Authors of FEMINIST FICTION, take notes! | 3 PROBLEMATIC PITFALLS of feminist fiction

ALL my discussion videos in one playlist • Discussions & Tags
Psyche and Eros review • “Psyche and Eros” by L...
Lessons in Chemistry review • “Lessons in Chemistry”...
Hi everyone! Following my completion and reviews of “Psyche and Eros” by Luna McNamara and “Lessons in Chemistry” by Bonnie Garmus, I was having some…mixed feelings. The books weren’t…bad, per se, but there WAS definitely one commonality between them that genuinely bothered me: how these two books approached the subject of feminism and applied this to their female protagonists, both of whom were pursuing stereotypically masculine goals, and the other characters and situations they were exposed to. So I made this video to expand on my thoughts which sprung out of last week’s reviews, articulate the issues I found, how the ways in which books like these handle feminism can actually be harmful to the cause, and what can be done from a storytelling standpoint to avoid these issues.
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ABOUT ME & MY CHANNEL
Hi everyone! I’m the Limitless Librarian, a 24 year old visually impaired Aussie bookworm and mathematician-in-training! As my channel name implies, I read just about anything and everything! On my booktube channel I do book reviews, themed book recommendations, and other bookish discussions.
Thank you for watching my video; as always, do lots of maths, read lots of books, and you’re sure to have an awesome day! 💚
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[@anotherbooktubechannel]

"There's no reason you can't be a hero and a mother" is so spot on. Honestly the whole video is spot on. Especially tying in the conflict with sexual identity causing the message to feel heavy-handed. I always say that the best feminist fiction is the fiction that you don't even realize is feminist. The moment you bring attention to the fact that "THIS IS A FEMINIST BOOK/MOVIE/SHOW" or whatever, that's exactly when you are met with opposition and you can kiss your intended message goodbye. Ellen Ripley from the Alien movies is always the example I go to as an example of this. A fantastic feminist character that men and women love because there is absolutely zero attention paid to the fact that she is a woman. That might be me simplifying things too much for the sake of brevity, but hopefully my intention is clear. Great video!

[@TheLimitlessLibrarian]

Thank you! 💚 I’m glad you appreciated the video and found it meaningful! I’ve never seen the Alien movies myself, but yeah, I agree on your assessment that lessons like this are best taught in a way such that you don’t realise you’re learning said lesson.

[@mihali9655]

Amazing video and well done to the KZbin algorithm for recommending this for me! The "cartoonishly evil man" rhetoric always comes across as forced - of course being a 30 year old bloke it's a big turn off for me, I wouldn't be receptive to it at all particularly when you consider all the men in your personal life that have nothing but respect and love for women, be it their wives, mothers, daughters, friends, coworkers etc. I also agree 100% about demonising stereotypically feminine behaviour - ESPECIALLY the bit about demonising getting married and having kids. As human beings of course there is going to be a natural desire to reproduce! From an outsider's perspective it always feels like forced social engineering when media denigrates having and raising children. Children are wonderful and a blessing and the strongest people I know are mothers! My late grandmother especially...

[@TheLimitlessLibrarian]

Thank you for your lovely comment, I’m glad you enjoyed the video and found it meaningful! 💚

[@scoutdarpy4465]

I couldn't picture a better video than this. I truly appreciate it. I'm an idealist, and I believe in the universal good of the individual who is engaged with the transcendental values of goodness, beauty, and truth. I want to believe that there is a purity in humankind that cannot be corrupted - a fragile thing perhaps. Man or woman, we are equal in this purity - and we each posses a soul, and that we should cherish it. Yes, very good video.

[@TheLimitlessLibrarian]

Thank you for that lovely comment! 💚 Yours is a lovely philosophy.

[@scoutdarpy4465]

@@TheLimitlessLibrarian Of course, this is my more personal philosophy, albeit emotionally attached. Logicalities have their place in suitable environments in relation to a more academic approach - but I'm more a poet at heart than a cold-creeded logical entity, lol. If feminism will lead us into the future, then let it be idealistic and reaching for transcendental values, not just monetary gain.

[@TheLimitlessLibrarian]

Though as a mathematician (in training) I am more a creature of logic, I do agree with you there. The world needs more people who think like this, it really does.

[@BooklessPete]

Interesting! Very thoughtful video--as always.

[@TheLimitlessLibrarian]

Thank you! :)

[@user-ok2gr2vw9r]

This is interesting. Although as a 'pointer' not a 'setter' my opinion is suspect 😅 (joking of course), I think the problem is really - is this about "equality" or liberation" femanism. Equality is all about civil rights. Voting, equality in pay, women equally entitled to be in the professions etc etc. On the other hand "liberation" - what's advocated by Germain Greere is all about chugging Jack from the bottle whilst backpacking round south America. And sisterhood.

[@TheLimitlessLibrarian]

This was more about the former, especially with the two books I had in mind due to recency bias. But I have noticed the three issues I pointed out in other books with female protagonists who take on roles outside of those expected of women in their society.

[@user-ok2gr2vw9r]

@@TheLimitlessLibrarian let me know when you get a listen to my stuff. As always a big best wishes to you.

[@TheLimitlessLibrarian]

I will, and thanks mate!