Why are women often cast as weak in Geek lit?

[Justin]

My novel LARP: The Battle for Verona (available on amazon and bn.com) is a YA fantasy novel that deals with the topic of social acceptance and bullying.

Unlike novels like Twilight and The Hunger Games, the women in my novel are strong, decisive characters. Jen is a LARPer who is well respected, sexy and a force on the battlefield. Alyssa is smart, sexy and a well respected career woman.

As I am sure you know, people with interests or hobbies that are different than the norm are often treated badly in society. Labels like "geek" "nerd" and "dork" are often applied, in a negative way, to people with unique interests.

So, my two questions to everyone are...why does society as a whole judge and mistreat people with unique interests...and, why are women often portrayed as weak (Twilight, Hunger Games) in Geek lit?

[Kate]

I think some of it has to do with society in general. Teenage girls are generally looked upon as frivolous drama queens caring more about clothes and being popular than with current events or deep thought. It does them a disservice.

This gets reflected in literature.

I think some authors feel threatened by a strong woman, even a fictional one. I recently read an article noting that males tend to read books only starring males, where females will read either.

Considering the number of males I know that adore the Honor Harrington books, I call bullshit.

[Justin]

I kinda feel that way about music. Most of my music features male singers. I don't know why, it's not a conscious choice.

[Laura]

I haven't noticed that women are cast as weak in geek literature, compared to how we're portrayed in conventional literature. Our culture has some deeply misogynistic strains in it. It manifests all over.

[Justin]

I guess I am just really thinking of The Hunger Games, which is the biggest fantasy book in the world right now. Katiss is so weak to me. Same thing with Bella from Twilight.

[Faithe]

I think you're the first person I have ever heard reference Katniss as a weak female character lol. I would be interested to know why you think that.
From the books I have personally read-of the geeky persuasion- there's always a fair balance of weak and strong female and male characters.
On the other hand, I don't really pay much attention to that stuff, unless they are really on either extreme side of the scale.... weak-like damsel in distress (aka Bella from Twilight); or in-your-face "I'm a strong and independent woman" thing (any female character from "the mists of avalon").

[Justin]

Well she's weak because she is so indecisive about her personal life. She loves Peeta...then Gale....then Peeta. It just gets really old. I really thought the books were very repetitive, and about half way through the first book, I really started to dislike her. Sure, she can kill people, but that doesn't make her strong. Her total inability to control her personal life makes her weak, in my opinion.

[Laura]

Justin wrote: "Well she's weak because she is so indecisive about her personal life. She loves Peeta...then Gale....then Peeta. It just gets really old. I really thought the books were very repetitive, and about..."

Interesting. Buddy of mine reported today a 14 year old girl she knows said she loved the books because of all the romance. I barely noticed it. To me, those books are about living a moral life engaged in a world structured by evil and loss. Not a simple thing. I thought Katniss responded with an enormous amount of strength and suffered understandable damage.

[Faithe]

I always thought Katniss was strong, not because she could kill people, and not because she could fight.... But because she fought for her family, and she did whatever she needed to do to keep them safe, and for the most part, she stayed true to herself. She had her priorities straight. I think her indecisiveness about who she loves is irrelevant to the story. I never noticed the romance stories either. However, the fact that she can't make up her mind which she loves has always been a sort of metaphor to me. It's not really about love, but loyalty. Is she loyal to Gale, who represents everything about her old life. Or is she loyal to Peeta, who she has this special bond with, and represents a new life she could have.
At least it's not as obvious and shoved in your face like Bella's indecisiveness between Edward and Jacob. I think we can all agree Bella sucks. Lol
Now that the movies are out, we have Jennifer Lawrence- and she adds a whole new level of strong to the character. I was never a fan of the books, like you, I thought that as the books started focusing on the romantic side of the story line, it all became a bit unbearable..... but the movies are pretty good.

[Beth]

I would argue that the Hunger Games are full of strong women. Katniss may have trouble with her personal life, but she is still a very strong person in many other ways. Also, don't forget Rue, Primrose, and Johanna.

[Carmen]

I think a lot of fantasy novels take place when women had no status. Like in Game of Thrones Although
Most if the women are prostituteshandmaidens. Wives wet nurses etc and seem to be second class citizens there are still a lot of strong women. The main women characters are all strong Arya and Brienne are even badass. Cersei and Sansa have their strengths. Dany uses the fact that people see women as weak to her advantage. I am just a little girl do I don't understand these things. In the series Rome the women were manipulating the men. They were the strong ones and the men were weak

[[deleted user]]

The more I think about this, the more the answer seems clearer--women are portrayed as "weak" because they are ruled more by feelings and instinct while men are ruled by logic and preparation. I have read numerous amounts of female characters I didn't think were even on the same level as the male characters. To be honest, the first female character I ever read that literally floored me was Sabriel by Garth Nix. Determined, focused, driven; she was unlike any female fantasy character I'd read. There was struggle and heartache, but she continued on and didn't let those things weigh her down. I think there's a lot to be said for how a man approaches writing as a woman in a way that makes you as a reader want to be that character, to want that strength. Does anyone else feel that way or is it just me?