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How much sympathy is left for people who still like traditional gender roles?

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Guy

Inkling
I love a good "impression" as much as the next guy. But has anybody actually said that?
One does not have to explicitly state an idea in order to communicate that idea. And there have been entire threads devoted to fantasy having certain progressive ideals and the many virtues that entails.
 

Russ

Istar
One does not have to explicitly state an idea in order to communicate that idea. And there have been entire threads devoted to fantasy having certain progressive ideals and the many virtues that entails.

I thought so.
 

Caged Maiden

Staff
Article Team
Going back to the original question (because I too am late to the conversation), I'd like to say that I tend to write different things based on my goals. I think even if an author, whether he be an Agnostic gay white male, or she is a Catholic housewife and mother, has a comfort level, that is their comfort level and it's no one else's business to say they should or must write outside it. There are multitudes of career-women who make a decent living writing historical romance, and their books do not at all reflect their personal lives or professional pursuits. Just as there are many straight white men who have made great writing careers out of writing completely made-up worlds of fiction where gender roles are abandoned and the characters aren't even human.

If YOU want to write books about elves who are genderless and procreate by creating children out of sand and asking the gods to bless their sculpture with a soul, GREAT! If YOU want to write a story about a convent in 14th century France that is attacked by a demon and the nuns hire a band of brutish mercenaries to protect them, WONDERFUL! If YOU feel like writing a gay man as an airship captain, and he's black and has an opium addiction, AWESOME! The thing is, it's about an individual's comfort level, and while I could see myself writing any of these, my tone and style would be adapted in each to perform a specific job and deal with the issues at hand. My genderless elves might have a view of sexuality very contrary to my nuns or my airship captain, and that's fine if I FEEL I can accomplish my goals. But if YOU feel like you can't write it or have no desire to, that's okay. NO writer should ever feel like they MUST include any elements in their fiction that they're uncomfortable with. Readers have comfort levels too!

However, I think what the majority of people are trying to say, is that if you don't FEEL like writing a gay captain and a bunch of scared nuns who hire men to save them, or elves who have more problems than the continuation of their species, then don't feel like you MUST pander to people who desire to read about something you don't feel you could produce.

There are readers who probably specifically search out stories with homosexual main characters, as there are readers who would immediately shun those stories and favor something with more traditional family values, and that's not meant to imply they're Christian readers or whatever. It's up to each writer to decide what their comfort level is, and while I take a pretty open viewpoint of what my own comfort level is, I'd never call a writer "limited" for choosing material within their own comfort level. If we look at books that sell, there are arguments for any viewpoint, and I think it's up to each individual to not only be true to their own personal beliefs, but to push the boundaries if they feel inclined to. Consumers will speak if they feel a line has been crossed, or not crossed far enough, but that's not why we write, is it? I mean, if I had to write a book that felt sympathetic to an issue to which I wasn't sympathetic, I imagine the resulting story would just suck.

If you feel traditional gender roles is important to you (I'm a housewife and mother of four kids, too), then leave gender roles as you see them. I appreciate the life I have. Without an immensely supportive and hard-working husband, I wouldn't have any of the freedoms I currently enjoy. But that's not to say I believe my traditional role is the only valid one. I appreciate all the women who make great strides to promoting equality in the workplace and in society.

I also appreciate how people who are affected by gay marriage feel, because it's something that is important to them, even though it doesn't affect me personally. I want all people to enjoy freedom and equality, but when it comes down to my own writing, I can only write what I think is right for a character. And for the record, I've never written a gay main character into a novel, not because I am somehow against the thought, but because when I write, I tend to stick with my instincts, and I just don't want the story to somehow become a study of that aspect of the human condition. I don't personally feel like it's my inclination to publicly explore something I don't personally feel I can relate to.

And one last note, I think all writers come across this in some form or fashion. One of my personal feelings revolves around alcohol. I have friends who drink a lot. I have friends who can't have fun without a bottle in their hands. But I personally don't drink often if at all, and that affects my writing. I do mention drunkenness, but it's usually a negative sentiment in my stories. I can imagine this is something many people don't give a lot of thought to, but I consider very carefully how I portray things like vice, and while I've written a fair amount of addicts (of various substances) and drunks, I wouldn't expect it's a subject that gets a lot of attention on writer forums (compared to sexuality and race...and I know these things are not equal because substance abuse is a choice vs. inborn trait, so please don't read too far into this message), but my point is, it's impossible to write without sometimes putting your own personal thoughts into your work. Would anyone be offended that I take a negative view of an opium-addicted young lady, or a character choosing to drown his sorrows, or a character ending up in a situation he can't control when he's drunk? I hope not. But because sexuality is a thing that's so personal, it's easy to find objections to portrayals. It can anger folks who have opposing views. And let's face it, some folks are just unhappy with a lot of things.

