Time | Maybe romance novels aren't such a good influence

[Outlaw]

I would argue that a huge number of the issues we see in our clinics and therapy rooms are influenced by romantic fiction,” writes Susan Quilliam, a popular British “agony aunt,” the U.K.’s version of Dear Abby and a regular contributor to the journal…

In the course of writing her opinion piece, Quilliam, a sexual health educator, analyzed previous research on romantic novels and scrutinized a few herself. “I realized they are not helpful,” she says. “Often the woman is seen as the weaker subject who does all giving and bows to what the man says,” says Quilliam. Sometimes she is almost raped and she thinks that’s absolutely wonderful that her man will ‘take’ her.”

Full article:http://healthland.time.com/2011/08/02/passionate-sex-torrid-romance/

[Buh4Bee]

I suggest that this is posted in the wrong area and may be better placed in the serious discussion section (at the bowels of the forum) as this is less about literature and I assume, more about psychological and societal themes. Although, I will admit that I have not read the article.

[Outlaw]

I didn't see the sub-forum.
My apologies.

[G L Wilson]

Literary escapism comes in all forms. Why condemn one form because it is likely to be favoured by women more than not? Who doesn't love a happy ending?

[Buh4Bee]

Hahaha! I'll leave it at that.

[inbetween]

well perhaps this is a reading topic though... literature and psychology and sociaty a so very closely linked ....
and if you want some critical view on romantic stuff I recommend E.T.H Hoffmann's "der Sandmann" not neccesarily in german... but whatsoever...
and about other romantic or 19th century (especially victorian) stuff... as a woman you'd better not take it too serious... for they only have two categories for us ... you're either a holy or a whore... nothing in between (this is the stronger displayed in pennybloods...)
whatsoever

[JBI]

Someone dig out that study that says women who read them are more likely to have orgasms during sex.

[Alexander III]

The thing to remember is that these are all correlational studies not causative studies. This means that if X then Y, but we don't know if X causes Y or Y causes X.

So it is just as likely that women who have better orgasms and enjoy being the submissive ones in relationships are more likely to read romance novels, than women who read romance novels are more likely to have better orgasms and be submissive in relationships.

[G L Wilson]

The thing to remember is that these are all correlational studies not causative studies. This means that if X then Y, but we don't know if X causes Y or Y causes X.

So it is just as likely that women who have better orgasms and enjoy being the submissive ones in relationships are more likely to read romance novels, than women who read romance novels are more likely to have better orgasms and be submissive in relationships.

I am sure that I would understand that piece of logic if I was a computer. But I am not, so I don't.

[irishpixieb]

This is wrong in many ways. Personally I feel that maybe the quality of the romance novels has decreased a little, but I don't think that society is seriously being affected by it, not yet at least. Not all women are the weaker characters. I've found that with the feminism thats been floating around, more often then not in the books I've read, the man is the weaker character.