Story Lists - women in Pros?

[byslantedlight.livejournal.com]

Hmmn - prompted by the fab new fic up on the_safehouse today for International Women's Day, can anyone think of Prosfic featuring the women of CI5? Fic from their point of view, or maybe just fic that emphasises the fact that the women in Pros weren't all evil competition to the B/D relationship, or totty included just as girlfriends - despite various criticisms, actually I think there are women in Pros portrayed as competent, strong and... you know, people... *g*

Discussion welcome too - what do you think of the women portrayed in Pros? Do you think it's a positive or negative portrayal overall? What would you like to have seen done differently, if anything? Do you agree/disagree about the inclusion of fics on the list below? Hmmn...

Women in Pros Story List

Betty Knows Best by Jojo

Ghostly Shadowy Ghost-Shadow by O Yardley

Nice Boys by Lizzie

Once A King or Queen in Narnia by Zana

The Pudding series by Irene, PFL and Elizabeth O'Shea

Roots to Branches by KWS

Supporting Role by Terence

Susan and Betty's Drinking Game by Krisser

Welcome to the Jungle by Jennifer Lyons

I don't have a single icon with a woman on it! How did that happen?!

Comments

[scherwood]

Susan and Betty's Drinking Game, by Krisser
http://krisserci5.tripod.com/prdrinkinggame.htm

[byslantedlight.livejournal.com]

Ah, I've not read that one - cheers!

[scherwood]

You're very welcome. :)

[sc-fossil.livejournal.com]

I admit I'm not interested in most secondary character stories, male or female. If they're in the story with Bodie and Doyle, fine. But the main emphasis isn't what I'm looking for when reading Pros. I know I'm the odd (wo)man out, but it's the same in any fandom I've enjoyed. I want my boys together and all other characters are not required to appear. Definitely one of those "to each his own" thingies.

[byslantedlight.livejournal.com]

You can have the main emphasis on B/D without it actually being from their pov though... As a rule I totally agree with you - I'm interested in Pros for the B/D relationship - but I'm happy to see it from someone else's pov, or to see what they think of someone else - that tells us as much if not more about the lads as the other character, if it's well enough done... and when that pov's a female one, well that's interesting from other perspectives too!

And now and then I'm happy to read fic that looks at another character - as long as there's more B/D waiting for me afterwards! Jojo's fic is a gorgeous little story, and I adore the B/D in it - really lovely stuff!

[firlefanzine.livejournal.com]

"I admit I'm not interested in most secondary character stories, male or female."
Same for me. Although I sometimes miss some good minor characters in Pros stories.
But the focus should always be on Bodie and Doyle! ;-)

[byslantedlight.livejournal.com]

Oh, it's the same for me - but every now and then it's nice to have a glimpse of the lads from someone else's eyes - as you say, you can miss some gems by being too close-minded! *g*

[scherwood]

I want my boys together and all other characters are not required to appear.
- I totally agree with you on this. *nod, nod*

[byslantedlight.livejournal.com]

Lol - then this may not be the Story List for you... *g*

[scherwood]

weeeeeell, I'm open to new suggestions, but I rather not, if you know what I mean. :P

[firlefanzine.livejournal.com]

"I don't have a single icon with a woman on it! How did that happen?!"
It really isn't easy to be a woman in Pros slash stories...!!! ;-)

How do you like this icon?
There are more strong and competent women in the show than one would think!

[byslantedlight.livejournal.com]

Four at once! *g*

I think you're right about it not being easy to be a woman in a Pros slash story! They're often seen as being competition to the lads, getting in the middle, and I think it's forgotten that they can be strong and interesting support characters as much as anyone else. Why so much Murphy, for example, why not more Ruth?! *g*

(I'm offline for a couple of hours now, btw, but I'll be back tonight! *g*)

[zana16.livejournal.com]

Once a King or Queen in Narnia (http://archiveofourown.org/works/23616)

[byslantedlight.livejournal.com]

Oh of course - your story! I knew I'd read another good one lately, cheers! *g*

[hagsrus.livejournal.com]

Ghostly Shadowy Ghost-Shadow by O Yardley

http://www.thecircuitarchive.com/tca/archive/0/ghostlyshadowy.html

[byslantedlight.livejournal.com]

Oh, I know I've read that one, but I can't remember it at all! Thank you! *g*

Supporting Role

[heliophile-oxon.livejournal.com]

"Supporting Role" by Terence - 3rd party pov (Doris Cummings, charwoman to the agents). Which sounds awful, but really isn't ... I mean, not like it sounds, anyway! If you see what I mean.

http://www.thecircuitarchive.com/tca/archive/13/supportingrole.html

It's a separate stand-alone in the "Building to Last universe" - the only one from Doris Cumming's pov and the only time she appears, afaik. It's also (not that this is relevant) the only one I remember to pick out from that series.

Re: Supporting Role

[byslantedlight.livejournal.com]

Oh excellent - thank you! And hee - it doesn't sound terrible at all... *g*

boots

[heliophile-oxon.livejournal.com]

And there's a well-written, totally female-agent-centric fic that I've read but I'm damned if I can remember the name of it - there's a bit where one of them thinks what a pain it is that any spare boots are always miles too big for her ...

