Sunday, December 17, 2006

For Insight

Try Tamora Pierce's livejournal. Especially the part about people who ask her why she writes female character:
It really hurts when girls ask me this. Are they so beaten down by our culture's superior value on boys that they don't understand why someone would prefer to write for them, showcasing their strengths and possibilities? Do they find it so strange that someone would willingly showcase them? So brainwashed that they think there's something wrong with me that I prefer it, or that I prefer girl heroes, and not princesses, or princesses in disguise, or orphans in quest of families, or loner socialites, or rocker wanna-bes, or girl victims? (Not that I don't value the books in which girls begin as victims--I read them myself, and really like the way the characters learn what's going find strength and a way out. But I prefer a different approach, and when girls ask me why I'm doing it, I need to start asking, "Why aren't more people doing it? Aren't you worth as many heroes as the boys get?"

3 comments:

  1. Hi Ragnell!
    I've tagged you for "Six Weird Things" :) check out my latest post for details!
    - Artemis

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  2. That article made me kinda sad. I can understand boys (or parents of boys) asking her why she doesn't have more boy heroes (though it sounds like she has at least a few), but why are the girls asking that? I'm a guy, so maybe I don't get it, but it seems like we need more female heroes in fiction, not less.

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  3. You;ve got to admit, that she has a very valid point.

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