Basically, if you have traditional family values and you feel that's something you aren't willing to compromise, look then to works that feature those values, and see what's important to those readers. It doesn't in any way take you out of the game. It's just who you are, and there are loads of people just like you out there. Just as there are a lot of people who believe portraying gay characters is important, or people of their race, or people who thwart traditional gender roles. If you write a good story with whatever values you choose, the right readers will pay you for your efforts. Just like I hope they will pay me for whatever inspired me to write today.

Best wishes.
 
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Demesnedenoir

Myth Weaver
I have zero issue with your position. They are your stories, your worlds, your books, your characters. Fantasy fiction has had a bad rep with Christians in general, Tolkien had to deal with that... all magic is magic of the devil, that sort of thing. CS Lewis tap-danced around it too.

As a fantasy writer/reader I believe in being true to your world and yourself. And if writing the real world, be true to that also. I once was writing a Western screenplay in a UCLA class that used real world historical figures. One of them was a black guy known by the name N***** Jim. He is actually a relatively famous black cowboy, and he had zero problem with the N-word, but then, in the 1870's it just wasn't the same. Even his tombstone has that name on it. So, when writing the character I gave his name, and immediately I got the 20-21st century reaction of him getting into a fist fight with anyone who dared call him that... and I was like, nooooo, the real person did not care, it was what they called him on cattle drives, it simply was not offensive. This was a running battle I had with that script, but at no point would that have kept the thing from selling. That reminds me I should actually finish that script or novelize it, it was really a good tale of historic fiction. But I digress!

The moral is, you always get a certain amount of flack no matter what, even when speaking of historic fact! but be true yourself, and be true to your story, those are the things that matter.
 
Hi,

Devouring, jut to take issue with your last paragraph. Actually there are ideas that can cause harm. Immense harm. Nietzsche's uberman was the idea used as a justification for the rise of the Third Reich / Hitler and his ideal of the ayrian man. Marx's ideals about communism etc have been used as the basis for any number of corrupt political agendas / tyrannies.

My thought is that ideas do have power, and as authors we have to consider that. To think what might be potential impact upon readers of what we write. I'm not saying don't write it. But I am saying think about the message your work sends. Do you want to be glorifying pedophilia? Justifying personal drug use? Promoting racism?

Writing objectionable characters doing objectionable things is one thing. But promoting objectionable ideals is another.

I think as authors we always have to consider the impact of what we write. Remember Stephen King pulled his book Rage from the shelves after the sudden advent of school shootings was rightly or wrongly attributed to it.

Cheers, Greg.
 

skip.knox

toujours gai, archie
Moderator
My recent observations is that the outspoken fan community has become much more outspoken about what they want out of stories, and often what they want is a very modern approach, regardless of genre.

I think that is true of any fan community. The voices you tend to hear are those that are the most strident. Were you to go to your local library and simply buttonhole patrons there, I believe you would come away with a rather different impression.

I'm male, straight, 64 years old. I'm a historian. I play guitar. Not sure any of that is relevant, but since we're discussing people by groups, I figured I'd join in.
 
Hi,

A misreading of Nietzsche, I'd submit.

Actually no - not in my opinion. An unintended consequence of what he wrote. Freddy you have to remember was highly influenced by Wagner and he was thinking in terms of the ideals of the Greek heroes. He never foresaw how others would interpret his work.

But rather than getting into a debate about Freddy, he still wrote the basic idea of the ubersmensch and it was used to cause immense harm.

To use a personal example. I'm just in the process of editing my new book Banshee Hunt and in it one of the scenes is a sort of torture scene where a man is chained up has petrol poured over him, and then has matches thrown at him. Nasty I know. But in the original draft I explained that the reason it didn't light was that it was diesel that was actually used. So he was safe and it was just to scare him. Double checking revealed that there are certain circumstances under which diesel can actually light when matches are thrown at it - eg absorbtion into soil and fabrics. So I rewrote it to become "magic water" just to make certain that no one got the idea of trying it. Not from me anyway. It has been used elsewhere - "Vexed" for a start.

