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“Written By A Man”: Women Are Calling Out 30 Unrealistic Female Character Tropes They See In Books And Movies
The perfect suburban '50s housewife. The wholesome girl next door. And, of course, the bimbo. I think it's safe to say we've seen one too many of these tropes on the big screen.
Interested in finding out which productions have resorted to them (and other similar ones), Reddit user Mikess314 made a post on r/AskWomen, saying: "What movie featuring female characters was clearly made without a single woman being involved?"
Turns out, people think there's no shortage of them. Continue scrolling to check out how everyone responded.
This post may include affiliate links.
#1
Jurrasic World. Let's please stop it with 'frigid, stuck up corporate woman taken down a peg by rough and tumble guy with big heart and then falls in love with him'. Please, I'm begging everyone in Hollywood. Stop this madness.
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#2
Harley Quinn’s dumb outfit in Suicide Squad. No woman is going to dress like that for anything physical. Those short shorts would ride up your bum and you’d break your ankle in the stilettos.
There’s a huge difference with the outfits in Birds of Prey which was written, directed and produced by women. High rise denim shorts, sports bra and a chunky wedge (or trainers I think?) is a way better outfit for causing mayhem.
#3
Almost every female super heroes. What woman in her right mind would go into battle breast out, legs bare, hair flying all over the place in full nails and makeup? It doesn’t matter if it’s a tv program, a movie, anime, live action, cartoon, etc…
#4
Not a movie, but the episode of Game of Thrones where Gillie decides to take Sam's virginity 5 seconds after he saves her from being r**ed and we all know that nothing makes a woman hotter than almost being r**ed by gruesome strangers. Oh, wait, no, it's just that a bunch of dudes decided that Sam deserved a "prize" for his heroic acts and so they wrote in the woman's vagina as the prize without putting any thought into what an actual human female would do in that situation.
This one is especially bad because in a previous season there was a well-written scene where a female character specifically states "A woman who has just escaped a r**e won't want to have sex immediately after. You should have known you were being set up because of that."
So not only where there no women involved in the new scene, there was no one who bothered to read what was actually written in previous seasons. The latter is almost more offensive LOL.
#5
Movies where women are running for their lives in high heels.
Movies where prostitutes easily fall in love with their johns
Movies that get basic female anatomy wrong.
And to be specific, Star Wars: The Revenge Of The Sith when Padme “loses the will to live” after having 2 beautiful, healthy babies, because shes so sad about losing Anakin.
Yeah, because as we know, Mothers are never motivated by their children and don’t really want to protect them. If they’re boyfriend has a tantrum, they just lay down and die.
#6
Any birth scene where the mother is just a little sweaty but totally glowing and happy and wide awake after a 20-hour labor, and looks like she was never pregnant at all as soon as they leave the hospital.
#7
Another one: when Jennifer Lawrence dyes her hair platinum blonde with boxed hair dye in Red Sparrow. As any fake blonde will tell you it’s a really time consuming and tricky process. Not something you do in 10 minutes in a bathroom.
Pretty sure any Cosmo Girl could tell you that
#8
Books where women are incredibly aware of what their boobs are doing and how they feel all the time....
#9
Books where the female characters never interact with each other or it’s always negative/catty/competitive.
#10
In Age of Ultron where Black Widow is talking about how she's a monster but not because she's an assassin — just because she's infertile. WTF?
#11
There’s a line in a book about a lady taking so long to pee because the pee gets lost in her confusing lady maze inside.
#12
The first few Avengers movies with Scarlet Johansson as Black Widow. It seems like she was just there to be eye candy and not really have much of a character. She has hinted a bit at this, that she put her foot down on a scene where they had her in a cute tennis outfit for no reason. It was nice to see them give her more of a character throughout the series.
#13
Every single movie Megan Fox was ever in. Transformers… oh my god that was rough. Michael Bay practically shoved the camera up her a**hole and just told her to act hot, but then tried to say it was feminist because she… knew about cars? Lol.
