Romance books are heart-warming and lighthearted, and their popularity stretches back centuries. However, popular discourse often presents this genre as ‘less than’. Although all genders can, and do, pick up romance novels, their readership is largely stereotyped to be female.
The romance genre has had an enduring presence throughout time, historically being dominated by female authors writing about a female main character. Think of Pride and Prejudice – a novel deemed a classic, yet focused around the complicated romances of the Bennet sisters. The idea that a book considered to have significant cultural impact and one that fits into the romance genre should not be mutually exclusive. But, for many, it is.
Romantic novels have made great strides for the feminist movement. They have provided a space for women to take ownership of their sexuality and de-stigmatise sex-positive narratives, a key feature in the sexual liberation movement. However, this has been framed as ‘trashy’ by critics, often labelled as a ‘guilty pleasure’ genre.
“There appears to be a hierarchy of intelligence for readers”
This raises the question of intellectualism in the reading sphere. In popular culture, there appears to be a hierarchy of intelligence for readers, where those enjoying literary fiction and classics are seen to be elite and clever, whilst those who enjoy romance books are deemed to be shallow and less smart. This is not to say that everyone has these views, but media presentations of academia and intelligence will never depict a woman in her twenties with a modern love story in her hand.
Of course, as with any book, quality can be critiqued. Authors who romanticise toxic themes such as abuse and assault should be held to account, and this can still be seen in many romance plotlines. However, romance books also have the power to do just the opposite; when done right, they can outline what a healthy relationship looks like, from the treatment of your partner to communicative conflict resolution.
Quality should be assessed based on how engaging the story is, the depth of characters and the writing style – not the over-generalisation of an entire genre. Many critics’ justifications for disliking the romance genre is because it is too ‘girly’ or ‘sappy’. And therein lies the problem. Why does something with feminine connotations automatically make it bad?
“Why does something with feminine connotations automatically make it bad?”
This can be seen in all forms of life: sports, movies, and hobbies that are typically seen as to be in the female domain face harsher criticism about their fundamental value than those that are associated with male activities and media. However, elitism can be strongly identified within literature in particular, due to its historic links to intellectualism, academia and wealth. Even having the ability to read is a privilege, and this all ties back to the availability of education throughout history. For example, in the UK, equality of education based on gender was only fully established in the 20th century. Although reading has become accessible within the UK, for centuries it was seen as exclusively for rich men.
Misogynistic criticism towards the romance genre and its readership remains prevalent in contemporary society. Romance readers aren’t less intelligent than others, people just have different tastes.