There’s an anti-Joker/Harley photoset highlighting the abuse, and while that’s inexcusable… I don’t know of anyone who does excuse it? It’s the most disgusting and tragic part of the relationship. You can enjoy a ship and the dynamic between characters while at the same time acknowledging it is not healthy. You can like the relationship between Harley and Joker, or Sin and Crossbones from Marvel… and straight up acknowledge that it’s as horrifying as it is compelling. I get that some people just want nothing to do with it because of the abuse. I understand that, and I respect that tbh.
There’s much more to it than that, though… getting into the minds of the characters and the endless meta you could write about it. It’s a sad fact of the world that abusive relationships exist. That people hurt the people they claim to love. Whether or not you think the Joker has any level of affection/attraction for Harley…
That’s a matter of opinion, so to each their own.
The fact that gets protective/possessive when she isn’t with him or someone who isn’t him hurts her? That’s something that really happens. It’s sick, but it’s also fascinating.
In no way is abuse okay.
In no way should you approve of how the Joker treats Harley or thinks of her as a ‘possession’ that belongs to him.
Let’s just stop shaming each other, okay?
Not all Harley/Joker shippers approve of or romanticize the abuse, and if people get squicked out by the relationship because of the abuse? Don’t try to change their mind. They have their reasons for disliking it. Valid reasons. It’s too real, too horrifying, an abusive relationship between two psychopaths isn’t to everyone’s taste.
If you enjoy reading about it, it doesn’t mean you approve of it. It doesn’t make you a horrible person.
If you don’t enjoy reading about it, you’re not uptight over ‘fictional’ characters. You’re not ‘sucking the fun’ out of anything by pointing out how incredibly unhealthy it is.
Let’s just enjoy things, and let others not enjoy things. Kay?
