Yeah, I think there’s something to this. The LI is allowed to relentlessly pursue a girl and violate boundaries because he is the LI, but if some woman in his life did that to him, she’d be made fun of for being creepy and obsessed.
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I definitely am not trying to imply that just because a character is lighter-skinned, they wouldn’t belong to whatever nationality they fall under because of their home - just to be clear where I stand on that.
My thoughts are that the exotification that usually goes hand-in-hand with dark Italian characters isn’t really about getting diversity points, because that would imply the author is intentionally designing the character to be a person of color.
The darker skin is meant to be taken as “tanned skin” (or naturally darker somehow because Italian), but on white features because the character is definitely intended to be seen as white. But because they’re Italian or of similar heritage, the appeal is that they’re a more “exotic” kind of white.
The problem in this particular situation is not that they’re making token POC; it’s that they’re making white characters much darker than any white person is realistically going to be.
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I remember watching a video about romcom tropes, and the double standard between persistent guys and girls pursuing their love interests is surprisingly so common. One of these days, I want a story where he gets similarly pursued by an unwanted suitor (not leading to SA and noncon stuff of course) and he kinda realised how much being sexually/romantically aggressive to his actual object of affection would be very crappy regardless of her attraction to him.
On another note, lately I’m seeing how few featured stories are premised with MC initially having a crush or liking of the LI from the get go, instead we usually see the LI being getting very forward. iDK , I just thought this is interesting.
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I really can’t stand this trend of making love interests these violent “protectors.” Some man will harass MC and then in return, the LI will choke this man out, threaten him, beat him, whatever. Like? That’s insane.
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I hate this so much. And for all the people reading stories like this or reading this thread, I just want you to know: men (or anyone) who have this level of violent anger they supposedly have no control over will one day use it on you. Like, we all get angry and we all do things we regret, but physically assaulting someone - and it’s almost always near the brink of death - because you don’t like the way someone was looking at a person you’re sexually attracted to is not a sign of emotional stability or investment in being a good partner.
Especially since authors have control of the narrative in a fictional world. No doubt things like this happen in real life, but that’s why it’s so important to interrogate them when they show up in fictional worlds. Even when the MC is like “oh you shouldn’t have done that” she forgets about it 5 minutes later because it’s “hot” that he’s been so protective. I’ll tell you what, someone ever did that “for” me, I’d be running the opposite direction immediately. That level of violent rage is terrifying, especially when the narrative condones it.
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Please - you can have someone look out for you and protect you without them being so uncomfortably willing to enact violence at the slightest provocation. This trend is eerie. It’s disturbing.
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Is it really so hard to ask what, if any, kind of interference MC wants from an LI? I mean, yeah some situations require immediate action, but even that should be aimed at disarming the assailant and letting the MC determine what happens next. But so many of these situations are “man looked at MC me A N G E R Y fight mode activated!!!” And it’s just horrible. Dreadful. For the love of all that may someday be holy, please stop doing this.
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This thing is so dumb. If an LI does this to anyone, I want MC to throw a flower pot at his head. No joke
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This right here.
Ask yourself, what exactly is stopping them from one day turning on you? They’ve already shown themselves to be capable of brute aggression.
Also, don’t you just love it that when the author uses NARR bubbles to describe an LI’s actions, the words “lip curling” “snarling” “growling” are over-used to an alarming extent? What’s that all about, am I supposed to find that attractive?
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The glorification of abuse and assault.
I’ve seen so many stories that include an MC who was abused by her parents, but ultimately was “saved” by the LI. I wish stories that did this addressed the severe emotional distress and mental illnesses that come with severe childhood abuse and neglect, however many stories imply that children who went through severe abuse can get better as long as they find someone who loves them. I strongly believe in ‘love yourself before you love anyone else’ from personal experience. I struggled with severe anxiety and depression for two years, and I tried to date during that time in order to find my “Knight in Shining Armor,” and they never came. Now that I’m getting help, I feel more emotionally capable of being in a relationship.
As for assault. I don’t even know how many stories have used sexual assault as a way to bring the MC and the LI closer together. MC goes to a party or a bar and someone tries to take advantage of her, then the LI swoops in and saves her. It’s extremely triggering for so many people, especially for those who didn’t have that borderline abusive boyfriend (or really anyone) come to save us. I just wish that this trope would disappear. I’m so sick of seeing it happen.
