International Women’s Day and my League of Badass Females

Given today is International Women’s Day, the slew of articles and posts across social media shows that this is still bizarrely a controversial event.
On one end of the scale overly sexist men venomously spit out derogatory comments, whilst the other end is full of ultra feminists using the day as an excuse to once again stereotype men as power-hungry, sex-obsessed evil fiends.
In between of course are the usual memes and pictures, strongly supporting this meaningful day. In my opinion women do have a tougher ride than men generally, in all parts of the world. Some more than others (I watched an eye-opening documentary on the women in Afghanistan last week!).

To me, the day has reminded me to get on with my writing and illustrations. Purely because pretty much all my protagonists are strong females. The character I’ve written the most about is from Tapestry of Fates – Ella Bland. Although her name is based on a close friend, her persona is much different (my friend is way cooler than anything I could write). As I near the end of the third book I’ve penned her transforming from a wide-eyed, sensitive art student, to full on planet destroying badass warrior.

I don’t think I write women more than men because I identify with them, or that I even understand them, but more so because I can sort of empathise with them. Growing up with a very strong-willed older sister (my sister Kelly still is one of the strongest people I have ever have the fortune to know. I swear she was Zenobia in a previous life!) has undoubtedly influenced much of my outlook on life. It’s no secret I was a very introverted teenager and only came out of my shell once I started college and started working in a pub.
So most of my time at home was spent around my sister and her friends, hearing their day to day lives, which has impacted much of my mindset. Had I grown up with an older brother, my life may be very different.
I do remember one incident from my school years (which my sister has probably forgotten), where she came home crying she’d broken up with a boyfriend. I remember her saying ‘Don’t you ever do this to a girl’. This has stuck with me for years and is probably the reason I’m friends with pretty much all of my exes, and why most of my pals are females!

So if anyone asks why I write about strong female characters, this is probably why. It’s also probably why I always choose to be female fighters in games (Taki in Soul Calibur or Sarah Bryant in Virtua Fighter for example)  And I know I say I don’t identify with women, but I guess I do try to in a way. The character Angel I put in all my writings is pretty much me. I have her act and speak as I would in that situation, despite her being a robot.

So there you go. If anyone ever wondered why most of my characters are female – my sister is the reason. She’s the reason I have a young artist trying desperately to save life itself, a young sorcerer who attempts to rally her country into a union against evil, and why a small little pink assassin droid has more humanity in her than most people in the same tale.

Happy International Women’s Day to the true stronger sex! x