Briella Henderson: "Dear Elsa Sjunneson-Henry: Mary Sue? Not you!"

Dear Elsa Sjunneson-Henry: Mary Sue? Not you!

By Briella Henderson

The term “Mary Sue” can be interpreted in two ways: one as a character, usually female in a book that can do no wrong, usually has a tragic backstory, is lovable, or to whom everything comes easily. The second interpretation is that a “Mary Sue” is an author inserting themselves into their works. The latter, used as an insult, should be rejected because it gives an easy out to haters; two words with their own connotation that can tear down an already marginalized author until they believe that their voice is worthless. To welcome diverse authors, someone must revoke the name “Mary Sue” (definition 2) from the repertoire of the haters, and everyone else, so that they are forced to choose more hateful words to tear down said authors that they might be more likely to rethink.

On one hand, classifying an irrationally perfect character like Katniss Everdeen from the Hunger Games as a “Mary Sue”, as done by Reddit user Nadarhem, has its own uses. Many like to call out characters for their impenetrable and inexplicable perfection. If the term were to be migrated to this definition over time, or if it were verified by the one and only Merriam Webster Dictionary, then the phrase might still have viability. On the other hand, the harm of using “Mary Sue” against authors like you outweighs the use of it as literary classification. Thus far, it has not been officially defined and the phrase “Mary Sue,” and all its made-up connotations, should continue to be used no longer.

In a time in publishing when we are trying to listen to more diverse voices, it shouldn’t be a problem that a unique individual such as yourself writes herself into a story every now and then because you are very much a part of the “diverse voices” that the writing community desperately needs more of. The term “Mary Sue” should be discarded because authors who are part of ‘already marginalized communities’ are seldom heard from. Characters that these authors model after themselves, too, have not been heard from! The only reason that I can thing other people would chastise these authors for writing themselves into their own fiction is jealousy. Authors (men) who have dominated literature for far too long are intimidated by the capabilities of authors whose voices they have been suppressing for centuries. This fear and jealousy comes from the fact marginalized authors can write from their experiences, which are more unique and simultaneously more desirable to readers who crave fiction written by those who, historically, haven’t gotten their fair chance to speak. One of the historically oppressed groups makes up half the world is women. You rarely hear the male version of the term, “Gary Stu,” used to tear authors down, yet “Mary Sue” is just another tool to degrade the work of female authors like yourself.

I suppose my recommendation is that “Mary Sue” be outlawed. If you are reading this, delete it from your vocabulary. Not only is it used to discredit already marginalized authors like those with disabilities or those who are female, but it is an easy out for haters to use. If we force them to use bigger words in their attempts to hurt us… maybe their tiny hater brains will explode and the problem will solve itself!