I just watched a segment on The Doctors in which Fifty Shades was praised but other romance novels were put down as being too unrealistic because the characters don't use condoms and they give women unrealistic expectations. I don't know what romance novels they have been reading but many of the contemporary romance novels that I read feature the use of condoms. I have also read historical novels in which French letters were used. I also have never experienced unrealistic expectations from reading romance novels.
They gave credit to Fifty Shades of Gray for encouraging women to open up about what they want in bed. How is this book realistic? It's based on fan fiction which was based on the Twilight books. Are sparkly vampires paired with whiny teenage girls realistic? Is it realistic for a possessive millionaire to buy the company for which his girlfriend works so he can keep tabs on her? He is a control freak!!
Speaking of unrealistic! How are unrealistic are the James Bond movies? Does every international dress daily in a tuxedo while sipping martinis and driving very expensive cars? James Bond is also sexism at it's finest. He has a different voluptuous, beautiful woman as a love interest in every movie. Even Dr. Ordon said James Bond wouldn't stop to put on a condom. Romance novels end with Happily Ever After, but James Bond is a man slut who goes from woman to woman.
I have enough reality living my life every day and I don't need it in my books which I read for escapism.
Amen, Amelia! I couldn't have possibly said it any better. And isn't the point of watching movies and reading novels to be entertained? If you're taking life lessons from FICTION you have a more serious issue than unrealistic expectations, that much is for sure. Because seriously, my favorite genre? Horror. If I took my expectations as a woman from horror novels and movies, I'd be dead by now because, let's face it, women in horror movies tend to be idiots.
ReplyDeleteAnyway... before I start ranting on you here, I agree 110%!