question from a guy

[lawrencecostin]

Hi
There are several cases where male journalists and authors write about female true crime victims and i was wondering what the people here thought. Is it better for female journalists or authors to write the books and articles about female victims?

No. Often women might be drawn to stories with female victims. But it's valid for anyone to write from any perspective. As long as the writing is good, thought provoking and fair.

By the same logic female journalists shouldn't be allowed to write stories about male victims.

What a stupid question.

I don't think it's a stupid question as I bet some people do take issue with it, but I personally don't think it's a problem at all

I suppose it depends on whether they employ the 'male gaze' or not.

Why do you ask OP?

It depends entirely on the quality of the writer.

And I don't think that's a sex-related trait.

It depends on what kind of story they are writing I suppose.

Men and women are equally capable of writing callous stories that aim only to titillate, or stories that blame the victim.

If the aim of the story is to try to get inside the head of the victim, then some women may be better at empathising than a man would be (but some women would be no better than a man) - it really depends on what the victim has experienced and whether it's related to their sex or not.