Why is Quark so attracted to non-Ferengi women?

[Xhiandra]

I'm on a DS9 rewatch, and it's strange how Quark seems so attracted to Human (the women from "If only wishes were horses" / Trill (Jadzia Dax - maybe Ezri as well? Not there yet, don't remember) / Bajoran (Kira Nerys and his dabo girls) / Klingon (his wife) / Cardassian (Natima Lang) / Boslic (the purple-haired smuggler) women.
It also seems to extend to other Ferengi, as Rom and Nog seemed quite taken with the woman from Little Green Men.
Yet, none of them shows attraction to Ferengi women (Zek does, to Ishka).

I can understand a Human being attracted to a Vulcan (Sarek's wives, Charles Tucker III), given the small differences in appearance. Same for all possible combinations of the races above, they don't look that different from each other.
But Ferengi do look very different from those races. To me, it seems as alien as a Human being that is attracted to sentient Kangaroo-people, and never showing any interest in other Humans.

Of course, the Doylian explanation is that the episodes were written by Humans, and mostly Human males... but can we think of a Watsonian explanation?

 

[Tosk]

Yet, none of them shows attraction to Ferengi women

Rom was married to a Ferengi woman (and I realize that may not prove that he was attracted to her), and Quark fell in love with Pel (albeit when he thought she was a male).

The answer is that Ferengi are attracted to anyone.

 

[Xhiandra]

You know, I rewatched the episode with Pel recently and I can't remember if Quark really loves her, or is just happy that she brings him profit.

And yes, I foolishly forgot Nog's mother (I also forgot to add Leeta, on the other hand).

The answer is that Ferengi are attracted to anyone.

But doesn't it seem strange to you. Can you imagine yourself being attracted to someone of Morn's species? Or, to go even further, to a Horta? They're intelligent, but I should think that's not enough.
And it's not like we're talking about people who don't put much importance on appearance, either!

 

[JirinPanthosa]

Why is Jabba attracted to Leia?

 

[Nerys Myk]

For the hijinks.

 

[kkt]

Perhaps Quark really likes females who are not totally subservient and naked like Ferengi females are. Yet, he doesn't want to betray his Ferengihood by admitting it. So, females of other species are the solution.

 

[Sci]

I'm on a DS9 rewatch, and it's strange how Quark seems so attracted to Human (the women from "If only wishes were horses" / Trill (Jadzia Dax - maybe Ezri as well? Not there yet, don't remember) / Bajoran (Kira Nerys and his dabo girls) / Klingon (his wife) / Cardassian (Natima Lang) / Boslic (the purple-haired smuggler) women.
It also seems to extend to other Ferengi, as Rom and Nog seemed quite taken with the woman from Little Green Men.
Yet, none of them shows attraction to Ferengi women (Zek does, to Ishka).

I can understand a Human being attracted to a Vulcan (Sarek's wives, Charles Tucker III), given the small differences in appearance. Same for all possible combinations of the races above, they don't look that different from each other.
But Ferengi do look very different from those races. To me, it seems as alien as a Human being that is attracted to sentient Kangaroo-people, and never showing any interest in other Humans.

Of course, the Doylian explanation is that the episodes were written by Humans, and mostly Human males... but can we think of a Watsonian explanation?

Seems pretty obvious to me: Mainstream cisheterosexual Ferengi culture fetishizes large earlobes for men and small earlobes for women. The earlobes of Humans and similar species are so much smaller than those of Ferengi that to cishet Ferengi men who have been programmed with their cultures' fetishistic preoccupations, women of such species are incredibly attractive.

That's also why so many cishet Ferengi men feel so hostile towards men of such species -- they're in denial about finding those men attractive due to small earlobes as well, and sublimating that attraction into hostility so as to deny to themselves their own feelings of same-sex attraction to small-lobed alien men.

 

[Tosk]

Can you imagine yourself being attracted to someone of Morn's species? Or, to go even further, to a Horta?

Personally, no. Not examples that extreme. But someone might. A lot of people are into anthropomorphic animals, real animals, even inanimate objects.

Or to keep it in fictional terms, plenty of people are into species like Na'vi and Twi-leks. I just Googled Rule 34 aliens and...you might be surprised at some of the stuff that shows up.

