Female protagonists in media

[Liriena]

I honestly enjoy both female and male protagonists in media pretty much equally, which is why current problems with female representation in art and entertainment trouble me.

I loved playing a female Shepard in the Mass Effect trilogy.
I played a male Miqo'te in the beta for Final Fantasy XIV: A Realm Reborn.
I loved playing as Amaterasu in Okami.
I loved playing as Dante in Devil May Cry 3.
As far as books are concerned, I haven't read that many with female protagonists, due in no small part to the fact that above-average high fantasy has a serious shortage of those, but Arya and Sansa Stark, and Margaery and Olenna Tyrell, are amongst my favourite characters in the Song of Ice and Fire series.
In films? I love Mary Poppins, and I loved Emma Thompson's P.L. Travers in Saving Mr. Banks. La Vie en Rose, starring the fantastic Marion Cotillard, is one of my favourite movies. I'm also dying for a Wonder Woman movie.
Theatre? I'm male, but I'd happily play the part of Joanne in Stephen Sondheim's Company, because that character is my favourite.

[Arglorand]

Sansa Stark

God, finally someone agrees that Sansa is bloody awesome.

Thank you, Liri.

[Vamtrl]

Do you prefer them solely because they're male, or because you think males tend to be written better?

Because they are male.

It can be sexist, yes, though it depends. Do you just feel that you can better step into the shoes of a character with the same gender as you?[/quote]

No not necessarily, I just generally tend to avoid reading or watching female lead production. It doesn't mean I like all male leads btw.

[Liriena]

Sansa Stark

God, finally someone agrees that Sansa is bloody awesome.

Thank you, Liri.

People seem to miss the many moments where she displays a remarkable skill at manipulating people that are sprinkled throughout the series. She may not be a Tyrell, but she's quite cunning when she wants to be.

[Nanatsu no Tsuki]

God, finally someone agrees that Sansa is bloody awesome.

Thank you, Liri.

People seem to miss the many moments where she displays a remarkable skill at manipulating people that are sprinkled throughout the series. She may not be a Tyrell, but she's quite cunning when she wants to be.

I guess in the book she's compelling but in the HBO series... gods, I can't stand Sansa Stark.

[Arglorand]

God, finally someone agrees that Sansa is bloody awesome.

Thank you, Liri.

People seem to miss the many moments where she displays a remarkable skill at manipulating people that are sprinkled throughout the series. She may not be a Tyrell, but she's quite cunning when she wants to be.

I actually feel for her in the cases when she's just plainly suffering, too, because... idunno, Sansa just evokes a lot of empathy and sympathy from me. Maybe because for someone who was betrayed by everyone and who lost virtually and effectively everyone close to her she's still pretty damn unbroken.

[United Marxist Nations]

People seem to miss the many moments where she displays a remarkable skill at manipulating people that are sprinkled throughout the series. She may not be a Tyrell, but she's quite cunning when she wants to be.

I guess in the book she's compelling but in the HBO series... gods, I can't stand Sansa Stark.

Stannis eclipses all other characters.

[Solaray]

I'm sort of the same way. Not that I don't like female protagonists, nor do I have anything against women's rights and empower, I just happen to inherently prefer male characters. Why? I have no idea.

But yeah it is basically sexist.

[Arglorand]

I guess in the book she's compelling but in the HBO series... gods, I can't stand Sansa Stark.

Stannis eclipses all other characters.

In that only one look at him makes you go, "No, anyone, please, ANYONE but this guy."

[Nanatsu no Tsuki]

I guess in the book she's compelling but in the HBO series... gods, I can't stand Sansa Stark.

Stannis eclipses all other characters.

Can't say.

I've been told however that Sansa's character evolves emotionally whereas Arya's doesn't. Is this true?

[United Marxist Nations]

Stannis eclipses all other characters.

In that only one look at him makes you go, "No, anyone, please, ANYONE but this guy."

No, Stannis is amazing. Want him on the Iron Throne. Bend the knee or be destroyed.

