A wonderful set of essays on sexism in the romance/erotica genres, by the American literary romance author Emily Barnard.
Alphas, Abuse, and Normalizing Red Flags as Romance
While I’ve been writing since I was a teen, and reading Romance since around the same time, I’ve only been writing (what I thought was) Romance-with-a-capital-r for a few years. And those years have been an interesting time indeed.
Ask readers why they read Romance, and there are quite a few—and surprising—variations in responses. I’ve heard buzzwords like “escape” and “timeless.” A common refrain is “I want to believe in true love.” Readers also indicate a desire, a need, to read something that will conclude in a “happily ever after,” as a reprieve from reality. Psychological studies focused on cognitive reading even suggest that the very act of reading about women who triumph or whose activities and actions are prioritized by the text can help the readers themselves process feelings and ideas, even problem-solve.
Romance novel tropes, too, are powerful indicators…
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Postcards From The Hedge. 