A 1980s feminist view of Firefly.

[roseembolism]

(Courtesy of James Nicoll's blog (and whoever he got it from)

The alternative title is, "Josh Whedon as Rapist" . 

I've actually got mixed feelings about this one, beyond the "OMG, this is SO 1980s".   To be sure, this reminds me of the "academic to the point of sillyness" feminist/deconstructionist  rants I used to read back in college, which these days generally provoke a roll-eye reaction.  But then I have to consider what experiences led to this woman concluding that all relationships between men and women boil down to abuse and rape.

It's not that I actually consider Josh Whedon as much of a feminist, beyond surface "girls kick ass!" elements.  But her view of the man- hell all men- as abusers, and as sex as rape, is not just old-fashioned, it's sad ad disturbing.  And I have to wonder how many people out there have the same viewpoint, and what may have caused them to think that, which is depressing.  And then I start wondering how much progress we as a society have really made...

...and it's time to go do something else.  Because I don't have any answers right now.

Comments

[ronebofh.livejournal.com]

Wow. Her profile... wow. If i wrote a character like her, i would be ridiculed for indulging in a ridiculous and unrealistic stereotype.

[roseembolism.livejournal.com]

I think that's one of the reasons it's hard to debate, or really talk about her positions. She's so extreme, that it's easy to push one over to an equally radical opposing view, even if one doesn't mean to go there.

[palecur.livejournal.com]

I thought I was prepared for how loathsome it was going to be.

I was rather wrong.

The comments are even worse.

How sad, to live in such a self-built cage, to stare at the world through a distorting prism that turns everything into a twisted and horrible reflection. I'm sad that there's still this much of the old poison floating around.

[therobbergirl.livejournal.com]

Oh gosh. I feel as awful for her as I feel about the contents of her post. Something terrible happened to her and she didn't have the resources to live.

[roseembolism.livejournal.com]

That's another thing- on the one hand, I have to believe that at some point in the past she was seriously damaged...on the other hand, it is pretty much hate speech.

[racerxmachina.livejournal.com]

Stopped reading halfway through. This person is really, really angry, and it's a pretty sickening read.

[haamel.livejournal.com]

After seeing four people sickened by the post, I'm not going to read it. Every time I see someone espousing the "all sex is rape" school of thought I struggle to keep balance between the pity and rage. I don't know what it will take to cleanse away such things, but I say, the sooner the better.

[velvetpaws.livejournal.com]

Well, I must be a bad feminist or something, because I always thought Zoe called Mal "sir" because...he was the captain. Duh. Silly me.

Only tangentially related to this author, I do rather like this shirt slogan.

[ghilledhu.livejournal.com]

Yes, but you see, it's MISOGYNIST that the WHITE MAN is the captain instead of the KICKASS BLACK WOMaN WOMON WOMYN!!!! He should be calling HER "Sir"!

...ow. I think I sprained something, typing that.

What I'm getting from this, aside from a strong sense of "Please stop being on my side," is that she isn't seeing Mal, Wash, etc. as characters -- they're just white men to her. And the female characters aren't Kaylee or Inara, they're just Oppressed Woman-figures. It's a very different show if you look at them all as people.

[baronlaw.livejournal.com]

I know at least a dozen powerful, strong women friends who greatly enjoyed Firefly. Obviously they have been brain washed by the male dominated media system?

[devonapple.livejournal.com]

[disclaimer]That would be the argument, yes -- that whatever strength these strong women *think* they have is actually leased or temporarily bestowed upon them by the patriarchal oppression, and when push comes to shove, it'll be taken right back. That in order for them to be blessed with the mantle of "Strength" they need to also be hot, and deferential to stronger male authority. [/disclaimer]

Needless to say, the post hurt my brain. A lot. And I already had a sinus headache to begin with. She put so much effort and research into something so skewed and hurtful that she doesn't even see that she is breaking her own rule about racism, or that she is being more divisive than insightful.

[roseembolism.livejournal.com]

Honestly, I think it could have been any show she was talking about. Her viewpoint is internal, not external.

[devonapple.livejournal.com]

This was... painful. To read and discuss.

[roseembolism.livejournal.com]

I had a similar reaction. Which is why I thought several times about posting it in the first place. But then again, I also had to post it BECAUSE it was difficult to dicuss.

[devonapple.livejournal.com]

So you basically did the socio-critical analogue to "Whooo.. this milk smells BAD... (sniff sniff) really bad... hey, honey, smell this!"

; )

[racerxmachina.livejournal.com]

Guess who usually has to smell the bad milk in our household.