The Smurfette Principle / Only One Woman in the Story: Debate

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Writer: "Alright, I finally get to step into the lead role and create some amazing characters and stories. Editors, here's my pitch."

Editor: "Ninjas, spinning tops, skateboarding mechas, themes of family and acceptance. Seems good, but um, we don't need some of the major characters to be women."

Writer: "What? Why not?"

Editor: "Did you forget, this is a male driven magazine. Just make them side characters or barely make them active in the plot, like a mother or something."

Writer: "But the plot and story can work with anyone. Besides, they go to school and interact with girls all the time, you really think the target demographic is going to be upset because there's women in it?"

Editors: "Our last publication has been going for fifteen years, and we haven't had an issue with our top seller."

Writer: "Yeah, the same top seller whose main girl wasn't even in the top 10 of the popularity polls!"

Editor: "See, that's proof, you don't need women to make a story good."

Writer: "No, that's because he said he was terrible at writing women. Yet he could make dozens of characters with their own storylines, fleshed out moments, rivals, and growth, but it's impossible to do with a woman?"

Editor: "You can't make a story interesting just because it has a woman in it."

Writer: "You can make a story interesting and have well-written characters that just so happens to be a woman too. People are drawn to characters and people that are interesting, unique, diverse in appearance, color, personality, and yeah, even gender."

Editor: "We are only for young boys! "

Writer: "Says the adult male editor working on a series of stories for children to read who get adaptations starring female voice actresses. Aren't the best stories the ones anyone can be drawn into? That can appeal to multiple demographics? What about [insert series with a cast of least two women there], are you going to tell their actresses their characters don't belong in the story?"

Editor: "Well, no but-"

Writer: "But nothing. I'm not asking for a miracle. Just to make some cool awesome girls alongside some cool awesome guys. They can have their own stories and arcs. They should feel like they' rise like the sun, not written right After the Twilight of dawn with no thought or effort put into it."

Editor: "Fine, whatever, but if this bombs, it's on you."

Author's Note: As a Beyblade, Kamen Rider, Super Sentai, YuGiOh, Naruto and Bakugan fan, I'm allowed to make this joke.

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