While I have heard that the A Court Of Thorns & Roses series by Sarah J. Maas is spicy, or more accurately has some spice in it, that is beside the point. If someone doesn’t want to read spice, that is absolutely fine and I’m not going to judge them for it. But I think it is wholeheartedly and utterly unfair for people to dismiss books like ACOTAR and women’s fiction books as smut, and to do so as a very pointed insult. As if when something is self-identified or widely considered smut, then it is not worthy, lesser-than, or otherwise not good. I think it’s very easy to dismiss intimate content as something that is inherently not good or is inherently not worth the amount of attention, care, passion, character development, or messaging that it is given.
I have a big problem with this. I have heard it said once — I don’t remember where — that romantic fantasy and other romance-centered books take the things that women covet and celebrate them, rather than diminishing or ridiculing them. I, of course, am not a mouthpiece for all women, and each individual has the right to (and should) read or voice whatever she’d like; what appeals to her may not appeal to another. And that is OK. But what I’m saying is certain stereotypes in women’s fiction may actually be manifestations of what women are looking for in real life, but dressed up in magic and fictional characters.
I think being enthralled with handsome, wealthy, magical, protective men —or shadow daddies — can really just be a celebration of love, of devotion, of listening and caring. Of paying attention, of support, or keeping each other safe, even just being safe places to be vulnerable and intimate. I think it’s easy to take what we’re looking for in life, or what we’re feeling, and project it onto what books we read, or using books to feel whatever we’re looking for. And I think the idea of having a man offer to burn the world down for you is really a more dramatized and fantastical version of having a partner or spouse be dedicated and offer to take the weight off, to have one person not be the sole project manager of everything.
I do not give a shit if what I choose to read is considered smutty or not. And I don’t give a shit about anyone thinking well-written characters or stories are not that simply because it includes intimate content. Smut can be written for smut’s sake — as I’ve both written and read it — but I refuse to have women’s fiction or general fiction be disingenuously judged or degraded for that one detail. It’s very reminiscent of the argument that everything targeted at teenage girls is automatically bad, stupid ,or unworthy of attention simply because it is liked by teenage girls.
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