Re: boots

[byslantedlight.livejournal.com]

Ooh, don't remember that one at all... I'm not even sure it sounds familiar... um... Maybe someone will come in and rescue us!

Re: boots

[kiwisue.livejournal.com]

Think that one's mine *g*. "Roots to Branches".

(and thanks, heliophile_oxon for the props).

Re: boots

[byslantedlight.livejournal.com]

Oh, well done that woman - for the story and the memory! *g* Shall go and have a lovely re-read now... (cos I obviously did read it when you posted, cos I commented! *g* Sometimes sieve memory means "new" stories - yeay! *g*)

I had to!

[lysimache.livejournal.com]

Julie!!!!! ♥

Re: I had to!

[byslantedlight.livejournal.com]

Lol - not quite sure whether that's a celebration of women per se, or a lusting after one particular woman, but... nice icon! *g*

Re: I had to!

[kiwisue.livejournal.com]

You know, I'm so glad for your Julie-love. I've always felt that Pros wouldn't be the same without the presence of all the other characters. They give a sense of place, they contribute to the story, they all have their own stories...

I started with my own list of OC's I liked: Ruth, Sally, Susan, Kate and Miss Walsh. I've added Anson to that list, thanks to GG, and now Julie, thanks to you. Yes, I think she's lovely, and smart, and I so want to see you write a story around her!!!!

Re: I had to!

[byslantedlight.livejournal.com]

Benny? Jax? Lucas and McCabe?

Maybe we should have a weekly Other-Pros-Character Appreciation Post over at the_safehouse - kind of like that post we had a while ago, but one character at a time... *g*

Hmmn - surely, in theory, the other characters could have been anyone though... and some were fleshed out more by the actors than others, and... Just wondering - if they'd been different "other characters", the show would presumably still have been the same at heart?

Re: I had to!

[kiwisue.livejournal.com]

Maybe we should have a weekly Other-Pros-Character Appreciation Post over at the_safehouse.

That's a cool idea!

I think the show would have been the same at heart without those specific characters/actors - but any different others would have offered something to the mix. I like the scenery!

[hagsrus.livejournal.com]

I guess Marge Harper isn't actually a CI5 woman, though sometimes she feels like it!

[byslantedlight.livejournal.com]

Oh, I think we should count her - she helped Cowley out that time, right? (Plus I've got Nice Boys on the list, and it'd be a shame to have to take it off... *g*) Did you have a fic in mind?

[hagsrus.livejournal.com]

There's an AU Knaves, Thieves, and Teachers by Irene in Roses and Lavender 3, and Knaves Errant in #4.

There's Telling Marge by Kate McLean.

I wrote a couple *g* (Moggy and How He Won Him) and I'm sure there must be more around, she's such a great character!

[potztausend.livejournal.com]

Not a single Icon? Really sad... :)

[byslantedlight.livejournal.com]

Well, to be fair I am only a B/D fan - I'm not "fannish" in general... I've picked up a few non-fandom icons along the way, but they tend to be weather/books/silly ones... Still, you'd think there might have been one woman in five years! *g*

[potztausend.livejournal.com]

Your funniest icon is "Bodie caught in a little light reading"...

[byslantedlight.livejournal.com]

Ah, I do like that one - made by the very clever imbeiaiel... Although I rather like "Gangplank?" myself... (empty_mirrors) - oh, and Job for Superman (hisluvpet)... Oh, and Tea and a Tart (crimson_37)! *g* Pros icon makers are just fab!

[potztausend.livejournal.com]

Gangplank? Oh, öhm, there is a vulgar word used in german language named "gangbang" - is it a pun with that word? Job für superman is funny, and the "tea and a tart" icon made me laugh. The german word for "Tart" has also a double meaning :).

The little light reading reminds me of congratulations in newspapers for very old people. Often it is written "He still does a little light gardening every day" when a man has his 90th birthday.

[byslantedlight.livejournal.com]

Lol - yes, "gangbang" also means something vulgar in English, but no, "gangplank" isn't a pun on that in that particular icon! The icon was originally made for the first discoveredinalj challenge, "Talk Like A Pirate Day" - and pirates make people walk the gangplank until they fall in the water... the lads just look so peeved in that pic, it seemed an appropriate caption for the challenge!

"Tart" has a double meaning in English too - and that's exactly why that icon was made, and what it was supposed to mean! Bodie enjoying his "tart", Ray... *g*

Often it is written "He still does a little light gardening every day" when a man has his 90th birthday.
Oh, how fab - heee!

[potztausend.livejournal.com]

Oh. *coughs* I never thought the word "gangplank" existed and did not look it up. Oh.

[byslantedlight.livejournal.com]

Heeee! *g*

I'm guessing that "gang" is Scottish dialect for "going", so that people who deserved punishment were "going down the plank" or something... now that I think about it, it is kind of an odd word! *g*

But more importantly - don't our lads look lovely, wet? *vbg*

[potztausend.livejournal.com]

Really lovely. But I like them oiled, too. Or just naked and after a shower :)