Adventure stories: guys vs. gals

I was thinking this morning as I lay in bed that everyone loves a good adventure story. Most of the time when people think of adventure, danger, and fighting in stories, they think of the the male dominated ones with war, blood, and violence. But if you take a look at some of the popular stories for women, there is a definite trend toward action and adventure, but with a slightly different motive.

I'm a big fan of girls kicking butt movies. One prime example: Tomb Raider. I love seeing strong female characters who can hold their own and even outwit their male counterparts. Alias and Buffy were popular shows for this reason as well. Women, who have been rendered powerless for so long in most cultures around the world, are fighting back, and the stereotypical female character needing saving is the first one to go.

Recent books are rife with strong female leads who must save themselves because the men are too clueless to do it for them. Some of my favorite teen romance stories involve heroines who are thrust into the spotlight and action because the man isn't there to save them. A few examples: Goose Girl, by Shannon Hale, and Crown Duel, by Sherwood Smith. Both girls take an active role in saving themselves and their kingdoms because the men can't figure out how to do it. Yes, there is the obvious element of romance in these stories, but the key is that the women find a compatible match with an equally strong man and don't settle for any brawny man who comes along to rescue them.

There is another trend in literature and movies that actually makes me nervous. That of the spineless heroine who can't do anything without her man to rescue her, a la Twilight. Bella is the epitome of the whiny, annoying, spineless female character. But, if you actually made it to the fourth book, you'll notice that Bella actually does grow a spine in addition to those fangs. So even a wimpy female lead learns how to fight back, though too late for many women to care because of the first three nausea inducing books.

The main difference between action focused on men and that focused on women is the need for romance. Men want sex, women want to be swept off their feet (but that doesn't necessarily mean rescued). While men will be content to watch Angelina Jolie kick some man's butt because she's wearing a skin-tight outfit, women want to see her find her perfect match—after she's done a little butt-kicking.

That's a really long ramble, but my point is that women like adventure as much as men. A lot less blood and guts, for sure, but there's a part of us that wants the men to let us join them in their world-saving efforts and kick a little trash of our own. Besides, a little action is great fodder for romantic entanglements, and who couldn't use a few of those.