Cheers, Greg.
 

Annoyingkid

Banned
Lately, I have become increasingly aware of how much today's modern morals and worldview are pushed by fan communities and communities of writers. It seems to be becoming more and more expected that all writing should represent today's world. I can't do that. Is there still a place for my stories in this environment?

Yes, there is. There's clearly many Christian readers. That said, I would advise against the writer - regardless of what they believe - from being too in the limelight. We're supposed to be the people behind the curtain. Ideally the readers shouldn't know that much about you, because the goal of the writer is to disappear from the reader's consciousness when our characters are being read or viewed.
 

Steerpike

Felis amatus
Moderator
But rather than getting into a debate about Freddy, he still wrote the basic idea of the ubersmensch and it was used to cause immense harm.

Intentionally misused by his sister, as I recall. I don't think you can fault someone for the intentional distortion of their work.
 
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pmmg

Myth Weaver
Ideally the readers shouldn't know that much about you, because the goal of the writer is to disappear from the reader's consciousness when our characters are being read or viewed.

I wish many actors would take this same position... But this one is kind of old. I don't mind dragging them back out, but I suspect many of the attitudes on them have not changed very much.
 
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Let me get right to the point: I am a woman. I am a wife and a mother. I am a Christian (Catholic variety). And I still like traditional gender roles. I enjoy being a stay at home mom. I enjoy taking care of my children and my house rather than having a job or career. My only real aspirations are to have a healthy and happy family life and to become a self-published storyteller.

I enjoy being female and feminine. I like that my partner in life is male and masculine. I try my best to let my children, 2 girls and 3 boys, develop naturally but as a Catholic I do believe that human beings are either male or female, there is a distinct biological difference. Though I do not automatically subscribe to all of the male and female stereotypes of society. I prefer to think about such things for myself and decide whether they truly have anything to do with being male or female or whether they are just the image our warped society chooses to believe is male or female. I do, however, believe that only women can be mothers and only men can be fathers. And yes, I do believe that marriage is only between a man and a women, for their mutual spiritual edification and for the formation of a family.

Despite laying this all out, I don't want to argue or debate here about whether anything I believe is true. I'm 33 years old and I've spent the better part of the last 10+ years contemplating what I truly believe so it's not likely an argument on the internet is going to sway me.

No, what I want to know is, how much sympathy is there among writers and reader in today's society for someone like me who has such strongly founded beliefs and is not willing to compromise them?

I'm not going to write homosexual couples. I'm not going to represent any kind of gender fluidity in my writing. Nothing about my stories is going to celebrate anything that goes against Catholic doctrine. On the other hand, I have no intention of making my personal morals the center of my stories. I do not write Christian Fiction. I would say the way I approach it is closest to J. R. R. Tolkien. As he said, his LOTR was fundamentally Catholic, even though he went to great pains to keep "religion" out of it. Honestly, I prefer to focus on magic and adventure and universal themes.

Lately, I have become increasingly aware of how much today's modern morals and worldview are pushed by fan communities and communities of writers. It seems to be becoming more and more expected that all writing should represent today's world. I can't do that. Is there still a place for my stories in this environment?

I'm not likely to stop writing, whatever the answer. But I am curious. And I would really, really like this thread to not descend into flaming. Let's try to respect each other's beliefs as much as possible.

i don't know why this thread is back from the dead and my comments are probably totally out of place by now, but i am caught by the idea that personal beliefs about homosexuality being wrong have to mean that there are no homosexual characters. It interests me. Personally, I wouldn't feel that, by writing a LGBT character, I was necessarily saying anything about LGBT people other than that they exist. And...they do.

I guess if you don't feel comfortable writing one, it's best to avoid; that's understandable.

But i just thought about the idea that content of world/story=views of author. Must it be this way?

Say I wrote a character who was racist. I didn't even paint them as an antagonist or a particularly unsympathetic character, apart from them being racist, of course. I don't think this character's existence would say anything about whether I was racist or not.
 

A. E. Lowan

Forum Mom
Leadership
Say I wrote a character who was racist. I didn't even paint them as an antagonist or a particularly unsympathetic character, apart from them being racist, of course. I don't think this character's existence would say anything about whether I was racist or not.
That brings up a very interesting thought. We have a character in Faerie Rising, a protagonist, who is racist. Deeply, openly so. Granted, it's towards a variety of fae, but still, he's racist and he gets called out on it time and time again.

