[HPforGrownups] Re: Gender balance/strong women

[Rina Stewart]

No: HPFGUIDX 15064

Schlobin wrote:

<<Oh, well, we women will just have to understand therefore that we 
can only be 13% of the book..after all, it's the creative 
imagination....

Funny that it's never the other way around>>

I agree 100% with Parker. The characters are who they are. I've found that stories don't "behave" right until the characters are given their correct names, even. When they're correct, they fit perfectly. It's the same with gender and personality. If you change them from what you imagine them to be, it's never going to be real, for you or the audience. It's awkward, and stilted, because it's wrong.

And really? I was just reading the Anne of Green Gables books over break. That's mostly women. Belwether by Connie Willis. A Tree Grows in Brooklyn. Ramona Quimby. All mostly women. Geared towards girls? Possibly the latter two, but I know of boys who enjoyed them. It's definitely not unheard of. 

I don't believe the books would be the same if male characters were turned female merely to create a "balance." I like the female characters that we have, I like the male characters that we have. I wouldn't want any of them to change in any way, just because some people want gender balance. When it comes down to it, this is JKR's world. These are the people who live there, and these are the ones Harry knows and interacts with. I'm sure he'll interact with more women in the future, and that's great. But until then, I am very pleased with the "13%" strong women we've met so far.

Rina
********************************
"Let's practice what we preach, and with the acceptance that we expect from 
others, let's stop being so damn judgmental and crucifying everyone who 
doesn't fit in to our boxed-in perception of what is right."
--Gillian Anderson

"Yesterday is history. Tomorrow is mystery. Today is a gift."
--Eleanor Roosevelt

Be an Angel at www.love-productions.com/gilliangels
Chase Rainbows at mrs.spooky.tripod.com


[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]