Jennifer’s body is a whole other beast. Great movie clearly made by and for women, and the marketing just said “Megan fox is in it, so let’s make it look like it’s just a sex movie with a sexy lady and market it to the COMPLETELY wrong audience.”
#14
Revenge of the nerds.
What would a women do if she realized she has been tricked into having sex with another man without her consent?
Keep having sex with him, of course
#15
All the girls in “Spring Breakers” ... written by Harmony Korine. There’s something unsettling about a middle aged guy writing through the eyes of college girls. Vanessa Hudgen’s character says, “Seeing all this money makes my pussy wet”.
#16
IF SHE IS DESCRIBED AS THE “cool girl” F**K THAT F**K THAT F**K THAT!!! NO GIRL EXISTS LIKE THAT. One that is the perfect amount interested in “male things” while still maintaining the PERFECT amount of femininity. Never gets mad. Is never too clingy. That s**t. watch the cool girl monologue from Gone Girl. She explains it perfectly.
#17
Look up the bechdel test, it's hilarious watching movies and seeing if they pass. Spoiler alert, mass majority don't.
#18
Tbh most of my what I thought were said so I'll say the 50 shades series (and there was woman involved if you can believe that)
#19
Not a movie (I know, sorry), but Breaking Bad. Love the series, but every female character is insufferable, and the way Skyler’s character is mishandled is particularly bothersome. She is written like a man’s idea of the nagging overbearing shrew of a wife, and is almost universally hated because of it. Meanwhile, I’ve never understood what exactly people wanted from her. A pregnant woman’s terminally ill husband starts acting shady as f**k...how else would anyone react in that situation? But instead of writing her very understandable suspicion with some depth, they basically said “Pfft. Wives are such a drag, amirite?”. And then she cheats.
This may seem a weird detail to fixate on, but I really hated that they had her smoking during her pregnancy. I assume the intention was to show how badly the situation was affecting her, but considering how unsympathetic they made her overall, it just further poisoned the audience against her.
#20
Barbarella with Jane Fonda. She’s supposed to save the universe but is so helpless all the time and these men have to come and save her and more.
She’s a massive feminist now and has commented that it’s not her proudest work
#22
There's a film known amongst folks who track down, "so bad it's good" movies (like The Room) called Samurai Cop. There are many, many things wrong with this movie (obviously) but the scene where a nurse flirts with the main character makes me wonder if the director had ever seen a woman flirt, ever.
#27
I hate movies where women are portrayted as a 'sex' object...
The movie that features female characters but without a single woman involved: Jason Bourne (2016). Its target audiance is clearly men. But there are several female into it. It seems like at every explosion in the movie. There is a women flying into the air with a lot of blood involved.
#30
Pulp Fiction. Hate to say it.
Actually, I don’t. It’s for sure Pulp Fiction.
What do you think ?
K Witmer 2 years ago
Im tired of rape in movies so sick of it. Watching the queens gambit and I was waiting for the horrific rape scene. Was so frigging happy when that did not happen. 62million people watched that show it just proves a well written female lead movie makes for great viewing too not just the same old stuff over and over.
Monica Michelle 2 years ago
It should never be a part of film. Hot take I know but there are certain crimes we do not show on film because it is too vile this should be one of them. And if it is it should never be a voyeur POV.
Load More Replies...
Miss Marmite 2 years ago
i hate the stereotype that the main female character denys that she likes the male main character the whole film then at the end the male character forcibly kisses her and the woman enjoys it! always pisses me off whenever i see it
Wonderful 2 years ago (edited)
Reminds me of the m.a.s.h. Tv show anytime “Hawkeye” would kiss Margaret “hot lips” they would drag it out while everyone looks away and when done Margaret has a dreamy look on her face and is all hot and ready for more til she is guided away from the area. It happens every time they kiss. Hawkeye forces it on her and she softens in his arms.
Load More Replies...
Jo Choto 2 years ago
This is how we all need to analyse movies: the Bechdel Test. To assess if women have an actual purpose in a film: (1) it has to have at least two women in it, who (2) who talk to each other, about (3) something besides a man. When you watch films with these criteria, you find that at least 75% of Hollywood movies fail the Bechdel test.
