It's difficult to define 'normal' when it comes to human physical attributes, however, despite this, a very prevalent perceived norm exists. Propped up by advertising and media, it creeps into our entertainment. On the other side of the fence, is a movement that promotes a positive attitude towards different body types. There are definitely good, bad and indifferent aspects to both sides. This week, Jules and Madeleine look at perceived beauty 'norms' and how they influence us through fiction as well as more mainstream media. Where does positive body representation get it right? Where does the body positivity movement fall a little short? And what does it have to do with speculative fiction? Join the dragons to find out.
Part 1 of a 2-part episode.
CW: the dragons do briefly mention EDs. While Jules and Madeleine do not go into detail, they realise that it's a subject that can be triggering for some people. Please approach the episode with care or check out their back catalogue instead, if the subject is likely to cause you distress.
Title music: Ecstasy by Smiling Cynic
Episode 397: The Beautiful and the Damned - examining the Queerness of the Vampire Genre
Ep 396: It Came from Out of the closet - The Queer Relationship with Horror
Ep 395: Weirdstones and Magic Keys - What makes a Children’s book a classic?
Ep 394: Divas Debutantes and Girls next door - the best and worst female main characters
Episode 393: Unlikely Rebels - the Moral Outlaw Trope
Episode 392: An Awful Lot of Walking - Mastering Pacing in Speculative Fiction
Episode 391: Lost in the Woods - Tracing the Origins of Hansel and Gretel
Episode 390: Let the Games Begin - Why the Competition Trope is so Popular in Speculative Fiction
Episode 389: Beautiful Misery - The Hunger for the Afflicted Woman in Fiction
Episode 388: A Conflagration of Authors - AI, Audiobooks and Infringement
Episode 387: Complicated Runes and Ineffable Power - Hard Versus Soft Magic Systems in Speculative Fiction
Episode 386: The Art of Not Fitting In - A collection of Not Like the Other Girls Trope Observations
Episode 385: Both is Good - Examining Bisexual Representation in Speculative Fiction
Episode 384: Appearances Can be Deceiving - The Hidden Power of Modern Fairytales
Episode 383: Gaslit Magic and Immortal Monsters Hunters - Incorporating Strong Historical Elements in UF
Episode 382: Part of Your World - Tracing the Origins of The Little Mermaid
Episode 381: Hard Times in Magic & Logic - Examining the Parameters of Hard Scifi and fantasy
Episode 380: Will He Escape those Dastardedly Clutches - Why Cliffhangers Are a Bad Idea
Episode 379: Exuding Menace 101 - How to Create Menacing Villains
Ep 378: Separated by a Common Language - Examining the Differences between UK and US Urban Fantasy
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