The Rise of Dragon Porn

The disconnect of liberal women and the allure of fantasy intersect to create issues for all of us.

Let me get this out front – I love women. I have always been attracted to smart, confident, strong women – so much so that 44 years ago this August 15^th, I married one – and that union produced a first born – a daughter – who is every bit as smart, confident and strong as her mom.

There are reasons for stereotypes to exist. Sometimes appearances and behaviors combine to create enough similarities as to be almost predictive. Stereotyping is most often wrong, but there is a reason it exists and as much as I hate how white men are stereotyped as the root of all the world’s problems, I try to resist stereotyping as much as possible, but sometimes the intersection of different data sets is hard to ignore.

I’ve long resisted the notion that women are a significant source of America’s political and ideological woes, but recent Supreme Court rulings have caused me to think a bit more deeply about the possibility. The dissents in these cases often come from the liberal female justices - Sotomayor, Jackson, and sometimes Kagan - who stand in stark contrast to the six conservative justices. Even Amy Coney Barrett, a supposedly conservative female justice, has occasionally joined this progressive bloc. The common thread among Sotomayor, Jackson, and often Kagan is their progressive ideology, which seems to drive their judicial reasoning.

This pattern extends beyond the courtroom. Since the 2016 election, white, college-educated liberal women, united by fears over abortion rights, have been at the forefront of anti-Trump resistance. They were key players in the ANTIFA and BLM protests, fueled movements like #MeToo, and supported high-profile cases like E. Jean Carroll’s civil trial against Trump. Early videos from Libs of TikTok often showcased these women’s fervor, coining the term “AWFL” - Affluent White Female Liberal - to capture their archetype.

Studies suggest that mental health challenges are more prevalent among liberals, particularly young and middle-aged liberal women. While I’m no expert, I’ve observed what seems like a disconnect from reality among many liberal women - a kind of psychosis marked by delusions and emotional fragility masked by aggression. Conservative women, by contrast, appear better equipped to handle reality’s harshness. Compare the women in Trump’s Cabinet - confident and grounded - with the often erratic or ideologically driven figures in Biden’s administration (male, female, and those somewhere in-between), and the difference is striking.

I’ve noticed another, seemingly parallel, trend: the popularity of fantasy novels, particularly among young and middle-aged liberal women. These books, which I jokingly call “Dragon Porn” for their blend of J.R.R. Tolkien-esque fantasy and steamy (and often taboo or forbidden) romance, seem to resonate deeply with this demographic. Unlike my conservative wife and daughter, who can separate fantasy from reality, I wonder if these novels feed into a broader escapism for liberal women.

A 2023 study by the Romance Writers of America found that women aged 35–55 are a core audience for romance and fantasy-romance novels, with 60% citing escapism and emotional connection as key draws. Social media posts echo this, with women praising these books for their “spicy” yet emotionally rich storytelling. These novels offer a potent mix of empowerment, adventure, and sensuality, tailored to the desires of middle-aged women navigating demanding lives.

Why do these books appeal so strongly? According to the studies, several factors stand out:

• Escapism: Middle-aged women often balance careers, family, and caregiving, leaving little room for personal desires. Fantasy novels provide an escape into worlds where they can explore idealized romance and adventure without real-world constraints.

• Empowerment: These stories feature strong female protagonists who control their romantic and sexual narratives, resonating with women who feel societal pressure to prioritize others’ needs.

• Reexploring Sexuality: Middle age often brings shifts like menopause or empty nesting, prompting women to reconnect with their sexual identities. These novels offer a safe space to explore desires through unapologetic characters.

• Community: Book clubs, online forums, and platforms like X amplify the genre’s popularity, with bestsellers like A Court of Thorns and Roses by Sarah J. Maas gaining traction through fan-driven hype.

• Emotional Depth: Unlike purely erotic content, these novels blend steamy scenes with deep emotional connections, appealing to readers who value love and intimacy in fantastical settings.

• Taboo Appeal: The genre often explores forbidden dynamics, like enemies-to-lovers or supernatural-human pairings, offering a thrilling, consequence-free way to break societal norms.

While these novels are harmless for many, I suspect they exacerbate a tendency among some liberal women to blur fantasy and reality. Posts from Libs of TikTok seem to support this. This disconnect may fuel their ideological intensity, from SCOTUS dissents to street protests. Conservative women, grounded in pragmatism, seem less swayed by such escapism, recognizing it as entertainment rather than life coaching.

The contrast is telling, and it suggests a deeper cultural divide - one where liberal women’s emotional and ideological fervor, amplified by fantasy, shapes our political landscape in troubling ways.