Dragon Ball and the Bechdel test.

[soulnova]

And? That's the job of any writer worth its salt... to understand the perspectives of all his/her characters.

[ABED]

Write what you know, and it's easier to write convincing men if you're a guy.

The job of a writer is to write his/her characters, but his or her characters need not be people of the other sex if they don't feel they are good at writing those characters. Toriyama struck a chord with young boys because he understands what boys like seeing as how he was one.

I guess I'm not being fair to myself, unless I'm writing something naturalistic, characters don't need to sound exactly like they do in real life. Bulma and Chichi are over the top.

[soulnova]

Ok. Write what you know.

I'm sure you know mothers. I'm sure you know sisters. I'm sure you have met waitress, nurses, teachers. You have met female classmates and co-workers. You know them, you should be able to write them.

Perhaps you don't UNDERSTAND them. That's the difference. Not writing characters of the opposite gender, in my case men, because I don't feel good writing those characters would be a lousy and cheap excuse for a writer.

[ABED]

I've met professionals, but that's different than knowing how to write their psychology and how they think. Understand is probably the word I would use, and that's important if I was to write convincingly.

... because I don't feel good writing those characters would be a lousy and cheap excuse for a writer.

Not a cheap excuse. Not every story demands it, for instance, a story that takes place in an all boy's school, or in the case of Dragon Ball. It's a very testosterone driven series, and it works for it.

[soulnova]

Yeah, not every story demands it, I actually said that in the very first post.

I don't understand how is it even possible for someone to not write dialogue for half the population on a setting based on our world (war stories could get a "pass").

That's a type of story where the ratio of women is lower (but there are still women personel, nurses, cooks, assistants... or caretakers/healers if you want to go medieval/fantasy), but to do only that type of story... you would be certainly locking up your writing options greatly. That is not good. Heck, I wrote both females and males in the DBZ fanfic on my sig.

In any case, I guess I'll stick to writing what feels more natural.

[alakazam^]

The example of Megan Fox was a good one because I wanted to address something similar. If a role isn't flattering to women, I'd assume they wouldn't accept it. Except, they do. And yet, they're the ones "gender equality" interests the most. Even more jarring is the conclusion that, if women are the majority of the population and are still being discriminated against, then, in some way or form, they're enabling it.

Having said that, I would like to point out Hollywood/America isn't the only place on the globe where entertainment is created. It doesn't even set any standards.

I think it would be more on-topic if we discussed this issue while regarding the Japanese society, both in the 80's and today.

[soulnova]

I think it would be more on-topic if we discussed this issue while regarding the Japanese society, both in the 80's and today.

That's to open a very different and huge can of worms.

[alakazam^]

I think it would be more on-topic if we discussed this issue while regarding the Japanese society, both in the 80's and today.

That's to open a very different and huge can of worms.

Maybe but it's more on topic than the conversation at hand.