Quote:
Originally Posted by murraypaul
I do think there can be an underlying social harm when there is a relentless presentation that successful people all look like X, and that pressure weighs heavier on women than men.
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I agree when it comes to things like fashion advertising, where all the women models are like walking skeletons, but I think it's a bit of a stretch to assert that the "warrior" stereotype (both male and female) so beloved of the fantasy genre is damaging anyone. It's
fantasy, for goodness sake. So what if it does represent a view of what the male or female reader fantasises about looking like - isn't that the whole point of the genre? When I was a teenager yes, I used to dream of being John Carter of Mars. Where's the harm in that? Is it really going to damage my self-esteem to look in the mirror and discover that no, I'm not John Carter, but a skinny kid?