History Main / AllGirlswantBadBoys

For [[JerkWithAHeartOfJerk really bad]] ''bad boys'', the Girl (either intentionally or not) may find herself becoming a MonsterFangirl or a LoveMartyr at worst. The girl may also go to the other end and find what they are looking for is the NiceGuy because SingleWomanSeeksGoodMan--particularly as a SecondLove, and often via JustFriends, when they've been burned by their previous boyfriend.

* [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vp6XZIvv6X0 This]] parody from ''Website/CollegeHumor'', showing what [[Franchise/TheLegendOfZelda Zelda]] and [[Franchise/SuperMarioBros Princess Peach]] discuss when the heroes aren't around. And again in [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZHZsleyKons this]] video with Adam, Eve, and the Snake.
* In ''WebVideo/ImAMarvelAndImADC'', Harley Quinn says that she wants a physically and emotionally abusive guy. She was trying to justify her canon love for the Joker, which is depicted as extremely unhealthy and, by the end of this season, [[spoiler: ends up with the Green Goblin, who is an a-hole to everyone else but treats her well]].
* Parodied in [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xfeys7Jfnx8 this]] Creator/{{Nigahiga}} video. It shows Ryan and Kevin trying to pick up girls by acting like total jerks.

[[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hybristophilia Hybristophilia]] is this trope taken to its LogicalExtreme.

** There's also [[https://www.psypost.org/psychopathic-men-have-more-children-study-finds/ some evidence]] in the journal "Evolutionary Behavioral Sciences" that psychopathic men have more children.

* In ''WesternAnimation/WonderWoman2009'', Steve suspects this with Hippolyta and ComicBook/{{Ares|DC}}. Hard to get badder than the God of War.

All this, of course, tends to gloss over the fact that [[ShapedLikeItself bad boys are, well,]] ''[[ShapedLikeItself bad]]'', meaning [[{{Jerkass}} self-centered]], possibly [[SanityHasAdvantages not too mentally stable]], [[FetishizedAbuser potentially abusive]], might have trouble finding and keeping a legal job, and will most likely be more interested in the [[AllMenArePerverts sexual]] aspect of a relationship than anything else. He's probably not going to be all that concerned with fidelity, either. So what if he only brings chaos into her life? It's an [[ICantBelieveAGuyLikeYouWouldNoticeMe honor for girls in media to be chosen by him]], to walk into prom night with him on her arm, to ride on the back of his motorcycle with her arms around his waist, to stick her tongue out at the AlphaBitch from the passenger's seat of his stolen convertible.

Depending on the nature of the Bad Boy and whether he's redeemable or not, use of this trope may cause the viewer to question the character's sense or intelligence, particularly if it's immediately obvious to everyone from the outset of the relationship that the man is a thoroughly nasty piece of work. Don't count on ReformedRakes if the ''bad boy'' is a OneShotCharacter. If the ''bad boy'' and/or the ''girl'' are unimportant characters, they have a tendency to be {{Straw Character}}s.

Related to ICanChangeMyBeloved, which often follows after this, and PowerDynamicsKink. The fandom reaction version of this is DracoInLeatherPants. In high school settings, often found alongside AllGuysWantCheerleaders (its [[DistaffCounterpart Spear Counterpart]]). A male SexierAlterEgo will probably be one of these. When the bad boy is ''literally'' a monster, see YouSexyBeast. Contrast EndearinglyDorky and WeaknessTurnsHerOn, where more timid, sweet, and "uncool" characters are seen as attractive. If the bad boy plays guitar, this will usually overlap with ArtistsAreAttractive. See LoveForgivesAllButLust if the girl is willing to tolerate any wrongdoing on the bad boy's part ''except'' philandering.

* This is a common plot on hundreds of stories on Website/{{Wattpad}}, however, opinions are divided across the internet on whether the so-called "bad boys" the teen girl audience are swooning over are actual bad boys (brooding, tortured {{lovable rogue}}s) or sociopaths wearing a bad boy disguise, who aren't against kidnapping and emotionally-abusing their girlfriends or beating people to death. It's so popular, typing "saved by the bad boy" or "the bad boy that saved me" into the website's search engine will lead to tons of books under those titles.

The "bad boy" targets the strongest womanly instincts: [[TheQuietOne the stoic, silent guy]] is a mystery waiting to be solved; the TroubledButCute youth with a [[DarkAndTroubledPast tragic past]] is a {{woobie}} needing comfort; he's tough enough to be a girl's [[BodyguardCrush protector]], but vulnerable enough to [[LoveRedeems need her]] as well. Add to that the fact that EvilIsSexy, and the AntiHero ranks as Bachelor of the Month.

* ''WebAnimation/{{Anon}}'': Twin brothers Tucker and Hunter are part of a VERY shady crime family and are notorious for their lying and manipulating ways, but they also have nearly almost every female character thirsting after them, including the two main female leads and a considerable portion of the fanbase.

* ''VisualNovel/DiabolikLovers'' is all about a girl who is abused by a group of {{Bishonen}} vampire brothers. One of them even calls her 'Bitch-chan'. It's intended to be fanservice for girls who do want bad boys.

Maybe Hollywood is tapping into the ancestral female animal instinct to choose [[WomenPreferStrongMen the mightiest, strongest, toughest genes]] for their offspring. Maybe it's just because GoodIsBoring and EvilIsSexy. Whatever the reason, in Hollywood, it's the ''bad boys'' the girls want.

The "bad boy" targets the strongest womanly instincts: [[TheQuietOne the stoic, silent guy]] is a mystery waiting to be solved; the TroubledButCute youth with a [[DarkAndTroubledPast tragic past]] is a {{woobie}} needing comfort; he's tough enough to be a girl's [[BodyguardCrush protector]], but vulnerable enough to [[LoveRedeems need her]] as well. Add to that the fact that EvilIsCool, and the AntiHero ranks as Bachelor of the Month.