Lol, the last one was closed and all of my replies were flagged. Tbh I was extremely off topic most of the time.
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Fully agree with this. I’ve gone through extreme verbal abuse and I’ve witnessed a lot of violence in my life, intentional or not, and whenever someone begins to speak too loudly I get nervous and quiet. I hate how MCs coming out of a home/relationship involving abuse always ends up with an LI who is over-protective of her to the point of violence. If I were in her position I would be too terrified of him and his screaming to think what he did was “hot.” I’d be ghosting his a*s and never speaking to him again.
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I hate seeing this. Or when the MC has mental narration that compares herself to prey and the LI as “her predator.” I get that its intent is to be sexy, but surely we can do better. 
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Usually I’m half surprised the scene doesn’t cut to LI looking famished after eating her like a wolf (literally)
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Seeing this article made me think of another trending trope that’s been eating at me for a while: female characters who are villains at worst or people who got their power through family ties at best being treated like they’re 
girl bosses .
The worst is self-professed psychopaths, mafia leaders, gang members, you name it. Incredibly violent female characters who - by both author and readers alike - are spoken of as “strong” or “badass” for said violence.
The less violent examples are more of a pet peeve, but I hate seeing things like white-coded female CEO MCs who act like they’ve “worked their way from nothing” when they literally got their position from being the boss’ daughter. How are we gonna pretend like this kind of MC is a workforce powerhouse when she f*cks her employee on a desk, mentally degrades female co-workers, and we don’t even know what the hell she does for the business? 
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This, so much this 
The level of hate the author fosters between two female characters just because they want the same man is…astounding to say the least. You have the MC thinking violent, murderous thoughts towards another woman just because the LI stares at her for two seconds too long, fantasize about beating her and breaking her, and then have it all brushed aside like “lolz, women be jealous 
”
I can’t even begin to say how uncomfortable this makes me, as most of it comes from stories written by adult women who ought to know better than to teach impressionable girls to think of each other as enemies. And the slut-shaming. OMG the slut-shaming.
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The other female character doesn’t even have to want her man. 
It’s like:
Young woman with a skirt one centimeter shorter than MC’s: [breathes]
MC: that bitch
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Honestly, whenever this pops up, I’m convinced it’s projection by the author. Please just get some therapy goddamn.
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Sorry, but this really made me laugh 
It is accurate in some cases though sadly. The same way that every potential problematic rival woman dresses like she’s easy, and usually has an attitude out of nowhere.
Truthfully the idolization of workaholics could die in a fire and I’d be happy. Especially since most of these characters indeed were just born into money. It’s a lot of hard work bossing people around and yelling on the phone all day. And they’re always whining about how their employees who do real work want a raise, blah blah.
That’s true for any gender character. But I feel like the female CEOs and whatever are always written as overcompensating for their lack of 
male parts by being hyper aggressive and insensitive - all the things make LIs are usually written as. But I don’t feel a lot of sympathy for characters who refuse to acknowledge their positions of power and privilege, especially since they usually are white by default and already rich.
In general the “difficulties” of being born rich are just…played out at best lol. It doesn’t change anything to make the CEO a woman. I get that women are execs and blah blah. I’m not saying they shouldn’t be as far as we accept the current economic system. But acting like you’re in competition with (in any way) employees you supervise and therefore have control over their livelihoods is not a good look. Imagine if they spent less time fixating on their internalized misogyny (and racism tbh) and more time self-reflecting and trying to build relationships with friends or an age / status appropriate potential partner or working on their hobbies. Your life would be a lot better and more stable, you ~GirlBoss™~ you 
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This isn’t a theme, but it’s toxic and I need to get this out.
REACTIONS BASED ON CLOTHING!!
I’ve seen this in countless featured stories. When the MC picks a gem choice outfit, the LI compliments the heck out of her and seems totally in love with her. But when the MC picks an ordinary outfit, they don’t get a good reaction out of the LI. I mean this is so messed up, especially if the LI is already your boyfriend. Relationship status and his feelings for you should not be tampered just because of what you wear. A true LI who really adores you and isn’t toxic is when you still wear a loofa and he still sees you as beautiful and shows you that you are.
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