Jenn

unhealthy codependency is really a top tier dynamic. like they need each other to survive but god. should they.

i think there is a difference between a knowingly flawed character and a thematically uncomfortable character and knowing the difference is half the battle

my favourite genre of fictional men are those ones who should be cool and badass because of their powers or character designs, but are pathetic instead. never had a good day in their life. an insult from a child could probably make them cry. wet paper bag men. you know the ones

It's often the most male-catered to and even misogynistic media that feature some of the deepest and borderline homoerotic relationships between men. But that is to be expected. People think that patriarchy enabling homoaffectionate relationships between men is a bug, but it's actually a feature. True love can only come from a place of respect, and men often don't respect nor esteem women. They don't see women as capable of intellect, or strength, or imagination or even humanity. Those attributes are reserved to men. Which is why men's true love is often reserved for other men while women are just props to them. That's why it's easier for a lot of male writers to create stories about supposedly heterosexual male characters having the most world-shattering (accidentally romantic) bonds with other men, but not with women that they're canonically attracted to. It's because they can't fathom their male protagonist being so deeply affected by a woman's character, since women are to be lusted for and kept as props for their little domestic fantasies but never truly respected or admired as individuals. The ancient greeks were more honest about this stuff because they understood that patriarchy and male/male affection went hand in hand.

it's tempting to just dismiss heath ledger's joker on account of how it altered society for the worse and inspired a generation of men who in the absolute best case scenario are only so annoying you'd rather eat your own ears than spend even a minute around them but then you sit down and actually watch the dark knight again and fuckkkkkk...he actually kinda crushed that shit like a hydraulic press