What strikes me as surprising is how many of our readers never trip on it. And when I ask readers their thoughts on his racism, the most common answer is, "Well, I'm sure he has a reason." He doesn't. It's a kneejerk, ingrained response to his upbringing.
 

Mythopoet

Auror
Woah, look at this ancient thread back from the dead.

That brings up a very interesting thought. We have a character in Faerie Rising, a protagonist, who is racist. Deeply, openly so. Granted, it's towards a variety of fae, but still, he's racist and he gets called out on it time and time again.

What strikes me as surprising is how many of our readers never trip on it. And when I ask readers their thoughts on his racism, the most common answer is, "Well, I'm sure he has a reason." He doesn't. It's a kneejerk, ingrained response to his upbringing.

I would suggest that this is mostly because the racism is toward a creature that isn't human. It seems, in my experience, that readers are less likely to see it as related to real world racism if it involves a fantasy race. And this is probably due to the very complicated nature of racism which would really need its own thread to address.

i don't know why this thread is back from the dead and my comments are probably totally out of place by now, but i am caught by the idea that personal beliefs about homosexuality being wrong have to mean that there are no homosexual characters. It interests me. Personally, I wouldn't feel that, by writing a LGBT character, I was necessarily saying anything about LGBT people other than that they exist. And...they do.

I guess if you don't feel comfortable writing one, it's best to avoid; that's understandable.

But i just thought about the idea that content of world/story=views of author. Must it be this way?

Say I wrote a character who was racist. I didn't even paint them as an antagonist or a particularly unsympathetic character, apart from them being racist, of course. I don't think this character's existence would say anything about whether I was racist or not.

You know, it's been a long time since I wrote this post. I feel like the original post was partly my own knee jerk reaction. My beliefs haven't changed at all, but how I relate to these issues in the real world has, I think, developed. Part of me is cringing as I read the OP. For one thing, I would no longer say that I would never write LGBT characters or relationships, though I'm still not likely to. But I wouldn't rule it out.

Though the type of stories I write tend to be stories that focus on magic and mystery and adventure. Not stories where social issues like racism and gender are likely to even come up at all. Though part of the built in nature of my world is a worldview without our society's arbitrary associations of gender and what constitutes "feminine" or "masculine". And I also intend to build a different worldview about relationships in general into my world. I don't want it to be a world where any kind of physical touch automatically means romance or any type of non-blood related love automatically lead to sex. I want to subvert such assumptions and but also not make a big deal about it. I want a lot more nuance, but I also don't want that to be what my stories are about.

And I don't like labels. If I have a couple of girl characters who hold hands and cuddle when they desire physical affection, I don't want them to be labeled by default as lesbians. I don't want to label any of the relationships in my book. I don't think labels do any good in any world. Labels are for things, not people. People should never be treated like things.
 

Dark Squiggle

Troubadour
To answer the original question of this thread, I don't care whether the book I'm reading is LGBTQ or not. Sometimes it's interesting if there is a gay POV character, but otherwise, it changes the story very little.
Woah, look at this ancient thread back from the dead.



I would suggest that this is mostly because the racism is toward a creature that isn't human. It seems, in my experience, that readers are less likely to see it as related to real world racism if it involves a fantasy race. And this is probably due to the very complicated nature of racism which would really need its own thread to address..
It is complex, and applies any time two groups get together. My Grandmother is a great person, but she is racist in many ways. It is interesting to watch how she deals with friends of hers who should be "evil" in her book according to her racism. She writes them off as "not really" whatever, or if she's really stuck, she says they are an exception. Many people, possibly including myself are racist and don't know it. Racism is a far more complex thing than many people will admit.
.
And I don't like labels. If I have a couple of girl characters who hold hands and cuddle when they desire physical affection, I don't want them to be labeled by default as lesbians. I don't want to label any of the relationships in my book. I don't think labels do any good in any world. Labels are for things, not people. People should never be treated like things.
People give things labels. People understand things by chategorizing them and comparing them to other things. That's just how it works.
 

Mythopoet

Auror
.
People give things labels. People understand things by chategorizing them and comparing them to other things. That's just how it works.

