I enjoyed reading this quite a lot. I think this sort of self-examination is really useful and, I think, sometimes half the battle? Too often, I think it's easier for writers (fanfic and otherwise) to slip into the male POV because it's far more often the "default" in fiction; I didn't watch TXF, but I've always gotten the impression it was largely from Mulder's POV. But it's one of those things that, for me, even just *realizing* it was enough to make me want to change it; as both a feminist and, like, you, someone who likes the parts of fandom that reclaim and center women, just realizing that the default male POV is so prevalent and that it bothers me is often enough to make me think of other ideas for stories about women I want to read or write, to break away from the default. Just thinking about the issues helps motivate me to work harder to give a POV to female characters the canon might not have given as much time to.
I also sometimes find it's easier to identify with male characters who interact with my favorite female characters (what I call, "men who are in love with the women I love"). I don't think it's problematic at all unless it becomes a *pattern*, unless a writer always finds themselves identifying with the male POV instead of the with the female character they also love. I don't really write that much fic, but I found myself getting itchy when my first foray into a fandom was from a man's POV, even though half the story was about how awesome he perceived the woman in it to be. What I disliked about that as a pattern, though I totally agree that it can still be female-positive and feminist, is that it still defines the woman through her connection to a man, through her effect on him; in short, through the prism of him. And while I *love* those stories for women I love (me and the male character are fascinated by her!), I worry when it starts to feel like that's the only way I can define her, and start to want to write something else for her too, even if it's harder. So again, I don't really worry unless it becomes a broader pattern; but I do think it's worth thinking about and noticing, like you're doing here.
And I do think it's important for writers who wish to center women to break away from that default male POV now and again, even if it's a little less comfortable. Because I do think there's a different kind of value in a story from a woman's POV, about how she sees herself and her choices, especially if we didn't get that in canon. Which isn't at all to say that not always writing from a woman's POV is wrong or less valuable!
I don't believe there are no "shoulds" in writing, that you just write the story you have
Yes, this. I don't think you abandon hope of being a woman-centric writer at all. But I don't think the fact that you write primarily Mulder POV or find that a bit easier means you should give up trying to understand Scully better, now and then, even if it's a bit harder? Like, not trying or discounting that there's any added value to Scully's POV, just because you noticed it's easier for you, as a feminist, to write Mulder's, would be the real failure; by even wondering how to solve the problem of wanting to center women and finding it easier to write Mulder, you're clearly not doing that.
Um, yeah, that got to be a bit about me. This was an interesting read, thanks for sharing!
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Date: 2010-09-21 11:49 pm (UTC)I also sometimes find it's easier to identify with male characters who interact with my favorite female characters (what I call, "men who are in love with the women I love"). I don't think it's problematic at all unless it becomes a *pattern*, unless a writer always finds themselves identifying with the male POV instead of the with the female character they also love. I don't really write that much fic, but I found myself getting itchy when my first foray into a fandom was from a man's POV, even though half the story was about how awesome he perceived the woman in it to be. What I disliked about that as a pattern, though I totally agree that it can still be female-positive and feminist, is that it still defines the woman through her connection to a man, through her effect on him; in short, through the prism of him. And while I *love* those stories for women I love (me and the male character are fascinated by her!), I worry when it starts to feel like that's the only way I can define her, and start to want to write something else for her too, even if it's harder. So again, I don't really worry unless it becomes a broader pattern; but I do think it's worth thinking about and noticing, like you're doing here.
And I do think it's important for writers who wish to center women to break away from that default male POV now and again, even if it's a little less comfortable. Because I do think there's a different kind of value in a story from a woman's POV, about how she sees herself and her choices, especially if we didn't get that in canon. Which isn't at all to say that not always writing from a woman's POV is wrong or less valuable!
I don't believe there are no "shoulds" in writing, that you just write the story you have
Yes, this. I don't think you abandon hope of being a woman-centric writer at all. But I don't think the fact that you write primarily Mulder POV or find that a bit easier means you should give up trying to understand Scully better, now and then, even if it's a bit harder? Like, not trying or discounting that there's any added value to Scully's POV, just because you noticed it's easier for you, as a feminist, to write Mulder's, would be the real failure; by even wondering how to solve the problem of wanting to center women and finding it easier to write Mulder, you're clearly not doing that.
Um, yeah, that got to be a bit about me. This was an interesting read, thanks for sharing!