I have existed in the mind of many, yet few can write me.
They have written me as the chosen one. But they think every female chosen one still needs a man by her side (a man who will mistreat and disrespect me). They will doubt my abilities and strategies and they will “save me from myself.” Oh how I used to live a regular and boring life, and this blonde, blue-eyed man so graciously saved me. God forbid I even try and befriend another woman, one who may be prettier or dress better than me. I must put my foot down and make her know that I’m better than her, despite her looks. Because apparently, that’s all that matters.
They have written me as the girl who talks like a middle-aged man. They say I use words so complicated they pause to break down every other one. I am wise, in fact, I am so wise, that anything they do or say will be beneath me. They say nothing can compare to my intelligence or arrogance. But despite my intelligence, to them, I still live a boring life with no friends. Despite my intelligence, I am written as someone who doesn’t know much.
They have written me as the strong one. Though in order to be the strong one I must be cruel, insensitive. In fact, the only reason I am strong is that I’m surrounded by wimpy men. I cannot be in the same room as another strong man because that is impossible and I will appear weak. I can be strong, but not exactly.
I have been written as a regular girl who doesn’t matter.
I have been written as white.
I have been written as straight.
I have been written for the sole purpose of a love triangle.
I have not been written as someone who goes on her own quest and makes friends along the way. Maybe I do fall in love, but it doesn’t define me. It makes me stronger, but that goes both ways.
I have not been written as intelligent without the really extensive vocabulary. What teenager do you know speaks like they are always writing a research paper?
I have not been written as a strong one, who is surrounded by other strong people. I can be kind and have feelings, but still be strong.
I have not been written as Black, Latina, Afro-Latina, Muslim, or anything other than white. I can only speak English and have no other kind of background. Polyglots exist, you know?
I have not been written as gay, bisexual, pansexual, non-binary, I have always been straight. In the wise words of Becky Albertalli: “Why is straight the default?”
These people will be written though. They will come out of nowhere and take back all the good tropes. They will be written with struggles and hard times but they will get through it. They will fall in love, discover themselves, and make mistakes to learn from them. They are just waiting.
For the writers that will write them properly, thank you.