Yes, give things labels by all means. But not people. People are not just part of categories or groups. Every person is too unique for that and it's precisely this labeling that leads to racism, etc. I know it's the human tendency. But that doesn't mean it's good. We should resist the urge to label when it comes to people.
 

Chessie2

Staff
Article Team
Going back to the original question (because I too am late to the conversation), I'd like to say that I tend to write different things based on my goals. I think even if an author, whether he be an Agnostic gay white male, or she is a Catholic housewife and mother, has a comfort level, that is their comfort level and it's no one else's business to say they should or must write outside it. There are multitudes of career-women who make a decent living writing historical romance, and their books do not at all reflect their personal lives or professional pursuits. Just as there are many straight white men who have made great writing careers out of writing completely made-up worlds of fiction where gender roles are abandoned and the characters aren't even human.

If YOU want to write books about elves who are genderless and procreate by creating children out of sand and asking the gods to bless their sculpture with a soul, GREAT! If YOU want to write a story about a convent in 14th century France that is attacked by a demon and the nuns hire a band of brutish mercenaries to protect them, WONDERFUL! If YOU feel like writing a gay man as an airship captain, and he's black and has an opium addiction, AWESOME! The thing is, it's about an individual's comfort level, and while I could see myself writing any of these, my tone and style would be adapted in each to perform a specific job and deal with the issues at hand. My genderless elves might have a view of sexuality very contrary to my nuns or my airship captain, and that's fine if I FEEL I can accomplish my goals. But if YOU feel like you can't write it or have no desire to, that's okay. NO writer should ever feel like they MUST include any elements in their fiction that they're uncomfortable with. Readers have comfort levels too!

However, I think what the majority of people are trying to say, is that if you don't FEEL like writing a gay captain and a bunch of scared nuns who hire men to save them, or elves who have more problems than the continuation of their species, then don't feel like you MUST pander to people who desire to read about something you don't feel you could produce.

There are readers who probably specifically search out stories with homosexual main characters, as there are readers who would immediately shun those stories and favor something with more traditional family values, and that's not meant to imply they're Christian readers or whatever. It's up to each writer to decide what their comfort level is, and while I take a pretty open viewpoint of what my own comfort level is, I'd never call a writer "limited" for choosing material within their own comfort level. If we look at books that sell, there are arguments for any viewpoint, and I think it's up to each individual to not only be true to their own personal beliefs, but to push the boundaries if they feel inclined to. Consumers will speak if they feel a line has been crossed, or not crossed far enough, but that's not why we write, is it? I mean, if I had to write a book that felt sympathetic to an issue to which I wasn't sympathetic, I imagine the resulting story would just suck.

If you feel traditional gender roles is important to you (I'm a housewife and mother of four kids, too), then leave gender roles as you see them. I appreciate the life I have. Without an immensely supportive and hard-working husband, I wouldn't have any of the freedoms I currently enjoy. But that's not to say I believe my traditional role is the only valid one. I appreciate all the women who make great strides to promoting equality in the workplace and in society.

I also appreciate how people who are affected by gay marriage feel, because it's something that is important to them, even though it doesn't affect me personally. I want all people to enjoy freedom and equality, but when it comes down to my own writing, I can only write what I think is right for a character. And for the record, I've never written a gay main character into a novel, not because I am somehow against the thought, but because when I write, I tend to stick with my instincts, and I just don't want the story to somehow become a study of that aspect of the human condition. I don't personally feel like it's my inclination to publicly explore something I don't personally feel I can relate to.

And one last note, I think all writers come across this in some form or fashion. One of my personal feelings revolves around alcohol. I have friends who drink a lot. I have friends who can't have fun without a bottle in their hands. But I personally don't drink often if at all, and that affects my writing. I do mention drunkenness, but it's usually a negative sentiment in my stories. I can imagine this is something many people don't give a lot of thought to, but I consider very carefully how I portray things like vice, and while I've written a fair amount of addicts (of various substances) and drunks, I wouldn't expect it's a subject that gets a lot of attention on writer forums (compared to sexuality and race...and I know these things are not equal because substance abuse is a choice vs. inborn trait, so please don't read too far into this message), but my point is, it's impossible to write without sometimes putting your own personal thoughts into your work. Would anyone be offended that I take a negative view of an opium-addicted young lady, or a character choosing to drown his sorrows, or a character ending up in a situation he can't control when he's drunk? I hope not. But because sexuality is a thing that's so personal, it's easy to find objections to portrayals. It can anger folks who have opposing views. And let's face it, some folks are just unhappy with a lot of things.

