Quote:
Originally Posted by Ninjalawyer
A few points:
- I don't think anyone is saying that women authors or readers can't be sexist against men or women. The fact that there are sexist women doesn't mean that sexism by the other gender suddenly becomes okay.
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Of course "real world" sexism is despicable, but I see no harm whatever in fantasy depictions of sexual desire, whether it be erotica written by women for a female audience, or chainmail bikini-clad warriors aimed at a male audience. It's escapist fantasy, and to suggest that the reader isn't capable of enjoying it as such is a little insulting to the intelligence of the reader, I think.
That's completely different to sexist comments in editorials (such as "Barbie is the ideal woman", or whatever it was). That just plain wrong, and complaints about it are absolutely justified. The SFWA needs to take action over such things. But that's different to saying that a fantasy painting of "Red Sonja" is degrading to women: it's no more degrading than a Harlequin romance is degrading to men. It's not real. It's fantasy.