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Q&A Is the "hero guy saves girl" trope misogynistic?

This is a matter of opinion; personally I don't find it sexist. People have genders, and sexual orientations, and they have to mix. We stray into sexism when we pile up too many tropes. In your c...

posted 6y ago by Amadeus‭  ·  last activity 5y ago by System‭

Answer
#4: Attribution notice removed by user avatar System‭ · 2019-12-19T22:13:38Z (almost 5 years ago)
Source: https://writers.stackexchange.com/a/41287
License name: CC BY-SA 3.0
License URL: https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0/
#3: Attribution notice added by user avatar System‭ · 2019-12-08T10:35:20Z (almost 5 years ago)
Source: https://writers.stackexchange.com/a/41287
License name: CC BY-SA 3.0
License URL: https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0/
#2: Initial revision by (deleted user) · 2019-12-08T10:35:20Z (almost 5 years ago)
This is a matter of opinion; personally I don't find it sexist. People have genders, and sexual orientations, and they have to mix.

We stray into sexism when we pile up too many tropes. In your case, you avoid the trope of sexual reward for Edward's effort on two fronts; Lily is his sister, and he doesn't seem oriented toward heterosexual reward anyway. Also, any family member has inherent value to normal people.

She doesn't have to be "helpless", she can fight and perhaps injure her captors. I love the little girl kidnapped in _Along Came A Spider_, she actually manages to escape, freeing herself and then repeatedly injuring herself loosening boards but continuing her efforts despite this. Although she would have been caught if the hero did not show up in time; I was impressed the writers did not make that little girl just a damsel in distress waiting for a white knight.

Do something similar. A stereotype is a _collection_ of traits, you can break it by letting Lily play against type. Heck, you might make it clear that given another hour or two, she **might** not have needed Edward to save her at all.

#1: Imported from external source by user avatar System‭ · 2019-01-14T16:53:32Z (almost 6 years ago)
Original score: 110