Someone said that romance is written for desperate and lonely people* and I just would like to know

What’s wrong with that?

*untrue

People need joy. And comfort. And to know they are worthy of being desired, cherished, supported, and loved.

Why would it ever be a bad thing to give them that?

Why do desperate and lonely people deserve nothing from fiction? I want an explanation. Use your words.

Is it because, in your estimation, the people romance novels are written for (women/LGBTQ+ people) don’t deserve stories that make them happy?

Because it sounds like it’s that.

Is it that???

Is it because being desperate and lonely ceases to inspire compassion in you the second it’s a woman and/or LGBTQ+ person who is feeling that desperation and loneliness? Is it because certain people longing for love and a happy ending is somehow disgusting to you? Hmm?

I don’t hear anybody crapping on the white cishet dudes who curb their desperation and loneliness by binge-reading Wheel of Time or Jason Bourne or Game of Thrones or James Bond or Dune or LotR or Sherlock Holmes

It’s telling which books and which readers you’re picking on.

And if you even think of typing “those books aren’t written for desperate lonelies tho!” I will laugh in your face.

Frodo Baggins was literally written to tell the saddest of the sad that they could save the world and Rand al’Thor had 874 girls in book 1.

You know the truth.

I erased cishet male romance readers with this thread, and that was problematic. There are cishet men who read romance, and I should have said that romance is *presumed to be* written for women/LGBTQ+ ppl.

It’s written for everyone really. And I’m sorry for not being clearer.