Annoying Plot Conventions, Devices, Contrivances

Plot Devices that Make You Roll Your Eyes

• a woman character is raped or is in danger of being raped -- the eternal rapability of female characters

• a female character dies in childbirth

• "convenient" circumstances prevent a female character from going through with her decision to have an abortion (cf. Robin in V, whose alien hybrid fetus's invasive vascularisation made it impossible to remove without killing her; spontaneous miscarriages and so forth) -- therefore rendering women's reproductive choices inconsequent when that oh-so-controversial subject is broached

• using female characters to voice misogynistic and/or patriarchal ideas because it would be "too obvious" to use male characters -- victim-blaming, in short

• using evolutionary biology or the selfish gene theory as the primary reason a male and female character are drawn together sexually (Darwin's Radio by Bear), or why a female character cannot possibly resist the man's man that will make the best sire of her children (Lucifer's Hammer by Niven)

• perky secretaries that are more competent than any of the male authority figures but who are happy to remain assistants, though it's the year 2500 and in space...

• innocent and universally loveable female characters that do not develop a sex drive or sex appeal until they turn evil (Doppleganger Willow from earlier in Buffy the Vampire Slayer, Fred from Angel) - correlated with the amount of cleavage/leg shown.

• alien women of ANY species will inevitably be irresistably attracted to the only mid-30s male on a particular starship (Star Trek, I'm looking at YOU) - even if it causes an interstellar incident
  • related: females of alien species always have extremely large breasts, located in the exact same location as those of human females (i.e. they look exactly like human women except for a charming set of pointy ears, forhead ridges or swirly haircut that serves only to make them more exotic to the male characters)

Contiguous lists and related rants

• "The Clichés from Outer Space" (1984), by Joanna Russ.

See also Archetypal & Stereotypical Female Characters in SF