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The most hilarious thing I have ever read in relation to Joss Whedon
Jimmy the Squid:
That was one) narrowminded, humourless and made huge, sweeping generalisations in as casual a manner as I order a pizza when I can't be bothered to cook (often). It was also 2) incredibly racist and naiive. Obviously, and by her own admission, the author of this travesty against well-thought out arguments has experienced or at the very least witnessed the cruelty of certain men against certain women. It is incredibly stupid, though very very easy to assume that this same type of cruelty is enacted by all men. And yeah, as a straight, white, middle class male I am fucking offended.
--- Quote ---The first scene opens in a war with Mal and Zoe. Zoe runs around calling Mal ‘sir’ and taking orders off him. I roll my eyes. Not a good start.
--- End quote ---
The first scene is in a military context. If Mal is Zoe's superior officer than of course she is going to be calling him "sir" and following his orders.
--- Quote ---Jayne asks Mal to get Kaylee to stop being so cheerful. Mal replies, “Sometimes you just wanna duct tape her mouth and dump her in the hold for a month.”
What the fuck is this feminist man trying to say about women here? A black woman calling a white man ‘sir’. A white male captain who abuses and silences his female crew, with no consequences. The women are HAPPY to be abused. They enjoy it.
--- End quote ---
I do not believe that this is any kind of malicious statement though, if only the script is read I suppose it could be taken as such. It is obvious from the way the actors portray their characters that there is a pretty high level of camaraderie between the crew members of Serenity. These kinds of jibes are/would be commonplace in this kind of environment. I agree that this is often a little one-sided but again, there is never anything malicious behind the jokes.
I could go on deconstructing her "well-researched" (it isn't) and "bias-free" (it definitely is not that!) little rant (yes, I am being deliberately condescending) but honestly it makes me too angry to be reminded that there are people who are this ridiculously narrow-minded and downright bigotted in the world. Her assumptions about Whedon's private life are petty, cruel and painfully simple-minded, not to mention unfounded, her anecdotal evidence about interracial couples are almost heartbreaking and overtly racist and her obvious revilement of men in general as well as her flippant use of the word rape which is, as several commentators have pointed out, loaded with connotations that do not even come close to describing what she is trying to, is insensitive and offensive to anyone who has been a victim of what is a physically, emotionally and psychologically damaging attack.
Firefly is not a particularly pro-feminist show (I wouldn't have described any of Whedon's work as particularly feminist but whatever) however it is not the cro-magnon abuse-and-rape-fest that she makes it out to be either. Some of her points, mainly about prostitution being bad in so much as it is not what I would call "good", I can get behind but the abrasive tone and one sidedness of her post literally enrages me. I am half inclined to disregard her entire opinion on anything simply based on how much of a jerk she has made herself out to be.
Jackie Blue:
Not to mention River killed LIKE TWO FUCKING DOZEN REAVERS SINGLE-HANDEDLY.
Oh, but women who use violence are not being "strong", right. Even when they're protecting those they love.
And I just noticed this on the second read-through: What the fuck does THIS mean?
"Mal and Jayne's relationship definitely begs for a feminist examination."
What? Is she saying Jayne is gay? Or Mal is gay? Or is she so blinded by anger she got Jayne and Kaylee's names mixed up even though she's "watched the series twice and read the script blah blah blah"?
Head hurts. Woman make no sense to stupid man like me. Extensive rant about show which aired 6 years ago for 14 episodes bigtime waste of breath.
I never watched Buffy, but I saw absolutely nothing against women in Angel, either.
This has got to be a hoax.
idiolect:
--- Quote from: JimmytheSquid on 27 Mar 2008, 04:26 ---The first scene is in a military context. If Mal is Zoe's superior officer than of course she is going to be calling him "sir" and following his orders.
--- End quote ---
A bunch of people have made this comment, and I've sort of flinched every time, because I know exactly how she's going to react: with indignation that you would be so comfortable with women in a subordinate role that you wouldn't bother to question it. That, of course, isn't really the problem -- what's really the problem is that she did a terrible job of making her original complaint, and just ripped a single line from the script and says SEE SHE CALLS HIM SIR BLAAARGHHH instead of explaining anything. But when you're analyzing something like this, in general, don't just go "well of course, that's how the show is," because the whole thing at issue is why the show is set up that way (e.g. why is Zoe a military subordinate in the first place, etc etc)
NOTE: I do NOT agree with 99.9% of what this self-appointed exemplar of feminism (argh) says, I just think saying what amounts to "well that's how the story is" as if it's some kind of analysis is kind of silly.
Jimmy the Squid:
My criticism is based on how she did not address the fact that it was in a military context. I do see your point and yes my argument does suffer in that respect but my analysis was not of the scene in question but rather her criticism of it. I can appreciate how placing a black female character as subordinate to a white male (and southern, no less!) could be seen as dubious, though in the context of the show I do not see it that way, however my complaint was that the author of the article, for lack of a better word, did not seem to register the context of the characters actions.
Also, in my defense, I would like to think that I wouldn't question the situation if Mal was the subordinate in that relationship. I am trying not to mistake "ought" for "is". The fact of the matter is that that is quite literally how the show is; this is not analysis, it is just the content of the series. I am neither attacking nor defending the show other than the point that in a military relationship, superior officers are referred to as "sir" or "ma'am" (that might need clarification, I am neither in the military nor in the habit of talking to people who are) and their orders are generally followed.
Surgoshan:
--- Quote from: Butch on 26 Mar 2008, 19:27 ---How can there be so much hate in one person that anyone having a different opinion is automatically without merit?
--- End quote ---
Go to church some time. Or a political rally.
--- Quote ---Also, how is all sex rape to this user? I'm thinking personal issues have heavily biased her ideas of the world in very damaging ways.
--- End quote ---
Would calling her "damaged goods" be too dismissive and condescending without explaining enough? She must've been seriously messed up by something.
That or this whole thing is a big, unfunny troll 'joke' of a blag.
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