 

[somebuddyX]

Well, uh, I was attracted to Pel, and B'Elanna Torres and Ba'el and Ziyal and bald Delenn with the bonehead and Na'toth who is a sexy lizard lady. So uh...

 

[Captain pl1ngpl0ng]

it seems like non-ferengi females are grabbing his lobes a lot,
i dont think i have seen a ferengi woman do that. Maybe that is concidered very personal and intimate.
But not to aliens, that is just ears to them, and they might think that quark just have a strange fetish going on,
but Oo-mox are obviously very close to (or actually the same) as giving a hand-job to a ferengi,
and Quark knows that alien females dont mind doing it, so maybe thats why he seems atracted to them.

 

[Anduinel]

Also, clothed women are probably exotic and taboo to Ferengi dudes.

 

[Xhiandra]

Why is Jabba attracted to Leia?

Didn't know he was. Not much into Star Wars. Strange that Pizza the Hutt isn't interested in Vespa, then (he only wants the spacebucks).

Seems pretty obvious to me: Mainstream cisheterosexual Ferengi culture fetishizes large earlobes for men and small earlobes for women. The earlobes of Humans and similar species are so much smaller than those of Ferengi that to cishet Ferengi men who have been programmed with their cultures' fetishistic preoccupations, women of such species are incredibly attractive.

That's also why so many cishet Ferengi men feel so hostile towards men of such species -- they're in denial about finding those men attractive due to small earlobes as well, and sublimating that attraction into hostility so as to deny to themselves their own feelings of same-sex attraction to small-lobed alien men.

I like this one. Makes sense.

Well, uh, I was attracted to Pel, and B'Elanna Torres and Ba'el and Ziyal and bald Delenn with the bonehead and Na'toth who is a sexy lizard lady. So uh...

Most of those I would consider quite similar to Humans (and Ba'el was very pretty, indeed), but yeah, Pel is weird.

Also, clothed women are probably exotic and taboo to Ferengi dudes.

Yes, we have on-screen evidence of that from Brunt, Quark and Rom's reactions to clothed Ishka, but I don't think that's enough. You're not tittilated by the Horta just because it's naked, right?

 

[Tosk]

but Oo-mox are obviously very close to (or actually the same) as giving a hand-job to a ferengi

No it isn't. Their ears are a sensitive erogenous zone, not their genitals.

 

[Captain pl1ngpl0ng]

no you are right, it's not the same i'll still say its close tho.

 

[JirinPanthosa]

It's a scientific fictional fact that all aliens, no matter how different they look from humans, apply human standards of beauty to human women.

 

[Jayson1]

Because the Ferengi are more enlightened than we modern day humans and have a bigger array of beauty standards in which they judge looks. Perhaps a leftover trait from when they also use
to not worship greed. Jason

 

[Herbert]

The explanation is simple really. The writers thought that it would be more entertaining that way. Having Quark attracted to non-ferengi opens up all sorts of humorous plot points. Writers want to tell stories.

As far as a in universe explanation, come up with whatever overwrought crackpot theory you want.

 

[Mr. Laser Beam]

But doesn't it seem strange to you. Can you imagine yourself being attracted to someone of Morn's species?

There really can't be an explanation. People like whoever they like, even if they don't know why (and we never do).

Alien women are just Quark's thing, that's all. Just who he's into. I doubt any of US know why we're into...whoever we're into. It's just life.

 

[Orphalesion]

But doesn't it seem strange to you. Can you imagine yourself being attracted to someone of Morn's species? Or, to go even further, to a Horta? They're intelligent, but I should think that's not enough.
And it's not like we're talking about people who don't put much importance on appearance, either!

You know once upon a time many people found it weird for someone to be attracted to someone of a different ethnicity. But today it is nothing weird anymore. So I guess as species in the Star Trek universe mingle more and more it has the same effect, that inter-species couples become more common.
And the Ferengi have been space faring for a lot longer than humans have, and as merchants they probably mingle with many species from childhood on.

 

[Jayson1]

Another way I look at is I have found some of the female aliens kind of sexy. Andorians and so forth. It makes sense that some Ferengi would feel the same towards humans. Also the Horta example is not a good example because the Ferengi like humans still are basically the same shape, Two arms, two legs etc. The heads are shaped differently but still humanoid aliens in Trek have more in common than differences.


Jason