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Im.in.wonderland
Community Member
3 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Dude Iḿ actually crying laughing everything about this post is so annoying yet hilarious.

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Seabeast
Community Member
3 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

"I also read too many bodice rippers written by men in my spare time."

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Celtic Pirate Queen
Community Member
3 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Yeah, because even if we looked like that - that's EXACTLY what we'd say about ourselves.

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Granny
Community Member
3 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

I say sir..short,plumb,age spots white hair and hairly legs..giggle

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Cybele Spanjaard
Community Member
3 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

I would like to state that too....except it ain't quite respectful to both, all, anyone....

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What is the Female Gaze Theory?

The female gaze theory refers to the female point of view in the story that focuses on the realistic depiction of the characters rather than objectifying their bodies. Usually, when netizens say, “written by a woman,” they are talking about this realistic female gaze that gives depth to the character rather than their physical appearance.

#13

I'm Sorry, Her Breasts Do What

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Rowlie
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3 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

I guess the only breasts the author saw were trying to escape from him

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#14

She's Eleven And Scared But Let's Talk About Her Nipples

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#15

This Whole Book Has Both My Eyes And My Boobs Rolling

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#16

Be Horrified With The Rest Of Us

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Lord Mysticlaw
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3 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Men like Conde should not be surprised that sexy women love other women, and he really should try to help that male chauvinism.

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#19

Plz Put This On My Tombstone #submission (The Dogs, Scott Smith)

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#20

*me To My Friend* Excuse Me, May I Please Borrow Your Eyeballs?

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#21

She Was Flesh And Blood, Not The 2D Woman He Was Used To Objectifying On Television, And For That She Was All The More Special (A Time On Earth, Vihelm Moberg)

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#22

Literally No Woman Would Ever Do This (Misterioso, Arne Dahl)

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Lord Mysticlaw
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3 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

In the first place this whole soaking thing sounds like a dishcloth, this guy obviously doesn't know how pads work. In the second place, pads stick to underwear, in my experience you don't just "fish them out", this guy obviously doesn't know how pads work. In the third place, of course the only possible rational reason why a woman would refuse sex is because she's on her period!, this guy is obviously an effing asshole.

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#23

Only Sluts Have Hairy Legs (The Things They Carried, Tim O'brien)

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Samantha Lomb
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3 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

dry sounds like she just needs to use more lotion. dry skin is horribly itchy

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#25

Wish I Had Pillowy Breasts! Taken From Ben Fountain’s Brief Encounters With Che Guevara

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Samantha Lomb
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3 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

I'm more concerned by the fact he seems to routinely check out boys' butts and uses that as the benchmark of sexy.

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#26

The Rest Reads “Dad Is Looking Like He Made A Better Decision Every Year”. What?!?

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#27

This Is A Totally Anatomically Normal Thing For Breasts To Do #submission (We Can Remember It For You Wholesale, Philip Dick)

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Lord Mysticlaw
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3 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

These male authors are making my breasts pulse with resentment. They're really pissed off.

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#28

#menwritingwomen No Wonder Some Of Them Think Our Breasts Stop Us From Doing Stuff If They Think We’re As Obsessed As They Are. We Can’t Get Away From Them. Oh Must Do This Important Thing But Wait!

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Samantha Lomb
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3 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Well this seems to reinforce every ugly stereotype of men being sex crazed horndogs

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#29

'the Shining', By Stephen King. Its Always Breasts

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Chez
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3 years ago (edited) DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

To be fair, this scene is where he is describing a woman who has been dead in a bath for however long (a ghost of her anyway). And when I read it it's actually made perfect sense in that context.

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Note: this post originally had 78 images. It’s been shortened to the top 29 images based on user votes.

Female Characters Are More Than Just Their Bodies

We understand your anger. It’s impossible to read the thread without getting infuriated about this poor depiction of women. You can take out your anger about these male writers and express yourself in the comments. After all, women are so much more than just their bodies. Share this not just with your fellow feminists but with other friends and family, too. It’s high time we call out these unfair depictions, don’t you think so?