One thing I notice too much of in all outlets of fiction is that men always seem to be portrayed in a much more negative light than women. Men are often regarded with scorn and contempt while women are put on pedestals. Women tend to get more respect than men (much more), especially when portrayed in the media. Frankly, like many men who are firm believers in men's rights that take offense, this really ticks me off.
Now I know a lot of people here, especially the women, are going to ask, "Dwayne, what the hell have you got against women?" But I've already answered this question on previous posts. I'm not a misogynist or a sexist, but it really annoys and ticks me off. The real question that needs to be addressed and answered here is, "what the hell does society and the media have against men?"
Think about it. There are so many positive female role models for girls, yet there are hardly any positive male role models for boys. Almost all of the time, it's only the guys who are doing the lying, cheating, stealing, killing, etc while the women are the story's moral center. And from what I read in books and see in movies, a very large fraction of the male protagonists are real jerks. The same isn't true for the female protagonists.
When I was a child, one of my favorite children's book series, "The Berenstein Bears" was criticized for portraying Papa bear as a complete baffoon. We see this a lot in television sitcoms and cartoons. To me, this isn't satire, it's offensive sexism. Also, ever notice that in many single parent familes in stories, film, and tv, it's the father who is the absent parent?
In fact, in every story I read, every movie I've seen, every game I've played that had two protagonists of different sexes, the guy is always portrayed as more unlikeable and unsympathetic than the girl. Most of the time, he's the only one with negative traits that make a character more unlikeable and unsympathetic.
Also, another fact to bring up is where the protagonist and antagonist are of different sexes. When he's the protagonist and she's the antagonist, at least she's got things to like about her. But when it's the other way around, with her as the protagonist and he's the antagonist, he's got absolutely nothing to like about him. He's portrayed as a total a**hole, yet she's got all the likeable traits. To me, feminists demand this type of story because they want to see women triumph over male chauvenistic pigs.
I don't know who came up with the saying, "Girls are made of sugar and spice and everything nice. Boys are rotten and filled with cotton," but these issues are further proof that men get less respect than women in their portrayal. (much less)
So the questions here that need to be addressed are:
Why can't the sexes be portrayed equally?
Why are men portrayed more negatively than women?
Why are the sexes portrayed differently?
What does society and the media have against men?
In my stories, I insist on portraying the sexes equally. To me, it's not just respectful, it's what's fair. But most of all, it's what we deserve!
Now I know a lot of people here, especially the women, are going to ask, "Dwayne, what the hell have you got against women?" But I've already answered this question on previous posts. I'm not a misogynist or a sexist, but it really annoys and ticks me off. The real question that needs to be addressed and answered here is, "what the hell does society and the media have against men?"
Think about it. There are so many positive female role models for girls, yet there are hardly any positive male role models for boys. Almost all of the time, it's only the guys who are doing the lying, cheating, stealing, killing, etc while the women are the story's moral center. And from what I read in books and see in movies, a very large fraction of the male protagonists are real jerks. The same isn't true for the female protagonists.
When I was a child, one of my favorite children's book series, "The Berenstein Bears" was criticized for portraying Papa bear as a complete baffoon. We see this a lot in television sitcoms and cartoons. To me, this isn't satire, it's offensive sexism. Also, ever notice that in many single parent familes in stories, film, and tv, it's the father who is the absent parent?
In fact, in every story I read, every movie I've seen, every game I've played that had two protagonists of different sexes, the guy is always portrayed as more unlikeable and unsympathetic than the girl. Most of the time, he's the only one with negative traits that make a character more unlikeable and unsympathetic.
Also, another fact to bring up is where the protagonist and antagonist are of different sexes. When he's the protagonist and she's the antagonist, at least she's got things to like about her. But when it's the other way around, with her as the protagonist and he's the antagonist, he's got absolutely nothing to like about him. He's portrayed as a total a**hole, yet she's got all the likeable traits. To me, feminists demand this type of story because they want to see women triumph over male chauvenistic pigs.
I don't know who came up with the saying, "Girls are made of sugar and spice and everything nice. Boys are rotten and filled with cotton," but these issues are further proof that men get less respect than women in their portrayal. (much less)
So the questions here that need to be addressed are:
Why can't the sexes be portrayed equally?
Why are men portrayed more negatively than women?
Why are the sexes portrayed differently?
What does society and the media have against men?
In my stories, I insist on portraying the sexes equally. To me, it's not just respectful, it's what's fair. But most of all, it's what we deserve!
