Let’s Turn the Page on Cheating and Age Gaps
Everyone has a favorite rom-com, a silly movie where boy meets girl and nothing bad ever happens—except for all those tired tropes pushing toxic ideas. From opposites attracting to straight-up stalking, here are 20 tropes we’re sick of seeing.
1. Having an Affair
Cheating isn’t cute. We don’t care what the movies say or how they portray it. Rom-com protagonists will abandon someone, leave them with trust issues, and are still somehow portrayed as the hero because they found true love. Big yikes.
2. People Who Don’t Take No For an Answer
Love isn’t about pushing and pushing until the other person breaks. Crossing boundaries isn’t the adorable gesture rom-coms make them out to be—they’re indicative of people who won’t take no for an answer, which is a giant red flag.
3. The Idea You Can “Fix” Someone
Rom-coms love to push the idea that you can fix someone. We’re not talking about growing together or working through trauma. We’re talking about enduring openly cruel people because one day they’ll realize what a catch you are. Ladies, find someone worthy of your time now.
4. Passionate Arguments
Arguments happen in every relationship. They’re normal and actually signal a good partnership—when you don’t have them every day. Yet, time and again we see couples at each other’s throats in a display of fiery love. We hate to say it, but constant fights mean a lack of communication, not a passionate romance.
5. “Upgrading” Your Appearance
Oh no, this female protagonist is ugly! Thank goodness all she had to do was take off her glasses, huh? There’s nothing wrong with wanting to exercise or upgrade your wardrobe, but do it for yourself; don’t change just to impress someone or “compete” with other people.
6. Miscommunication
Rom-com miscommunication usually ends in some sort of nonsensical airport chase. In real life, miscommunication ends in broken trust and ruined relationships. Open discussion is a cornerstone of healthy partnerships; things don’t magically work out when you can’t talk to each other.
7. Huge Age Gaps
We’ve seen it before. We’ll unfortunately see it again. But, no—it isn’t romantic when a teacher dates a student. No, it isn’t cute when a teenage girl falls for a 109-year-old vampire (even if he looks seventeen). You know what? Not even Monica and Richard get a pass. Massive age gaps are incredibly inappropriate and we’d love to see this trend take a nosedive.
8. Attractive People Can Do What They Want
Is someone breaking into your room to watch you sleep? Are they way too protective of you? Apparently, all is forgiven when they’re attractive. Call us crazy, but we hate this! It doesn’t matter if you’re gorgeous, your stock plummets the second you turn into a creep.
9. Giving Endless Chances
We need to accept things we can’t change—and that includes people. Apologies don’t mean much without action, and we wish more protagonists would acknowledge their crumbling relationships. People who treat you terribly don’t deserve an endless streak of chances, especially when they never change.
10. Opposites Attract
Your partner doesn’t need to be a carbon copy of you, but they shouldn’t be your total opposite either. It’s one thing to date a cinephile when you’re not interested in movies, but it’s another when you struggle to find one similarity at all.
11. Messy Love Triangles
Alright, we don’t hate the idea of love triangles in fiction—who hasn’t fantasized about Chris Evans and Pedro Pascal fawning over them? However, real-life triangles always end with someone getting hurt. Plenty of people lose friends too.
12. Stalking Someone
We don’t care if you look like Jamie Dornan, stalking isn’t romantic. It’s insane to portray literal nightmares as crimes of passion. So many people, especially women, experience terrifying situations, and portraying those scenarios as anything but sends the wrong message.
13. Being Way Too Jealous
We’ve all felt a little jealous, but being overprotective isn’t a good trait. Some protagonists can’t even spend time with their friends without a partner demanding all of their time. If their first thought is to punch the guy who bought you a drink, ditch ‘em.
14. Finding a Parent, Not a Partner
Find someone who wants a partner, not a parent. It isn’t your job to take care of someone entirely or to find a guy who will run your life. Successful romance is all about finding that special someone, not a wallet or a new mom.
15. Love at First Sight
Love at first sight doesn’t exist. Sorry, everyone! Those protagonists dumbstruck by a hot guy aren’t in love—they’re just attracted. When their relationship falls apart by the end of the movie, they won’t be in love then either.
16. Mean People are Attractive
For some reason, rom-com protagonists put up with a lot of terrible people. From bad boys to mean girls, a bad attitude reigns supreme in so many chick flicks. Not for us. If you think it’s sexy to treat us poorly, tell your story walking.
17. Shaming Body Counts
Men with notches on their bedposts get hailed as kings of the boudoir. Women, on the other hand, are shamed entirely. We’re so sick of this double standard in life and in movies. It doesn’t matter how many people you’ve slept with, so long as everything is consensual and you’re safe and happy.
18. Trauma Bonding
It’s normal to resonate with someone who’s experienced the same trauma as you. Oftentimes, those relationships lead to lasting friendships and some sort of healing. However, that doesn’t mean you’re meant to be a couple. Not every scenario has to end with a big kiss or time in the bedroom.
Photo By: Kaboompics.com on Pexels
19. Sacrificing Everything for Someone
We all remember that god-awful Friends finale, but we’ll jog your memory just in case. Even though Rachel landed her dream job in Paris, she fought her way off the plane and chose Ross instead. Everyone hated it and we’re still mad that this common trope exists. You don’t need to sacrifice your entire life for a partner—and you’re not a bad person for putting yourself first!
20. Fireworks the First Time
Whether it’s your first time with a new person, or your first time in general, don’t anticipate mind-blowing stuff. Sure, it can be fantastic, but you’re setting yourself up for disappointment by expecting it every time.
