Institutionalized sexism, basically. Explicitly in some cases: it's gotten--thank God--a lot better in the past couple decades, but there are still some romance lines (Silhouette, for example) where the guidelines mandate that the hero be an "alpha male" who the heroine must "tame."
I know. What annoys me is that this stuff is written by women for women. This is what we are supposed to want. I've read women authors who say that anything but an alpha male is weak and that super strong women emasculate men. Come on. It pisses me from men, but at least I get it. I don't get this stuff coming from other women, though.
Given that these tend to be written by and for women, I figure it's to appeal to women who aren't in control of some aspect of their life. To assure them that even those who kick ten kinds of ass and seem totally in charge envy the sort of thing they have by default.
Likewise, the virgin heroine means she doesn't have whatever fucked-up relationships the reader might have had in the past.
This drives me mad too. I find it amazing that I've read more than one paranormal romance novel where the male character is magically enslaved to the woman, bound to her wishes and orders, and yet somehow he STILL manages to be dominant in every sex scene!
I really want to see some female domination in my romances. Or failing that, sexual equality would be a start.
Because a woman with SOME kind of vulnerability (even if she's otherwise perfectly in control) is a million times more drop-dead sexy than one that isn't. Sorry, but there you are...
Maybe for you, but attractiveness is entirely subjective. I don't have a problem with these types of romances existing, I just have a problem with the lack of variety. Some women do like being completely in control, and some men like not being in control. Some women aren't vulnerable, and some men like them that way. But where are the stories for those women and men? I'd settle for even one or two of them existing.
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Oh my God, the annoying.
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Especially in lines who take that too seriously and the alpha-male ends up part animal part abuser
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Likewise, the virgin heroine means she doesn't have whatever fucked-up relationships the reader might have had in the past.
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This drives me mad too. I find it amazing that I've read more than one paranormal romance novel where the male character is magically enslaved to the woman, bound to her wishes and orders, and yet somehow he STILL manages to be dominant in every sex scene!
I really want to see some female domination in my romances. Or failing that, sexual equality would be a start.
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