Body image and the Romance Novel
I recently started working on a contemporary story where the heroine considers herself mousy and plain in comparison to her glamour doll mother and sister. This is an important aspect of the story and in trying to make the comparison I found myself writing a disparaging description of the sister. This character is sexy and confident and is comfortable wearing tight fitting clothes, short skirts, low cut tops etc. There's nothing wrong with this character, she and her sister adore each other and have each other's back yet because the heroine dresses more plainly, being self conscious after a long stay in the hospital, her thought process came out very hateful.
I had to stop and think, what was I doing? I adore both characters yet I was giving such a negative impression of the one who was more carefree and comfortable with her body. It's common in romance novels for the heroine to think of herself as plain or ugly while the hero is bowled over by her beauty and wants nothing more than throw her down and take her virginity (don't get me started on that!). There is some reality to this concept though. Have you ever met anybody, regardless of what they looked like, who thought positively about how they look? Has there ever been a time when you're in a dressing room, leaning against the wall, panting for breath after struggling to get into a pair of 2X jeans only to have some hot young thing with 3% body fat bounce out of the adjoining dressing room and frown about how fat she looks in that string bikini? And when someone does pay you a compliment? Do you believe them or feel uncomfortable receiving that compliment?
It's not just women who deal with this issue, though some may say it isn't the same because it's men who have established the beauty standards we face. I'm not so sure about that. Men are also having to deal with seemingly impossible standards. What's considered sexier in the marketplace? Balding, greying men with a spare tire or sleek, sculpted abs and a glorious head of hair? Have you ever really looked at all the male enhancement drugs and products there are out there?
Granted, no one's ever measured a Ken doll and found the dimensions to be completely unrealistic for the human body (except for the lack of nipples and penis, of course). At least not to my knowledge. If anyone does have this information please feel free to bring it to my attention because I'd love to take a look at it. My point is I never really understood how society expectations and one's body image played a role in the writing of a romance novel until now. I once wrote about how, while we're seeing an uptick in romances featuring disabled heroes and plus sized women, there has to remain an element of fantasy because no one wants to read a completely truthful romance. Otherwise we might find ourselves reading the following:
She stood framed in the doorway, her satin robe caressing her figure. He approached her, a goofy look on his face as he undid the sash and slipped the robe down to her feet. He smiled, noting how the corn pads drew his attention to the shimmering polish on her toenails. The varicose veins, born from hours of standing on her feet as a waitress, fanned out like a roadmap on her legs. He massaged her cellulite dimpled behind as he kissed his way up and around her panis. He relished in the feel of her swollen nipples brushing his forehead as he kissed his way up to her bare breasts. As he stood upright, his soft belly jiggled and slid against her body. She groaned, caressing his bald spot and running her hands through the thick hair of his back. She squeezed the extra cushioning along his waist.
“Your love handles drive me crazy!” she murmured.
Sexy isn't it? ;) The negative portrayal of the dynamic character in my latest story was akin to slut shaming, a phrase I absolutely loathe but have yet to find a better term. She's a good person who's loyal to her family and exudes confidence yet her choice of wardrobe automatically signaled that she was a terrible person.
I rewrote the start of the story and spun my character's description from a more positive angle and as soon as I did her personality just came shining through. She even went toe to toe with a stuffy aunt who looked down on her for her appearance. Anyway, both ladies are consistently nagging me to keep telling their story so I'd better get to it. I can't wait to share it with you when it's ready!
