It’s interesting because until recently, I haven’t heard much outside of the comic book world about the relationship between Harley Quinn and the Joker. The recent criticism is easily the result of "Suicide Squad" being released. But they are easily one of the most popular duos within the community and that alone has always aroused some controversy, because if you know anything about their relationship, it’s not exactly model. They aren’t and have really never been considered an ideal couple. Their relationship is one of violence, brutality and immense complications psychologically. So, I sit here thinking, no kidding, when people try to debate about why they shouldn’t be respected as #RelationshipGoals. I think, “Why does this even need to be discussed?” I have never once in my life heard someone suggesting they want a relationship that reflects the one of the Joker and Harley Quinn. It’s not that those that are interested in Harley and the Joker want to mirror them so much as they want to explore their convoluted existences. They are debatably the most interestingly dark characters in all of comic book history. I find it hard to empathize with the individuals that take a fictional masterpiece and make it into something it’s not.

Look up “The Joker abusing Harley Quinn” on Google and you will discover pages of comic book clips showing just that. The gruesome images are there. No one is denying that.

What is absolutely not the case is Harley being left to fight life as a battered woman. She is no such thing. She is not a victim.

I’m not saying to write off the events that occur in these comics, but the relationship between Harley Quinn and the Joker has always been one of pure chaos. They are a violent couple, the both of them. It is not a one sided abuse that is inflicted. As a woman I can still enjoy reading these comics, but I read them without a realistic perspective. I’m not going to read a single comic and truly feel that I can idolize most of the characters. These characters are especially intricate. To focus attention on their relationship being one of domestic violence or abuse does not do their tortured connection justice. It can’t simply be chalked up to that. They are two psychotic individuals in love and that comes with all of the insanity within a brain wired that way.

For people that criticize how overly sexualized Harley is or how she is a victim: they only read into what they want. Most people with this opinion haven’t read her story because that is very far from all she is. Harley was not written or created as a defenseless character. She is a strong female character in the sense that she is fearless. When I read about Harley, I don’t feel inclined to worry about her because she is the only one who can handle the Joker. While yes it’s sick that she would want to continuously pursue him we know that she’ll be able to save herself. They are both psychopathic and they are both immensely complicated characters. Their love is going to be what you would imagine two psychopaths in love to look like.

I have spent a lot of time reading these comics and delving into the life of these characters. I’m not new to the obsession with the pair. You would have to be crazy to think that they are anywhere near a stable relationship. It is beyond obvious that the Joker is insane and completely out of touch with human emotion and Harley Quinn isn’t at all better, in some ways she’s worse. You don’t have to read far into the comics to see that. I personally don’t think their relationship takes away from how fascinating they are.

What they both represent to some in our society is something that is all too real for millions of women. That being said I don’t think we need to the take the relationship of Harley Quinn and the Joker so seriously. While I am of course a defender for the voices of abused women I am also an enjoyer of comics, of fiction. That's something that needs to be understood. This is fiction and the darkness of this fiction doesn’t bother some like it does others. Instead of having to make statements that are beyond obvious about their relationship and acting like an advocate for Harley (who doesn't need one), we could use their relationship as an example of what some women suffer through, sure. Not everything involving the pair needs to be viewed so negatively though.

If anything, these comics show you what isn’t normal for a relationship. Harley would do anything for the Joker no matter the cost and he is so mentally tarnished that it's surprising he could even feel "love." But they’re villains and that’s what they embody. You’re not supposed to idolize them. Most right-minded people that read these comics aren’t going to feel taken by how romantic their relationship is. I’m not offended by it though. The Joker is just as abusive to himself as he is Harley and the instances of abuse are not the only interactions between them. There are scenes that contain exchanges of love (even if it is twisted), and also scenes where Harley is abusing the Joker. I love these two characters for the exact reason people hate them. They are twisted, deranged, disturbed, unbalanced, mad, but they have a story that is stirring, that isn’t flat or boring or typical. There are truths in their madness.

This type of fiction isn’t for the faint of heart. Us readers aren’t looking for typical or wholesome; we are infatuated by the darkness. Not everyone is going to be satisfied with that, but it’s our choice to read and delve and the others can stray from it. We don’t need critics that are clearly biased.

Thinking is terms of the film "Suicide Squad," it doesn't touch on really how diabolical their relationship is. We get little hints but there is no real scene where they show it. We just know that they would both die, or rather live for each other (whichever is more painful). That could be taken as somewhat romantic not knowing the deep comic book contextual of their relationship. The Joker does spend the whole movie trying to rescue Harley Quinn, so why couldn’t that be pegged as romantic? They may not be a simple or conventional love, but they would be reborn in acid for each other.

The truth is that no matter my opinion Harley Quinn and the Joker will always be a relationship that is discussed in relation to society's disgust or fascination with violence. I will always be one of those individuals that don’t make a fuss about what is fiction, regardless of how you relate it to reality. To me, they are only characters, created before I was and they will continue their controversy long after I'm gone.