Please note, this episode discusses topics that some listeners may find distressing related to violence and sexual assault. Listeners should exercise personal discretion and prioritise their well-being when deciding whether this content is right for them.

In this episode of the Snailed It Podcast, Danikka and Erin tackle the ever-recurring question: are women authors, especially in fantasy, actually being taken seriously? (Not to ruin the episode with a spoiler, but we all know the answer).

They’re ranting about why books by women are so often being shoved into YA or romantasy categories, and how marketing trends (and misogynistic double standards) play a big role in this pigeonholing of women authors.

If you’ve ever wondered why dragons + sex scenes = “smut” when written by a woman, but the same story written by a man would be “epic fantasy”, then this episode is for you.

Links to resources mentioned:

Editorial by The Guardian on romantasy fiction: dragons storm the bookshops

Response to the The Guardian by James Latimer: Fantasy fiction doesn’t need reclaiming for women – they already write and read it