Can-I-change-my-name-later? 2 years ago
What about the opposite of that? And if the main characters are guys, what would you think if it didn't have any women? But I see what you're saying for SOME
Load More Replies...
Anthony Roberts 2 years ago
I agreed with a number of these but a lot are people just being idiots/calling out something popular to be eDgY.
Tarryn Louise 2 years ago
This whole post is Karen Candy. Seriously. Don't like a movie, don't watch it. A lot of movies actually bring to light the true and real horrors that actually do exist in our world, as sick and twisted as they may be. The movies and shows mentioned here cleared millions and millions of dollars... The only thing I hate is when female actors are paid less due to being born with a inny instead of an outie. We live in a age in time where an actress can not only refuse a scene or a topic but they can and will run it through the media mill if their demand is denied.
Llama_flower93 2 years ago
This whole post isn't about how we hate that we've watched the movie with sexism in it. It's that we dislike that the movie exists in the first place. Media has glorified sexism. It's not showing us how it's wrong, it's showing us that treated women this sexist way is seductive and powerful and being sexy and wanted by a man is a woman's value. And yes women can refuse work, but a lot of these examples are from either older movies or movies that claim to give women respect but still aren't good enough. Nobody notices when a movie fails the bechdel test unless you bring up the test. Women are so used to being treated second best that we often don't see the inequality in front of us.
Load More Replies...
Enlee Jones 2 years ago
Women in movies just being there for decoration and getting away with horrible behavior because they’re pretty, which is why I absolutely hate Buttercup from “The Princess Bride”. She’s useless and insufferable. When she’s not being a stuck-up brat to Westley, she’s just moping around and waiting to be rescued while the men do all the work.
Voodoops_13 2 years ago
Quentin Tarantino is well known for a few things 1) Character Dialog 2) intense violence, usually up close and personal 3) homages to favorite movies/directors/actors 4) revenge for rape (he's done male rape too) or killing a loved one 5) foot and leg fetishism, honestly I think there's only 2 movies of his that don't have a close up shot of women's feet. Obviously the rape trope is used WAY too much in tv & movies. Male writers write female characters based on female characters they've grown up watching, leading to an unending cycle of misogynistic garbage. The only way to break free is for women to write/direct more films that become popular and that sadlt hasn't happened much yet.
Marlowe Fitzpatrik 2 years ago
That, though, requires wealthy men to give them money for those. Or wealthy women. Did you know Reese Witherspoon is producing and financing a lot of female writers and directors? I didn't until recently. But as long as its a male-dominated field, women have a tough time getting recognized for their work behind the scenes
Load More Replies...
Miguel justino C 2 years ago
If romcom movies are horrible and written by men why are they so popular?
Magentablu 2 years ago
Sex and the city. Horrendous empyheaded females only caring about casual sex and heels. Ugh
Leo Domitrix 2 years ago
I agree. Loathe SATC. Rich spoiled women whose lives revolve around... sex, and men. Ummm.... No.
Load More Replies...
Ken Hanlon 2 years ago
And yet female actors seem to be ok with getting paid to play these roles 🤔
K Witmer 2 years ago
So your suggestion would be that women have absolutely no roles in movies at all? Bc there aren't many women directors writers or producers either. Would you suggest women just give up all together and let men play the female parts of movies? Women only have so many opportunities in Hollywood it's run by old white men. Even when women make it big they can't get good roles and they age out at 40. What do you suggest since you know Better than the women?
Load More Replies...
Adam Smurthwaite 1 year ago
Heres one character im sick off. The angry female blaming men for everything.
blatherskitenoir 2 years ago
When the woman who has trained her entire life and has absurdly high skills teaches the male "chosen one" for about five minutes, and suddenly he is better than her at everything and she is totally fine being downgraded to silly arm candy.