Basically, if you have traditional family values and you feel that's something you aren't willing to compromise, look then to works that feature those values, and see what's important to those readers. It doesn't in any way take you out of the game. It's just who you are, and there are loads of people just like you out there. Just as there are a lot of people who believe portraying gay characters is important, or people of their race, or people who thwart traditional gender roles. If you write a good story with whatever values you choose, the right readers will pay you for your efforts. Just like I hope they will pay me for whatever inspired me to write today.

Best wishes.
Pretty much level 100 post here. Thank you, Caged Maiden.


"I also appreciate how people who are affected by gay marriage feel, because it's something that is important to them, even though it doesn't affect me personally. I want all people to enjoy freedom and equality, but when it comes down to my own writing, I can only write what I think is right for a character. And for the record, I've never written a gay main character into a novel, not because I am somehow against the thought, but because when I write, I tend to stick with my instincts, and I just don't want the story to somehow become a study of that aspect of the human condition. I don't personally feel like it's my inclination to publicly explore something I don't personally feel I can relate to."

I just want to point out that this sums it up for me. Who people take to bed and what they do with their lives is none of my business. I'm a housewife as well and we have a son. My life is the same as a lot of women and different than a lot of them, too. But I LOVE what you mentioned about writing from instinct because it's the only way something good comes out of what I create! I can sit here and think about what it might be like to write a homosexual character, or a genderless character (sorry guys, I don't really get that too much, just being honest) but I won't do anyone or anything justice because it's not what I'm familiar with. I'm Hispanic but I write about white people (although the main character in one of my series is Hispanic lol). I write about aspects of the adult woman's life I understand and can answer to. As writers, we're also philosophers in a way. Our best work comes from answers we're trying to discover or share. Aspects of the human walk we're trying to share with our fellow humans: our readers.

So staying true to who you are and what you understand is the key to preserving our individuality in art. I think you hit the nail on the head, Maiden.



 
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Short answer: yes

Being able to write a sympathetic racist character implies a level of empathy. It implies you don't believe racism to arise from inherent evil. But ask yourself honestly if you could write a sympathetic, balanced portrayal of a pedophile, the head of a corporation, someone who doesn't care bout the environment, bullies, ect.

If you can really do all of those sympathetically you are a more compassionate person than I will ever be.

To be honest its hard not to feel some level of sympathy based on the fact that a person is...human. Maybe not all people share this though.

I couldn't portray a pedophile, rapist, abuser of any sort, etc. sympathetically, but I guess that racism seems to me to be culturally ingrained evil that its perpetrators often aren't even completely conscious of. Even if a person wouldn't admit to hating people of a different skin color, and not even believe they do, they still might hold racist beliefs that they can't or don't or won't confront as not okay. Deliberately abusing another person is somewhat different. I think racism arises from inherent evil only in the sense that all humans have some level of inherent evil. I feel like xenophobia is a human instinct that has to be consciously confronted and overcome. But that's another discussion. I'm not a sociologist, either. As repugnant as racism is, someone being a racist doesn't utterly dehumanize them to the point that no sympathy is possible. The only things that do that are those things that demonstrate that a character has no sympathy or human compassion for others. That's the line at which I can't portray a character sympathetically.

This is derailing the discussion though. I picked an unfortunate example; now it sounds like i'm making a comparison between writing an LGBT character and writing a racist character, and there shouldn't even be a comparison. O_O

That's the thing, I guess. I was thinking of this as "must a writer avoid writing characters that don't align with their personal views?" but some people (not referring to anyone on this thread, but i've literally heard people tell me this before) see writing an LGBT character as closer to writing a rapist; that is, not a matter of personal views but of utter disgustingness. In that case, I guess it's different. -_-

(No, really, I had someone tell me that if I wrote an LGBT character, that would be the equivalent of writing a rapist character.)
 

TheKillerBs

Maester
Being able to write a sympathetic racist character implies a level of empathy. It implies you don't believe racism to arise from inherent evil. But ask yourself honestly if you could write a sympathetic, balanced portrayal of a pedophile, the head of a corporation, someone who doesn't care bout the environment, bullies, ect.
Are you equating heads of corporations and non-environmentally-conscious people with pedophiles?
 
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