Discussion: What are your opinions on It Starts With A Bra?

Okay. I know. You’ve seen these rants before, but I just have to do it. Recently, I decided to commit the ultimate sin, reading ISWAB, and just to let you know, I could barely finish the first chapter.
This disaster starts off with the line “bad boys.”

I-

Then you can design your character, and before I roast this story, I must say I was pleasantly surprised when I saw there was an option for a female love interest. That does not make it any less bad, though. The love interest (my playthrough was a male) in front of the window, STANDS NUDE! The reason why this is such an issue is that stories that feature subtle hints of nudity or sexual themes get the boot, but this one gets featured? It’t not fair. Even in episode guidelines, users are sworn not to use the word ‘sexy’ in the description. How funny because the story description has that.

Anyways, instead of calling the cops, or being super disgusted, the MC doesnt. I mean she can, but you have to PAY to do that. You have to pay to get justice. What a positive message. The entire story seems super shallow and justifies this straight up sexual harassment as ‘romantic’ or ‘he’s only doing this because he likes you’ or ‘he’ll end up liking you so his problematic behavior is irrelevant.’

You should see an issue.

This whole story seems like an exact example of what’s NOT allowed in a story, yet here it is. Featured. People are probably getting paid for this, even though this book is originally from wattpad.

Also, I must say portrayals of bad boys in novels all around are almost always off. A bad boy isnt always a jerk with a dark past, (and can I say, dark pasts do not in any way, shape, or form justify bullying or assault. It’s frankly irrelevant. These people shouldn’t be romanticized or desired. They should be held accountable) sometimes it’s just a boy with leather jackets, a motorcycle and other things. And even if a bad boy does have a dark past, why the jerk attitude? Why is getting treated like dirt so romanticized. You should be treated with respect. It’s not cute or romantic to be constantly berated and attacked and then expected to be lovey dovey with your attacker. Just because someone is ‘cute’ doesn’t mean their behavior should be overlooked. It’s shallow and problematic. …

Look, im not hating on anyone who liked the story. Do what you want. But you can’t tell me this story isn’t setting a double standard, and those who work day and night to produce an original story don’t get featured, but shallow, inappropriate stories like this do. If we want to set a good example, we have to call out things that will affect us. Comment below your thoughts (respectfully). And yes, I may be late on this, but it’s never too late for closure.

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I 100% agree with all your points. Let’s say a really hot thug guy robbed a bank and stole a million dollars. “Really hot thug guy.” “Really hot…” JUST BECAUSE HE’S REALLY HOT DOESN’T EXCUSE HIS BEHAVIOR!!! ok I’m done now. night

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Ugh this story is just utter trash. Starts off with the glamorization of sexual Harrassment then the plot jumps to some other cliche mess. I just cant deal. I stopped reading. Who hired these people? Like it mind boggles me that actual people at Episode headquarters are writing content this low quality. Nothing but nonsense and shitty cliches with a side of dumb female characters. The crazy part is a couple years or so ago the featured stories were actually good. Wtf happened?

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I think they were blinded by money. People… strange people, might I add, are willing to pay more. It’s like a typical high-school drama movie.

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I agree with you guys. It is annoying that we are glorifying horrendous behavior. Someone wheres a leather jacket so its okay to be horrible. The story is insulting to women and bad boys. I grew up in a small town. The bad boys here just don’t go to church and swear. That is all it takes for them to be a bad boy. These are the people that when I got sexual Harassed in High school, protected me. They would never have done what gets glorified in this story. That was what the nice guys were up to. They just decided to take straight romance books to the extreme.

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So true ppl misuse the term “bad boy” so much to me theres bad boy and theres toxic abusive douchebag.
Ive yet to find a story where the “bad boy” is not a cliche jerk…if BB were how ppl describes them on episodes they wouldnt be popular.
Most ppl want a generic nice guy but an underdeveloped LI is worse than a BB usually ppl give so much work in making the BB seem awful and forget the nice guy they want u to root for…
As for episodes features…can i get a story where the MC isnt casually ok with(SPOILERS) 5 naked men in a locker room just talking to her…or… MC being 2 inches from a black censor bar in a strangers bed having a convo about where to sleep(love life -_-#)

Dude in iswab was just a bully plain and simple and should have been arrested for harassment

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The story was shit.

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I don’t read featured stories but I decided to check this out and couldn’t even make it past the first chapter : (

Can also check out this thread to share your thoughts: Discussion: What are your opinions on It Starts With A Bra?

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Oh for sure. Especially with their ridiculous use of gem choices.

“Oh no hes about to stab you. 35 gems to knock the knife out his hand and run. Choose No gems and get stabbed in the arm.”

Pays 35 gems

“You knock the knife out his hand and run but he chases after you, knocks you down and stabs you in the chest. Oops now you’re in a coma pregnant by the killer” :roll_eyes::roll_eyes::roll_eyes::unamused:

Putting greed before good content is going to be their downfall. They act like they cant make good money off of quality work and ideas. Dang it :roll_eyes:

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My question is…
If they had a so called “hard past” that doesn’t excuse the nasty behavior! So why does Episode defend it?