Celtic Pirate Queen 2 years ago
Any of "The Women's Murder Club" books by James Patterson. Has he ever actually MET a woman? The writing was so stilted and ridiculous I couldn't read them. No women who have been friends for over 20 years (or 6 months, for that matter) speak with such a sense of detachment & formality.
blugeagua 2 years ago
Every single time there is a group of men and I see only one woman among them I roll my eyes so hard. I call it the "only girl in the group" trope. Every time I see a movie do that I look over to the person I'm watching with and I tell them "I bet she doesn't even get to interact with other women" It's annoying as hell. I also think to myself "why is she the only women? Why can't there be other women as well? Or at least one other?" Male writers tend to think that only having ONE woman is apparently "enough" of representation, as though they believe that every single woman is the same and we should all relate to this one and only woman. It's the same when writers put in one person of color in the group of white people. It's annoying as all hell. And for gods sake, let the female characters interact with each other and get along with each other and become friends and talk about things that have nothing to do with men. Please!
Naesil 2 years ago (edited)
Mary Sue characters.. you can write good female lead, you dont need to make them totally without weaknesses. The new star wars with Daisy Ridley, she seems to automatically know everything and immediately be the best (nothing against the actor), Sigourney Weaver in Alien tho is badass lady
Marlowe Fitzpatrik 2 years ago (edited)
So- i'm totally fine with male leads being sexy and badass but i really prefer if the writers manage to extend the charCter-developement to their femal3 characters as well. And please - give the women SHOES! A very satisfying character on tv was dr elizabeth Weir on Stargate:Atlantis. Sadly, she didn't survive for long but she was great! (i do also think the two male leads were delightful but I'd have loved more elizabeth)
Chicken Nugget 2 years ago
It gets better, but the first few seasons of NCIS. DiNozzo 'flirts' (if you can call it that) with a woman, who is annoyed at first but comes to like it as he persists. The writers must have realized it, because he got way better and eventually became one of my favorite characters. Marvel, especially those SUPER obvious 'girl power' moments in Infinity War and Endgame. Also, Captain Marvel was just Marvel patting themselves on the back for having a female main character. Any book/movie/whatever where either of them (but especially the girl) first falls in love because of physical attraction. Especially when he's a complete jerk but she's just like 'I can't stand him and he's so horrible to me, but I just can't stop being attracted to him' and they inevitably end up together.
ZAPanda 2 years ago
She's totally underrated but I like Jennifer Connelly films (generally). Generally they are depressing as f**k and she is always super serious. She's one actress who can do a sex scene and you can come away from it grossed out rather than turned on because precisely the point of her films are to show how s**t people (and specifically men in some cases) are.
Monica Michelle 2 years ago
If you want the antidote to this PLEASE watch Kevin Can F&ck Himself. Brilliant hilarious and an answer to the entire genre of shrew wife cool but idiot husband
Peter Weir 2 years ago
Snowflakes...remember that these are movies and tv shows....if you dont like them...dont watch...you control the companies by not giving them the revenue....and well guess what also blame the kardashins and the rest of the slutty dressed whores that your children and your adore and follow on social media....
K Witmer 2 years ago
We're pointing out how ridiculous it is. Why do you think we need this explanation? We know white men are in charge of Hollywood. We also know all different movies can make an impact and be great if they just gave others a chance. Instead they're afraid and dole out the same old crap and remakes and sequels w the same old half baked boring tropes. We know other voices do well in the box office but they still don't let it happen nearly enough.
Load More Replies... K Witmer 2 years ago
Im tired of rape in movies so sick of it. Watching the queens gambit and I was waiting for the horrific rape scene. Was so frigging happy when that did not happen. 62million people watched that show it just proves a well written female lead movie makes for great viewing too not just the same old stuff over and over.
Monica Michelle 2 years ago
It should never be a part of film. Hot take I know but there are certain crimes we do not show on film because it is too vile this should be one of them. And if it is it should never be a voyeur POV.
