Hello, my dear attack helicopters! Today we will be reviewing an interesting trope which has made its way in to many books. Moreover, today is the final day for suggesting a cult name. I'll go through the entries today and see what fits best to represent the entire cliche-fam. Additionally, we'll be having 1 winner and 2 runner ups who will also receive prizes for trying.
With this aside, let's jump right into today's topic.
Oh boy, i'm gonna dive ball-deep into this shiz. Like seriously, who even came up with the thought that these 'factors' can be considered as personality traits.
1. Your sexuality
I aM A BiSeXUal-
NO LILLY! GET OUT MY BOOKS!!!
Uhm, apologies to those who love and support her (coming from a former fan) but your sexuality is not a personality trait. And bringing that up every few paragraphs isn't gonna aid the intrigue factor of your story. It would just make you look like a self-centered and self-obsessed individual (which is something i see in many books).
TBH, your sexuality isn't a quirk and stereotyping yourself according to what you see on the internet isn't a great idea.
'Cuz if all that was true, then me, aka , Lizzy Sidd would have been a sad demonic trashcan.
Because the internet think that all Asexual people dislike everything and are kinda gloomy all he time.
Your sexuality can set certain restrictions in your life style( like who to love, views etc) and that's that! Because, honestly anything more would be an overkill. Imagine reading something along the lines of: I'm gay and i ogle over every guy I see on the streets. I just can't help it and also i have a pet chameleon since it captures every color of the rainbow. I love skittles 'cuz they are gay, i have a gay flag and i am gay.
Is this even necessary? You make it seem like as if their sexuality is like a permanent stamp on their personality. Like, if they are gay, then they must ogle that specific gender 24/7 365? How indecent is that?
2. Your race, color or ethnicity.
Just to paste that #diverse tag in their books, many authors go to certain lengths which are downright... unfitting an d unsettling!
Okay, i get it that you are black, ginger, yellow or brown! I get it that you are not a cis/white person.
But how does that moves the plot? How does that impacts the story or the pacing or the sub-plot? How does this makes your story standout among the other badboy X shrek stories?
Different races etc might bring the cultural essence in your story (but only if you decide to develop that point.) But by including characters whose skin colors are doing orgies with every shade on this planet, you are not doing the theme any justice.
3. Gender
How can we ever forget gender?
Identifying as a non-binary attack helicopter must be an interesting personality trait!
Plot twist. It's not.
How tf your gender shows your combination of characteristics or qualities that form an individual's distinctive character? otherwise, also known as personality?
BuT GirLs wEaR PinK AnD HavE BeWBs aNd TheY wEaR HeeLs AnD YaDA YaDa yaDa.
AlSo, GUySaRe huNKs wHo DOInT bAthE And HaVE 3600 AbS aNd TERrIbLe hYGIene.
That high-key sounds, feels , smells and screams 'sexist'.
TBH, i don't wanna be the one who bring this debate here, but do we really need to address and promote gender stereotypes here?
Like, not all girls have boobs (one of my friend, who happens to read this book is so flat that she can use her chest as an iron board.) nor every girl wears heels and loves pink. It's like generalizing an entire gender!
Moreover, not every guy is buff like some WWE wrestler and we should accept and love them just the way they are. Besides, the hygiene and masculine attitude factor doesn't apply on every guy.
TBH, this trope is best noticed when an author is of the opposite gender and totally careless about how to 'write' and 'present' the background characters.
Like after a shiz-load of description about how the MC has the smexiness of shrek, the author concludes this paragraph by writing '... the hallways were filled with hot quarterbacks real soon. Every body aromatic with cologne as the dumb MC pushed her way through the hunks. It's so tough to live in the middle of nowhere where the hottest guys just randomly exists!'
Da faq?
Logical much?
Love,
Lizzy