Collected Thoughts

In several LJs and Blogs there is talk about how some writers feminize Lex, make him this stereotypical girly, weepy, emotionally person. I think it started on the ClarkLex mailing list, which I don't read because I kept getting frustrated by stuff that was being said there, but I've followed the blog/LJ discussion. Writers are making Lex the weaker of the pair because he's physically weaker than Clark and, I assume, more andorgynous looking. I'm going to be blunt, because I don't know how else to be ----that's stupid. Okay, first if you want to read what others have said

liviapenn's comments are here.

latxcvi talks about characterzation.

Rain goes into some biology and talks about mpreg.

My thoughts? Sure, okay Lex is physically weaker than Clark, but then so is everyone else on the freaking planet. But Lex isn't emotionally weaker than Clark. We are talking about Lex Luthor, son of Lionel--you know the Maginifcent Bastard, a nickname that was earned. If Lex was emotionally weak and unable to handle himself he wouldn't be head of the plant in Smallville. Hell, he'd be addicted to drugs or shoved off in some fancy drug rehab never seen again or never seen unless Lionel wanted him seen. Instead Lex fight against his father and spars with him and tries to take his future from his father. Not really the actions of some emotional weakling.

Okay, Lex has been hurt, he only loved 2 women, he's mother and his mother's nurse, one died and the other left him. Yes, in ways Lex is emotionally vulnerable, he wants to be loved, he wants to be part of a real family. If you look at the end of Jitters, when Lionel is hugging Lex for the camera and the Kents are smothering Clark with real affection and Lex throws Clark a look---if you look at that scene through nonslashy glasses it's a look of longing about what Clark has and Lex doesn't--the love and affection of a family.

However this doesn't mean that Lex is going to breakdown in tears and poor out his heart to Clark, Martha, or anyone else for that matter. Lex isn't going to go run and throw himself on the bed and start sobbing. Lex--for god's sake--is NOT going to become impgregnanted in some wildly improbable manner and then teach his children to call him Mommy.

Hell, I'm a pretty emotional female and I don't go breaking down and telling my secrets to everyone out there or cry at the drop of the hat. I just don't. Not all women are like that.

I don't get the need to write a slash story and make one of the guys into a woman, either by the way they act or actually, physically turn them into a woman. I've read a Buffy fic where one of 2 guys gets turned into a woman. WHY? If a writer is uncomfortable writing about 2 guys--then don't freaking write about 2 guys. Write a het story. Write a good het story. A good story is better than a bad story, no matter what genre. And I don't want to hear "But slash is cooler than het---het is boring". I read a story because it's good. I like reading hot sexy stories that are hot and sexy that are m/m or f/m or f/f. I like reading stories that are high quality with or without sex.

I'm off track now.

Okay, back on track. Lex is NOT A WHINY BABY. Lex is not emotionally weak. If you ever doubt this go back and WATCH the show. Go back and watch Lex casually shoot pool while he explains to Roger Nixon how he just screwed Roger over. Go back and watch Lex when he screws over Dominic when Dominic comes to town after Lex refuses to move back to Metropolis. Then try and tell me that Lex is emotionally weaker than Clark.