Load More Replies... Miss Marmite 2 years ago
i hate the stereotype that the main female character denys that she likes the male main character the whole film then at the end the male character forcibly kisses her and the woman enjoys it! always pisses me off whenever i see it
Wonderful 2 years ago (edited)
Reminds me of the m.a.s.h. Tv show anytime “Hawkeye” would kiss Margaret “hot lips” they would drag it out while everyone looks away and when done Margaret has a dreamy look on her face and is all hot and ready for more til she is guided away from the area. It happens every time they kiss. Hawkeye forces it on her and she softens in his arms.
Load More Replies... Jo Choto 2 years ago
This is how we all need to analyse movies: the Bechdel Test. To assess if women have an actual purpose in a film: (1) it has to have at least two women in it, who (2) who talk to each other, about (3) something besides a man. When you watch films with these criteria, you find that at least 75% of Hollywood movies fail the Bechdel test.
Can-I-change-my-name-later? 2 years ago
What about the opposite of that? And if the main characters are guys, what would you think if it didn't have any women? But I see what you're saying for SOME
Load More Replies... Anthony Roberts 2 years ago
I agreed with a number of these but a lot are people just being idiots/calling out something popular to be eDgY.
Tarryn Louise 2 years ago
This whole post is Karen Candy. Seriously. Don't like a movie, don't watch it. A lot of movies actually bring to light the true and real horrors that actually do exist in our world, as sick and twisted as they may be. The movies and shows mentioned here cleared millions and millions of dollars... The only thing I hate is when female actors are paid less due to being born with a inny instead of an outie. We live in a age in time where an actress can not only refuse a scene or a topic but they can and will run it through the media mill if their demand is denied.
Llama_flower93 2 years ago
This whole post isn't about how we hate that we've watched the movie with sexism in it. It's that we dislike that the movie exists in the first place. Media has glorified sexism. It's not showing us how it's wrong, it's showing us that treated women this sexist way is seductive and powerful and being sexy and wanted by a man is a woman's value. And yes women can refuse work, but a lot of these examples are from either older movies or movies that claim to give women respect but still aren't good enough. Nobody notices when a movie fails the bechdel test unless you bring up the test. Women are so used to being treated second best that we often don't see the inequality in front of us.
Load More Replies... Enlee Jones 2 years ago
Women in movies just being there for decoration and getting away with horrible behavior because they’re pretty, which is why I absolutely hate Buttercup from “The Princess Bride”. She’s useless and insufferable. When she’s not being a stuck-up brat to Westley, she’s just moping around and waiting to be rescued while the men do all the work.
Voodoops_13 2 years ago
Quentin Tarantino is well known for a few things 1) Character Dialog 2) intense violence, usually up close and personal 3) homages to favorite movies/directors/actors 4) revenge for rape (he's done male rape too) or killing a loved one 5) foot and leg fetishism, honestly I think there's only 2 movies of his that don't have a close up shot of women's feet. Obviously the rape trope is used WAY too much in tv & movies. Male writers write female characters based on female characters they've grown up watching, leading to an unending cycle of misogynistic garbage. The only way to break free is for women to write/direct more films that become popular and that sadlt hasn't happened much yet.
Marlowe Fitzpatrik 2 years ago
That, though, requires wealthy men to give them money for those. Or wealthy women. Did you know Reese Witherspoon is producing and financing a lot of female writers and directors? I didn't until recently. But as long as its a male-dominated field, women have a tough time getting recognized for their work behind the scenes
Load More Replies... Miguel justino C 2 years ago
If romcom movies are horrible and written by men why are they so popular?
Magentablu 2 years ago
Sex and the city. Horrendous empyheaded females only caring about casual sex and heels. Ugh
Leo Domitrix 2 years ago
I agree. Loathe SATC. Rich spoiled women whose lives revolve around... sex, and men. Ummm.... No.
Load More Replies... Ken Hanlon 2 years ago
And yet female actors seem to be ok with getting paid to play these roles 🤔
K Witmer 2 years ago
So your suggestion would be that women have absolutely no roles in movies at all? Bc there aren't many women directors writers or producers either. Would you suggest women just give up all together and let men play the female parts of movies? Women only have so many opportunities in Hollywood it's run by old white men. Even when women make it big they can't get good roles and they age out at 40. What do you suggest since you know Better than the women?
