Comic Discussion > QUESTIONABLE CONTENT

WCDT 25-29 Apr 2011 (1911-1915)

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CompSarge:

--- Quote from: LoveJaneAusten on 29 Apr 2011, 14:29 ---
--- Quote from: pwhodges on 29 Apr 2011, 13:04 ---So, even though the comic has portrayed at least one other lesbian who is not like Tai, and other gays who are also different, you feel that the portrayal of Tai should specifically avoid being like a particular stereotype that you are conscious of? 

As I said before, I can't say that I am conscious of that exact stereotype, so maybe others, Jeph even, are not - certainly the (poor) Wikipedia article on LGBT stereotypes doesn't seem to point to there being a common stereotype specifically like Tai, nor this Yahoo Answers.

--- End quote ---

No, I am not making a claim as to what the comic should or shouldn't do. I am recognizing that it exists in a media context, and that it is participating in a stereotype common in the media. Other portrayals of lesbians aren't very relevant to how this particular instance operates in perpetuating the stereotype. The fact that you're not conscious of that stereotype doesn't mean it doesn't exist, and Yahoo answers is perhaps not the most authoritative source here. Feminist and GLBT blogs would be a better place to look; see Jezebel's list of Lesbian Cliches and Stereotypes, in particular under Lifestyle, where it says, "Partner choices: Recruiting straight women preferred". I'm not sure how anyone could deny that homosexuals in media are portrayed as sex-obsessed. It is incredibly common.

--- End quote ---

Following that logic, the entire cast of QC is a walking stereotype, because OMG THEY'RE PEOPLE WHO WANT TO HAVE SEX AUGUBLUAHLUAHAUHALAH!!11!  :roll:

Guess what; every orientation is portrayed as "sex-obsessed" in the media, because in effect it's true. Does it mean it's 100% correct? No. Do we all think it's true because the media says it's true? No. The only people who really care about the "stereotypes" are people who are looking for something to get offended about. Yes, one female character is less inhibited than social norms dictate. Let's look at her background:

1) She is a member of an all-girls college, where women tend to walk around in next to nothing because they don't have any reason to cover up.

2) She periodically has random sex with girls that are mutually interested in her, and has no idea how things work in "the real world" of relationships.

3) She has an intense crush on Dora, which has been heavily hinted at since her induction to the cast. People do stupid things around people they like, regardless of orientation.

Stop finding fault where none exists.

Heliphyneau:

--- Quote from: daryljfontaine on 29 Apr 2011, 04:24 ---<-- I was inspired.

D

--- End quote ---

Your new avatar just won the thread.  +1

Mr_Rose:

--- Quote from: CompSarge on 29 Apr 2011, 14:44 ---3) She has an intense crush on Dora, which has been heavily hinted at since her induction to the cast. People do stupid things around people they like, regardless of orientation.

--- End quote ---
Further to 3); not just a romantic crush either; the dynamic has a little bit of "big sister I want to be like (when I grow up)" in there too; Tai seems to see Dora as a mature (ha!) successful role model, as well as the hot italo-swede she wants to fall in love with.
Those are all powerful spurs toward silly behaviour. :psyduck:

Edit: @LoveJaneAusten; where are you getting "Partner choices: Recruiting straight women preferred" from exactly? Which straight woman do you think Tai is recruiting here? Or if you don't think that's what she's doing, why did you mention it?

pwhodges:

--- Quote from: LoveJaneAusten on 29 Apr 2011, 14:29 ---The fact that you're not conscious of that stereotype doesn't mean it doesn't exist, and Yahoo answers is perhaps not the most authoritative source here.
--- End quote ---

My point was not just that the stereotype you seem to be describing was not listed, but also that as there are apparently a considerable number of different stereotypes, the force of any one is correspondingly reduced.


--- Quote ---see Jezebel's list of Lesbian Cliches and Stereotypes, in particular under Lifestyle,
--- End quote ---

I'd tried looking there earlier and found nothing except stuff about the royal wedding and suchlike!  I guess that I have to log in to get any pertinent stuff, which I'm not inclined to do, thanks (either that, or it's geographically limited).

LoveJaneAusten:

--- Quote from: CompSarge on 29 Apr 2011, 14:44 ---Following that logic, the entire cast of QC is a walking stereotype, because OMG THEY'RE PEOPLE WHO WANT TO HAVE SEX AUGUBLUAHLUAHAUHALAH!!11!  :roll:

Guess what; every orientation is portrayed as "sex-obsessed" in the media, because in effect it's true.

--- End quote ---
That doesn't really make sense, and the treatment of lesbians and gays in the media is not at all equivalent to the treatment of straight people in the media. They really are characterized in particular ways, largely because they are minorities. Furthermore, the effects of portrayals of straights, lesbians, and gays in the media are not equivalent, either.



--- Quote from: tender on 29 Apr 2011, 14:51 ---
--- Quote from: LoveJaneAusten on 29 Apr 2011, 14:29 ---sigh.gif
--- End quote ---

"It is sooooo cliché for lesbians to not wear bras. Shame on Jeph for perpetuating those sinister media narratives! Especially when the character gets naked in such an alarming way. I mean, I'm not shaming him... and it's not a matter of what he should or shouldn't do as a writer. Even though I said was 'disappointed to see her treated as essentially a walking stereotype.' I'm just asking everyone to recognize that the third panel Questionable Content #1915 exists in the scope of the global meta-narrative of lesbian stereotypes in media, and want to awaken everyone's consciousness of those stereotypes."

--- End quote ---
I'm not sure if you don't understand my critique or are deliberately avoiding it, but I don't think I've shamed Jeph for anything. My disappointment at another example of lesbian stereotypes in media is not the same as casting shame, and in fact Jeph could easily use QC to subvert certain harmful stereotypes, which would be great. It seems that a lot of people really do need their eyes opened to these sorts of problems in media. One of the things about entertainment media is that it can be subtle in how it thematizes subjects, so I think it's especially important to have these conversations. Regardless, sarcastically and ironically putting words in my mouth to mischaracterize my argument isn't very constructive as far as conversations go.


--- Quote from: Mr_Rose on 29 Apr 2011, 14:57 ---Edit: @LoveJaneAusten; where are you getting "Partner choices: Recruiting straight women preferred" from exactly? Which straight woman do you think Tai is recruiting here? Or if you don't think that's what she's doing, why did you mention it?

--- End quote ---
I did, actually. I pointed out that Tai attempts to strip Faye. I think she actually has hit on Faye before, but I don't even know where in the archives to look. Oh, for a search function...


--- Quote from: pwhodges on 29 Apr 2011, 15:02 ---I'd tried looking there earlier and found nothing except stuff about the royal wedding and suchlike!  I guess that I have to log in to get any pertinent stuff, which I'm not inclined to do, thanks (either that, or it's geographically limited).

--- End quote ---
Oh! I'm sorry, it must be geographically limited, since I can see it and I don't have a Jezebel account. Anyway, I quoted the most relevant stereotype ("Partner choices: Recruiting straight women preferred").

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