By "sex" Not by "stress". It's pretty offensive to suggest that the stress and mental damage of war can relieved with sex. That's something to be wary of. - It's called advice. For his story. It should be self evident on a writer's forum in a topic asking for advice for a story, that advice is geared toward the audience. Bayview doesn't bring any argument and instead tries to make this about personal feelings - Saying that I'm personally trying hard to find a complete stranger's story in development offensive. Simpson17866 also attempted this earlier. With accusations that I'm "sensitive". Then your assumption that I'm offended at Bayview's accusation. That's called Ad Hominem fallacy. It has nothing to do with rational debate. I suggest you desist.
I mean, not to be harsh on the OP, but go back and read his whole post: It ain't exactly flowing prose. I'm sure that his actual writing is fine, but it's clear here that he's jumping from idea to idea to question and back to idea without a specific layout in mind. Since, y'know, it's a forum post, not an essay. Inferring a deeper meaning to his arrangement of sentances seems silly to me, since his sentances clearly aren't aranged in any particular order.
No deeper meaning. He said it takes a partner's comfort for her to be able to finally relax. That means she's unable to relax beforehand. If that's true, and given what she's been through, she needs alot more help than what a partner can give. Unless that partner's the female Dr Phil. If she is, have at it.
Yes, because your initial posts doing nothing but talking about being "slaughtered by the SJWs", complaining about peoples' "sensitive feelings", and mentioning unrelated websites were very relevant to the OP and rational debate. It's not an ad hominem if you weren't actually taking any kind of stance and were yourself only reacting emotionally; can't really blame people for not being able to argue coherently with "better not do anything or the over-sensitive SJWs are gonna get ya".
Okay, guys, please calm down. OP: You might want to add a description if it's important for you that the reader sees your characters the way you see them (not that they'll ever see them exactly like that) because the way a person's body shapes up depends also a lot on their body type. Combat training doesn't automatically lead to a non-bulky, wiry body, so if I were to just go by a description of the kinds of activities she's partaken during her military service, the first thing I'd think about probably wouldn't be ballerina wiry). On the other hand, female combatants come in all shapes and sizes (barring overweight. Usually at least), kind of like there are differences between men too. Some are shorter and stubbier, some are taller and wirier. I'm just reading a military thriller about a special force team and the author points out differences between the men and their body types and levels of fitness. I'm cool with that, I don't mind descriptions. Use words that describe the kind of musculature you're thinking about; lean, wiry, ripped. It also depends on the POV. Maybe some jerk thinks she resembles a skinned rabbit if he sees her scantily clad somewhere (I didn't make that up. It was what some guy had actually commented on a picture of a ripped, wiry woman). As for her having sex with the other character. Well, women get horny, so, I don't know, maybe they just get horny and the other woman happens to be there and they're on the same wavelength, as in, "let's agree that there will be no drama, okay? Let's just be friends with benefits". Or if you're going for romance, then I suppose you'd just write it as two people falling in love while serving their country. I've understood there are rules in place when it comes to inter-platoon hanky-panky, but then they will just have to deal with it; put their professional needs before their romantic or sexual needs. And sure, if your story reaches a wider audience, it is possible some people will have a knee-jerk reaction and find it distasteful that a man would write about lesbians. Hell, they might even be right, but at this point, try not to let it get under your skin too much and just focus on writing believable characters. And if you've been led to think women don't sexualize or objectify other women, at least not ever as lewdly as men do, just read Helen Walsh's Brass.
Hey sorry for the delay in response. THANK YOU EVERYONE for the advice. I definitely would say my character runs along the lines of being lean...not necessarily wiry...she's about 5'7"...she's pretty well built but not overly muscular...not bodybuilder...if you look up the fitness buff Aspen Rae...that's kinda what she would look like. I guess she would have the arms of a swimmer. I know it's important to SHOW and not TELL when writing so I'm keeping in mind not to TELL to much to the reader about her very fit body. Rather, I should have the reader visualize what her body looks like....yes, as some of you suggest, I should have her do a series of action that demonstrates how fit she is. Describing her is very important because as the story moves on. Again, I'm not afraid to do the sex scene if it adds to the story. I'm not exploiting lesbianism, that was never the intention. Yes, I could also have it happen but then have the scene fade to black so the reader can imagine what happens. Kinda like how Korra and Asami hooked up at the end of The Legend of Korra...not necessarily a book, it's a TV show, but you get the picture...not one expected that to happen...thought Korra and Asami were always straight. The creators never visualized a sex scene between them in a show...the audience would have to interpret it and imagine it. If anything, if I do involve the sex scene in my book...I could start the scene and then have it fade to black, like some of you suggest. Also, Simpson17866 thank you for that great point about people getting through stress by their own strength and the support they receive from friends and family. Made me rethink things a little bit. Thanks all!
Yeah, I think the key here is not to describe a character without context, as if she's a photograph or standing on a podium, but to show that character through their actions. Show her being strong - the reader will fill in what physique they think she'd need to accomplish this. You needn't describe a sex scene to indicate sex is happening between two people, though there's nothing wrong with doing so - it really depends on your genre. What's expected in the romance genre can go over badly in, say, detective fiction.