Load More Replies... Adam Smurthwaite 1 year ago
Heres one character im sick off. The angry female blaming men for everything.
blatherskitenoir 2 years ago
When the woman who has trained her entire life and has absurdly high skills teaches the male "chosen one" for about five minutes, and suddenly he is better than her at everything and she is totally fine being downgraded to silly arm candy.
Celtic Pirate Queen 2 years ago
Any of "The Women's Murder Club" books by James Patterson. Has he ever actually MET a woman? The writing was so stilted and ridiculous I couldn't read them. No women who have been friends for over 20 years (or 6 months, for that matter) speak with such a sense of detachment & formality.
blugeagua 2 years ago
Every single time there is a group of men and I see only one woman among them I roll my eyes so hard. I call it the "only girl in the group" trope. Every time I see a movie do that I look over to the person I'm watching with and I tell them "I bet she doesn't even get to interact with other women" It's annoying as hell. I also think to myself "why is she the only women? Why can't there be other women as well? Or at least one other?" Male writers tend to think that only having ONE woman is apparently "enough" of representation, as though they believe that every single woman is the same and we should all relate to this one and only woman. It's the same when writers put in one person of color in the group of white people. It's annoying as all hell. And for gods sake, let the female characters interact with each other and get along with each other and become friends and talk about things that have nothing to do with men. Please!
Naesil 2 years ago (edited)
Mary Sue characters.. you can write good female lead, you dont need to make them totally without weaknesses. The new star wars with Daisy Ridley, she seems to automatically know everything and immediately be the best (nothing against the actor), Sigourney Weaver in Alien tho is badass lady
Marlowe Fitzpatrik 2 years ago (edited)
So- i'm totally fine with male leads being sexy and badass but i really prefer if the writers manage to extend the charCter-developement to their femal3 characters as well. And please - give the women SHOES! A very satisfying character on tv was dr elizabeth Weir on Stargate:Atlantis. Sadly, she didn't survive for long but she was great! (i do also think the two male leads were delightful but I'd have loved more elizabeth)
Chicken Nugget 2 years ago
It gets better, but the first few seasons of NCIS. DiNozzo 'flirts' (if you can call it that) with a woman, who is annoyed at first but comes to like it as he persists. The writers must have realized it, because he got way better and eventually became one of my favorite characters. Marvel, especially those SUPER obvious 'girl power' moments in Infinity War and Endgame. Also, Captain Marvel was just Marvel patting themselves on the back for having a female main character. Any book/movie/whatever where either of them (but especially the girl) first falls in love because of physical attraction. Especially when he's a complete jerk but she's just like 'I can't stand him and he's so horrible to me, but I just can't stop being attracted to him' and they inevitably end up together.
ZAPanda 2 years ago
She's totally underrated but I like Jennifer Connelly films (generally). Generally they are depressing as f**k and she is always super serious. She's one actress who can do a sex scene and you can come away from it grossed out rather than turned on because precisely the point of her films are to show how s**t people (and specifically men in some cases) are.
Monica Michelle 2 years ago
If you want the antidote to this PLEASE watch Kevin Can F&ck Himself. Brilliant hilarious and an answer to the entire genre of shrew wife cool but idiot husband
Peter Weir 2 years ago
Snowflakes...remember that these are movies and tv shows....if you dont like them...dont watch...you control the companies by not giving them the revenue....and well guess what also blame the kardashins and the rest of the slutty dressed whores that your children and your adore and follow on social media....
K Witmer 2 years ago
We're pointing out how ridiculous it is. Why do you think we need this explanation? We know white men are in charge of Hollywood. We also know all different movies can make an impact and be great if they just gave others a chance. Instead they're afraid and dole out the same old crap and remakes and sequels w the same old half baked boring tropes. We know other voices do well in the box office but they still don't let it happen nearly enough.
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