I don't know if anyone will agree with me, but hear me out. Not all of the Marauders characters are stunning. HEAR ME OUT. I'm not talking about the common headcanon of Peter being the least attractive of the group, I'm talking about skinny, lanky Remus with an awkward build and awkward face. The tall nerd with scruffy hair and tattered sweaters. I know that people like casanova Remus and hot sexy attractive Remus that smokes and is mysterious, I do too, to an extent. I think that because we are talking about a group of teenage boys, they're not all gonna be hot models. It makes them less relatable and more like objects, which really pisses me off. Remus isn't toned muscles and abs, he's skinny if not scrawny. He has the typical build of someone who doesn't play sports and spends all of their time studying, reading, playing guitar, writing, whatever you prefer. That's ok, better even. I love awkward Remus who's a smart, witty when he wants, kind of clumsy, agressive when nescessary, deeply insecure guy.
It's not just Remus. James is also not flawless. He is, afterall, a wild-haired boy that wears glasses. He's going to be imperfect. However, he will always be charming, kind, funny, caring etc. I mean he's James, it's the same way that Remus is more resposible or mature, it's just the foundation of their characters. Even so, don't think that James can't have deep internal flaws and mental health issues, those things can co-exist with all of his wonderful personality traits. But the level of attractiveness each one of them is held to is maddening. I really miss and would love to see more of awkward, lanky Remus and messy, flawed James. Peter, generally, is not part of this standard, with often being the "least attractive" in the group (he's not).
Sirius is another conversation. Because I truly believe he is a very attractive guy, but, he does have flaws. Like maybe he wouldn't look so good without his hair (that's genuinely the only one I can think of, referencing atyd). It's just the fact that Sirius is so attractive and knows this that is a big, huge, part of his character and without that he wouldn't have a lot of his distinct personality traits. His attractiveness though, and often headcanoned confidence, is usually a facade to hide his true feelings; which are anything but pretty. He's a messy, unhappy, confused person, AND THAT'S OK. That doesn't make him any less charming or handsome, that just makes him human.
Okay, I'm getting off track.
Regulus is also a victim of this. I read a fic recently where he was described as this gorgeous boy, not only by James but by other people as well. And good for him, but really? Come on. It's become such an important, prominent and common theme in a lot of the fics where they are all gorgeous. Like Regulus, in my mind, is skinny, has a severe face with sharp features and is gaunt and haunted by his internalized fear and grief. He's not a happy person and I think his looks reflect that. And I do recognize that a lot of these stories are told in the POVs of James, Regulus, Sirius and Remus where they are going to call the person they are in love with (wolfstar and jegulus) beautiful. I'm all for that, it's the kind of fluff I live for, but maybe instead of admiring their conventially attractive muscles or jawlines, they could admire their quirks and flaws?
It all comes down to humanizing them, because when I see all of these gorgeous celebrities and influencers showing me what "beauty" is, I don't also want to be fed that when I'm reading about my favourite gay wizards. I just want to feel like being mediocre is okay, I think a lot of people do, and that starts with things like this.
The girls are a COMPLTELY DIFERENT CONVERSATION. But while were here...
The girls are all beautiful. Yes, they have flaws but its a little different for them. Beauty standards for women are ridiculous and disgusting. So, when we desribe just how beautiful Mary, Marlene, Dorcas, Lily and Pandora are it needs to be not in a completely conventional way. It needs to be on the basis of personality and looks that are otherwise considered as mediocre. Like, maybe Lily is plus sized or Pandora has frizzy curls. Things like that, things that contradict disgusting standards.
However, I'm not saying that they can't be conventionally attractive either. It's for sure allowed because that still is beauty. Like Mary in atyd is very conventionaly beautiful with nice boobs and a nice body. BUT, this type of beauty needs to be paired with other humanizing features. It can't be her whole personality, whoever you're writing about. She needs to have flaws as well as beauty or what society views as "flaws" described as beauty.
Girls need that type of reprisentation of no matter how you look or are, you are beautiful.
So, that is my four a.m, rant about beauty and the marauders. For the boys it's all about humanizing them and showing that not only typically attractive people find love. And for the girls it's all about describing their beauty in a way that allows the girl reading it to feel reprisented and beautiful because of that.
So, yeah. Thanks for listening<3
Oh, and notice how I never called any of them "ugly" or "unattractive". That's because they are all beautiful to me.
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