The farther I get from the “happily ever after” of childhood fairy tales and the desperate search for my own HEA in my 20s, the higher my left eyebrow goes at the romance genre, and so-called romantic comedies in particular. I acknowledge that there is value in escapism. I know many heterosexual women who prefer male/male or female/female romances, and it is far, far healthier to read romance novels featuring a dark and brooding hero than it is to go find one for a real-life partner. That said, I find many of the most popular plot devices/tropes in romantic comedies to be uncomfortable at best and harmful in general. Let’s explore them, shall we?
