FTB

If you are a reader, you have come across an FMC that you just cannot stand. Sometimes this is with reason; she is a backstabber, a pick-me, or just not a girls girl. With these cases aside, why is it that we are so quick to say we hate an FMC or they get on our nerves, but the MMC gets so much leniency and love no matter what he does? We are constantly reading about morally grey men who live dangerous lives, have unorthodox “jobs,” and would best be described as controlling and aggressive. Still, we eat them up and get mad at the FMC for being indecisive or unable to communicate. I must admit, this is a sensitive subject for me. I feel close to my FMCs, so to see readers claim to  “hate” them or describe them as “annoying“  with no reason grinds my gears! I have a few theories on why readers (mostly women) so easily despise these women characters based on what I have observed. Let’s get into it!

The MMC is under a different scrutiny than the FMC. When the FMC does something we do not like, we are immediately turned off and annoyed by her. On the other hand, the MMC can be a walking red flag and he is labeled as our newest book boyfriend. We look at his past and upbringing to justify why he is the way he is, but we do not consider or discount the same thing for the FMC. I think the reason for this is that we are not as concerned about the FMC as we are about the MMC. He is the one most of us  would be attracted to if we encountered him. So, in a sense, the FMC is the “competition” even though she already has him. Hear me out: while we know these are fictional characters, we can’t help but want them. We can only see the bad in the person they are pursuing without giving them the benefit of the doubt. Now, of course, this is just a theory that I devised in my scrolling through TikTok and is not based in fact at all… or is it?

My next theory goes in a different direction that those of you who may have felt attacked by the first theory may appreciate. The author could be purposely writing an annoying FMC that they know the reader will hate to make the MMC look better or just to mess with the readers. Why allow peace when there can be war? This theory is way out of left field, I know. I am not accusing any author, or saying I do this. It could be a way to explain why we have such little patience when it comes to the FMC as opposed to the MMC. We know many authors who write the hell out of characters to the point that you forget they are not real and get you heated while reading about the shenanigans they participate in so this is not an entirely wild or outlandish theory. Authors may also write a less than likable FMC to show character development and how she grows over the course of the story.

My final theory is that it is easy to say one thing when you are on the outside versus if you were in that situation. Some reasons people find themselves fed up with the FMC are  because she wants a man to change his way of life for her; she’s indecisive about being with him; she doesn’t effectively communicate things that she wants; or she submits in ways that some may label weak. All of these reasons are things I am sure we as women have done at some point in time. I mean, sometimes we do not even know what we want to eat, much less if we want to be with a man whose occupation involves drugs and guns. We can sit here and say “Oh, I can't stand her” this and “She’s annoying” that, but we know that more than likely if we found ourselves in some of these situations we might be confused, indecisive, or submissive, as well. 

Sometimes, we should give the FMC as much grace and love as we do the MMC. If you think about it, both the MMC and FMC are walking red flags that somehow make one giant green flag. I do not know how this works, I guess it is the magic of love or fiction. Either way, let’s show these fictional women more love. I would love to hear your theories or reasons as to why you do not give as much grace to the FMC or why you have heard others do not. Let's start a conversation in the comments below and as always…

Blissful Reading