my historical fiction pet peeve is when the author is like "I'm going to write a feminist character" but instead of looking into progressive, bold talking points from the time they have some woman in like 1150 talking like she runs a twitter account in 2021.
it's even Worse when it's a film or TV adaptation of a book actually written in the era by a woman who was already putting progressive themes in her story and they try to make the for-her-time feminist character a modern feminist. Please I am begging you to stop. it feels so hollow and shoehorned when historical characters use modern buzzwords. trust your audience to understand what fights had to be fought in the past!!!
If your character's grandiose display of escaping femininity is cutting her hair off in a historical or fantasy setting where it is popular for men to also have long hair,
If you your character complains about having to stay home while the men work in a historical or fantasy setting where most women but the ultra-wealthy were actually already working all day (as farmers, weavers, dyers, in markets, as cooks, maids, teachers, nurses, midwives, etc.)
If you're writing a scene that boils down to "corsets are evil!!!" especially if you're featuring a Victorian corset style in another far earlier time period,
If your character rebels by wearing something "inappropriate" in that it shows off cleavage in a time where cleavage was expected and encouraged by corset and dress styles,
If your character uses modern terms as talking points like "heteronormative," "the patriarchy," etc.,
You likely need to dig deeper.