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My friend told me that it was super cliche. Plus, it has a bad boy in this story. Now, I am not a fan of bad boy stories or cliche stories, this is my opinion. He broke into the MC’s house, and she didn’t do shit about it! When I saw it on “TOP FEATURED STORIES”, I was like “ok, one of THOSE stories.” So, I didn’t even bother. It has a wrong message to it. If someone broke into your house, call 911. Who tf cares if the guy is SEXY? You could be talking to a murderer! Just a dare, okay. If this was real life, this boy would be out of my house, handcuffed. But, Episode forgot about REALITY. Plus, there is no other choice. You gotta fall in love with a creep. NO OTHER CHOICE, SKSSSSSSSSSKSKSK. If there was a rating button, I would give it…

-1/5

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Oh my God, how did miss this the first time I read this post?! :joy: You made me laugh out loud, thank you.
I think you bring up some really good points, I’d recommend anyone who wants to talk about bad boys on Episode and how to make a “good” bad boy to check out this thread. Not all bad boys have to be half-naked monsters.

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Does anyone remember when Episode removed Loving Bad’s barely-even-sexual scenes because a few people pointed out they weren’t upholding their own guidelines?

Now they’re like “F- you all. Sex sells. We don’t have to follow our own guidelines! It Started With A Bra isn’t sexual enough!”

Then they went and made In My Bed.

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Stupid & corny dialogue, very cliche, but for some odd reason, I loved it. One of my favorite Featured Stories ever.

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Haven’t read it yet, but it grosses me out.

I don’t even wanna read it.

Judging by the rest of the replies here, there’s a part where a guy broke in MC’s house and MC didn’t care because he’s good looking? (I dunno if i got it right but yeah i don’t even wanna know…) That’s…just…disgusting.

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Against all the warnings, I decided to check it out. I’m not sure how I feel about it.

Maybe it was changed since it first came out because it isn’t what people told me it was exactly. Some details. It doesn’t look like anyone broke into anyone’s house except for the MC to do the hair dye shenanigans. Pretty much 100% certain I recall the girl being like, “Oh no! The packages must’ve gotten switched!” Or something to that effect, because she got his underwear, too…>.>

It was kind of a funny mix up, even though the guy was a bit of a douche canoe for not giving it back? XDXD

I feel like this story isn’t bad for the reasons I was told. It isn’t misogynistic to me. The guy is being kind of a bully to the girl, and she’s trying to get back at him, to no avail.

There’s a couple things skewing my opinion of it though. I don’t do gem choices much at all. I have done none in this story, and I don’t plan to do any, so I haven’t seen the seducing scene…even if I did do gem choices, I wouldn’t pick that one because UNCOMFORTABLE! …ahem, but that’s besides my point. ALSO, I am only on chapter 5, so perhaps there’s shenanigans far more messed up than getting your mail switched, accidentally seeing a dude naked because he doesn’t know what a curtain is, hair dye pranks, public indecency pranks, etc.

So far, I feel like the MC girl has done more messed up things than the guy has. She had an opportunity to moon him, LOL. She tried to make the entire school see the guy in all his naked glory, like…he hung an undergarment to a flag pole, shamed her for her comfy clothes…

What’d she do with his underwear, btw? That was conveniently glossed over. If I was the MC, I’d be much more concerned how much that bra cost. Like, bras can be expensive. If I saw it on a flagpole, hallelujah! I’d be getting it back XDXD

It is an understatement, I think, to say that it is common knowledge that women wear bras. It’s no different if the dude’s underwear was hanging from a flagpole. Teenagers are stupid and immature, lol, some of them would behave like that. In the end, it’s whatever.

I get that him not giving back something she paid for is illegal, sure. But the reason I’m lenient thinking about it is because as I mentioned, doesn’t she still have his as well? Can’t have it both ways. They’re both wrong as hell in this story, and it seems to be all in (quite messed up) fun, but it is funny to some people. Humor comes from dark places quite a bit.

It doesn’t seem like such a huge problem on either side because they’ve both done things that could have been reported to police or just any adult that could make these stupid kids quit being so stupid.

Am I missing something here? Please let me know. I may just be too daft to get what the big problem is, or maybe I’m just not deep enough into the story to be wound up by it.

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Ugh! Okay no I did not like it, I read quite a few chapters to give it a chance but just no. So many cliches! So predictable! God so boring! What kind of message IS it sending? That if a guy steals your bra you should be crushing on him? The fuck? Seriously!? It’s not so inappropriate more so astonishing that’s the message episode wants to portray!

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:rofl::rofl::rofl::rofl: TRUE! :joy::joy::joy::joy:

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Just one of the many iconic bad boy stories on Episode. I didn’t plan on continuing to read the story after the first 2 episodes xD

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If you’re okay with a man breaking into your bedroom and stealing your bra, and feeling attracted towards that… I wish you good luck to yourself and future relationships. That is not something to “learn” about how to get a man. It’s a crime.

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