In an interview with The New York Times, romance author Emily Henry talked about why she loves the romance genre. “It takes the brightest parts of life and the darkest parts of life, and it puts them side by side in a way that feels safe because you have that safety net of a happy ending.”
The people yearn for romance movies. The reason why people don’t respect the genre is that it’s seen as simply escapism.
When I tell someone that I love reading romance novels and watching romance movies, I always get one of two reactions. Either it’s someone who also loves the romance genre or someone who is judging me and claims I am not reading “real books.”
Even in film, actors who get their start in romance films are often not regarded as highly as actors who start in action films. The romance genre is seen as less than compared to other genres, for the worst. People need to open their minds to romance instead of charging it so harshly.
Romance is one of the most popular genres in the literary world, with the most misconceptions. It seems every popular book is getting a movie adaptation now, which only grows readership each year. However, these movies are not being taken seriously by critics and some audiences.
This is because the romance genre isn’t seen as a priority to get people to the theater, despite almost every movie having a somewhat romantic subplot. Look at the movie “Twisters” from 2024. While the action of the movie drew people to the theaters, in the end, all everyone could talk about was that the main characters didn’t kiss. Everyone wants to benefit from the romance viewership but doesn’t want to make actual romance movies.
A happy ending leaves a watcher or reader more fulfilled. Romance can also be more than just an escape for audiences. A study by the National Library of Medicine shows that reading fiction overall can improve empathy skills. It can also help reduce stress, boost someone's mood and of course, provide a mental escape from the realities of the real world.
While yes, romance does provide people with escape from their normal lives, almost every book and movie provides that. The reason this popular genre is singled out from all the others is that it has a primarily female audience.
According to Romance Writers of America, 84% of romance readers are women. Another typical criticism is that romance readers aren’t considered real readers because of smut featured in the books. The focus on the “spicy level” of romance books and movies has changed a lot of people's perspectives on what makes a romance movie or book.
However, sex is something people seek out in a romance book or movie. It's also the scenes that tend to be discussed the most when it comes to a piece of romance media, making it hard for people to look past the smut and at the actual story.
“Heated Rivalry,” for example, first started to circulate on the internet because of the raunchy sex scenes. It wasn’t until later that people realized the show is more than that and showcases a beautiful love story.
The romance genre is judged too harshly for no good reason other than it has a primary female audience and can often be happy stories without tragedy. People need to stop judging it based on its audience and engage with the content to realize that the pieces of media can be a source of joy in someone's life.
Cassie is a senior studying communications at Ohio University. Please note the views expressed in this column do not reflect those of The Post. Want to talk to Cassie? Email her at cb086021@ohio.edu.
