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so this is random but I've been thinking a lot about Star Trek and the origin of the Mary Sue term... So when I attempted to watch ST a while back, I was sort of shocked at how much kissing was in the show. It seemed like every other episode featured a woman from an alien planet+
probably with some sort of succubus-type powers, and with very little clothes on, that would always try to force control over the male leads, sometimes w/a kiss!!... but the ml would always overcome this, through the strength of their mind. now+
this is a male power fantasy. women who were ST fans did what they do best. they transformed it to make it into their fantasy. for fanfiction publications, they began writing about a character who was a new recruit, very special with some special ability+
who all the male leads would fall for, and who would nearly always die sacrificing herself for the crew.
female power fantasy.
and women were writing about this at such a pace that another woman called it out. she was tired of seeing these unrealistic, self-insert characters+
female power fantasy.
and women were writing about this at such a pace that another woman called it out. she was tired of seeing these unrealistic, self-insert characters+
and I think she was wrong to criticize it. I think she was wrong to make fun of the female power fantasy. later when Paula Smith discused what Mary Sue was, she walked back on her initial reaction a bit by explaining that women HAD to write themselves into the male-centric story+
that OF COURSE they would when the story existed the way it did.
but the damage was done. now we see the term used incorrectly all the time and for some reason it's justified by there being a "male-equivlent" (it's not). and young girls continue to write fanfic in their own+
but the damage was done. now we see the term used incorrectly all the time and for some reason it's justified by there being a "male-equivlent" (it's not). and young girls continue to write fanfic in their own+
fan space, away from young men, because they want to rewrite their favorite male-centric stories with a self-insert, non-male character that represents them.
Smith even said writing this sort of fanfic is simply a step in writing that makes you a better writer, but we continue+
Smith even said writing this sort of fanfic is simply a step in writing that makes you a better writer, but we continue+
to criticize it.
anyway, I just wanted people to remember why ST actually created Mary Sue criticism. It was because of all the kisses.
women wanted to write a character that wasn't a succubus or an evil alien to kiss their male leads.
anyway, I just wanted people to remember why ST actually created Mary Sue criticism. It was because of all the kisses.
women wanted to write a character that wasn't a succubus or an evil alien to kiss their male leads.