[Giovenith]

Because they are male.

It can be sexist, yes, though it depends. Do you just feel that you can better step into the shoes of a character with the same gender as you?

No not necessarily, I just generally tend to avoid reading or watching female lead production. It doesn't mean I like all male leads btw.[/quote]

Then perhaps you need to be a bit more open.

[Othelos]

It depends on the writer. Women generally aren't that good at writing books with a male as the main character (see: harry potter & the goblet of fire and the books after), and men generally aren't that good at writing from a female perspective.

In other media, it usually doesn't matter, though.

[MERIZoC]

It depends on the writer. Women generally aren't that good at writing books with a male as the main character (see: harry potter & the goblet of fire and the books after), and men generally aren't that good at writing from a female perspective.

In other media, it usually doesn't matter, though.

You did not just bash Harry Potter.

[The 54th Squadron]

Yes, obviously.

But I am all about female empowerment and equal rights.

After saying you prefer a male protagonist? Quit lying to yourself.

[Liriena]

It depends on the writer. Women generally aren't that good at writing books with a male as the main character (see: harry potter & the goblet of fire and the books after), and men generally aren't that good at writing from a female perspective.

In other media, it usually doesn't matter, though.

Yo!

Granted, I think even J.K. Rowling agrees that Ginny was not a good choice for Harry's love interest.

[Nazi Flower Power]

Whether its a book or a movie, I prefer to have a male protagonist. Its not even about connecting with them, I just like it that way. Does this view make me a sexist?

Edit: Thank you Ifreann

Yes, but not necessarily an extreme one.

It's not very useful to just categorize people sexist or not sexist. Some people are mildly sexist. Others are off the deep end batshit insane sexist. They are not all equally bad.

[Cyrisnia]

We need more.

[Occupied Deutschland]

I've never had any trouble relating to or appreciating a female protagonist, even though I'm male. Hell, it's actually a character decision I like more than a male protagonist in the same situation. I was always more of a Xena/Slayers/Honor-Harrington fan, for instance over Hercules/He-Man/Captain-Kirk person, despite the premises of the stories and the characters being very similar.

A different gender as a main character just never bothered me, and I can't see why it would. Men and women really aren't that different, all things considered. It stands to reason any work not focused around aspects of that gender would be fully accessible and easily appreciated by the other gender (obviously this excludes stories related to gender specific issues like periods or nocturnal emissions, but I have yet to encounter very many stories wherein that plays much of any kind of a role. In fact, I haven't encountered any.)

[The 54th Squadron]

We need more.

We need more kinkier women, especially when they fight.

[Russian Socialist Soviet States]

It doesn't make you sexist.

[Torisakia]

I don't care who the main protagonist is as long as it doesn't turn into harem.

[Othelos]

It depends on the writer. Women generally aren't that good at writing books with a male as the main character (see: harry potter & the goblet of fire and the books after), and men generally aren't that good at writing from a female perspective.

In other media, it usually doesn't matter, though.

Yo!

Granted, I think even J.K. Rowling agrees that Ginny was not a good choice for Harry's love interest.

Oh, I didn't mean that the books were bad (they were all really good), but sometimes harry was a little too emotional. lol

[Greater Israelia]

Why do we need female protagonists?

Answer: we don't.

[Forsher]

Whether its a book or a movie, I prefer to have a male protagonist. Its not even about connecting with them, I just like it that way. Does this view make me a sexist?

Yes. I would be more hesitant about describing a tendency to like male protagonists more having read/seen whatever it is as there are more factors but the way I understand this situation you look at a story and you'd rather it has a male protagonist than a female without having read/seen it.

As to whether female protagonists tend to be written more poorly? I'm not sure... it probably depends on the genre and text type.

Yo!

Granted, I think even J.K. Rowling agrees that Ginny was not a good choice for Harry's love interest.

Oh, I didn't mean that the books were bad (they were all really good), but sometimes harry was a little too emotional. lol

People have emotions and his life was pretty screwed up. Really it makes perfect sense.