Strong Characters

Ever notice that for all the lauding of "strong female characters" there is never any mention of strong male characters? The phrase itself never even gets formulated. Ever wonder why?

Yes, of course I know why. I'm asking you.

As an experiment, ask someone what they mean by the phrase when they say it, or what is meant when it's seen in a review (or diatribe, or whatever). Then compare that to the character used as an example, and see how well it tracks. See if it applies to male characters. Ask why it doesn't ever get used for them. Are they all strong? Do no counterexamples (weak male leads) come to mind in a few seconds, or conversely, in a day's pondering? Does it apply to villains, of either sex, and is it a good or bad thing regarding their villainous ways?

Then realize that the answers to the above only set up the real thought that should go into this. The questions that come from those answers are the really interesting part. And some of them don't have easy answers.

I'll probably return to this notion some other time, but thought I'd just toss it out there.