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| - This is a subtrope of The Smurfette Principle: If she's The Chick in the team, then she's usually someone's sister, girlfriend or love interest. If she's a military or political leader of some sort, then you can bet that she got the position with help from her father or another male relative. The author or the characters have to choose who gets to join in on the hijinks or know the secrets; chances are, most of the people they choose are going to be men. Women who join in are most commonly there as a "bonus" to someone else, often as a love interest or a family member. There are shades to this. We may have the Action Girl who has achieved a lot and gone up in society, but whenever her background is brought up, it is always a man in her family (father, uncle, older brother or husband) who is prominent as her predecessor or a key to her success. It will be strongly implied that she would never have gotten into this Business if she hadn´t been motivated and trained by her powerful male relatives who are active on the same field. In short, a personal, emotional relationship with a mentor is needed, not just a professional one driven by her own independent ambitions. She might have grown into her own badassery, but the story will continue to define her as the more important male character´s apprentice or heiress. Another variation is when a female character who is already powerful or who has an important role without male aid meets her lover. Since prominent women usually require a partner who is at least as interesting and powerful as they, the story will often start revolving around him once they meet. Suddenly, the conflict doesn't seem as important to her anymore. If things quiet down and they get married, he usually has a great career ahead of him, but she's content to slow hers down to be a wife or mother. From the moment they become an item, no one mentions her previous accomplishments anymore; they just talk about her only as half of a couple. Her partner's heroism is still remembered and talked about, but she is lucky if she even gets mentioned a few years down the line. A perceived "barrier between the sexes" may be to blame for this -- specifically, the notion that women and men can't socialise without justifying it with a sexual or familial bond. Writers use this trope to justify to viewers (presumed male) why they should care about the female character at all. In short, this is another example of Double Standard. Of course, this tends to lead to a double bind situation in which people will discredit a female's accomplishments because she is connected to a male. Going hand with this is Men Act, Women Are, which is about what comes from the man, and where the woman comes from. Not to be confused with Self-Made Man, where a person gains importance on his/her own. See also Most Writers Are Male. Examples of Never a Self-Made Woman include:
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