I'm don't think men are actually bad at yuri. I just feel all of their characters are second hand interpretations of lesbians. I know this is a bit unfair, but as a straight cis man I know it's true.
Actually I agree. It's hard to put it in words, but there is definitely a different feel to actually yuri by yuri as opposed to the second hand version. I think there are a lot of nuances, especially in realistic stories, that are really handled better by people with experience... And a lot of times they draw more varied women.
I guess I just wanted to defend the men who manage to actually seem to get it? There are definitely plenty of bad yuri stories written by people who don't know what they're writing about. Perhaps I'm just sensitive as a cis man myself.
Sure a lot of guys doing yuri are gonna just have stereotypes - thats even ok for certain sorta short stories, comedy, or just smut stuff- but that doesn't mean all of them will - a guy could write a romantic yuri story really well- in fact I bet some on this site are that- BUT- it would require a lot more effort.
Like novelists do, who write about many varied characters nothing like themselves- it just means a LOT of research and getting guidance. Like I remember mamange, the Touhou series with Reisen as a new mom with 3 young girls- its filled with spot on little glimpses of life as a new mom- and people assumed the author had to have been through it all- but it turned out their friend or relative had - and they just talked to them a lot..
So, imo, anyone could write any character going through any experience- as long as they did enough research and talked to people who really had lived whatever you were writing about, to the point where you could come to understand and empathise with it yourself.. At least write it well enough nobody would pick up you were not writing from personal experince
last edited at Apr 12, 2020 1:22PM