it's really hard to find a character with a bigger body type without them getting drawn like something so out of place from the other characters. it makes me feel sad.
i know right, i also have to add that women are literally not allowed to have ANY other body type than big boobs, small waist and extremely slim but the men all have different body types like being fat, short, poc, muscular, skinny etc.. and also if a woman IS strong, she cant have any kind of muscles or abs. but if the mc or a guy trains for a week suddenly he’s ripped. this shit makes me so mad ngl
i think it’s mainly because in asian countries they’re extremely behind on woman’s rights, therefore the misogynistic culture which is hidden under the guise of being “conservative” or “traditional”. Especially in east asian countries which is where most of the content on this website originates from, they’re known to have extremely toxic beauty standards for women to uphold or else they’re heavily discriminated against. It’s extremely upsetting seeing these views being reflected in art! Art which should be used to protest, to draw attention to these horrible practices against women and yet instead I see them conforming.
Right now I’m really into historical shoujo webtoons but I cannot stand it. It is the most stereotypical bullshit known to man. The mcs problems are solved by marrying a rich man who can solve everything for her, as she is too weak to fend for herself. Even manwha that advertises themselves as having strong female characters are so mild that I have to drop it instantly. All the characters are copy and paste: Thin, light skin, straight hair, and soooo beautiful. It doesn’t matter if they’ve been training with a sword since they were young, they’re still as thin as a supermodel with no muscles. They have no close friends or bonds with other women on an equal standing, instead they just have a ton of servants who are devoted to serving someone who really isn’t that special. Their personalities are to look pretty, say a few witty lines every now and again, make money and then fall in love
this isn't the main point but i recommend a manhwa called queen cecia's shorts! it deals with a lot of issues of misogyny that women faced in that historical time period (the mc disguises as a man to be able to work, and focuses on making clothes for women), and it was one of the few historical shoujo reads that i felt didn't shy away from that topic (also the mc actually has a personality )
there is romance but it's not the main focus, which is the mc's work and overall relationships!
it’s hard reading manwha sometimes due to all the rampant misogyny, colourism and other shit. I can’t read stuff without being reminded how horrible it is to have dark skin, how you are less than human if you’re fat, and how women are treated like objects constantly. No matter what genre I go to, woman aren’t allowed to exist without someone breathing down their throat for not being conventionally attractive