A small rant

[SunshineBossaNova]

I watched Heat again the other night. I've loved it in the past. Great performances, Pacino vs De Niro, blah blah blah. And something occurred to me.

Heat is about the lives of men*. How they have adventures, and their relationships with each other.

The women in Heat serve merely as stereotypes to show quite how shitty the bad guys are, and how great the good(ish) guys. Young prostitute murdered by her client, battered wife, adoring girlfriend, neglected wife, loving but troubled teenage stepdaughter who has been let down by her (shitty) dad.

I spent a long time ignoring or being unaware of women's place in the world, and feminist issues. Now I can't stop having my nose rubbed in to how women are not actually people, unlike men.

* Other films are available

[TheDoctrineOfSnatch]

Good rant.

[CuntyBunty]

It's bad when you start to notice, isn't it? I'm a cyclist and have always followed The Tour De France. I know this year, that I'm going to not enjoy it as much; watching the men cycle and then be presented with their jerseys at the end of each stage by beautiful women. Men "do", women "adorn"

[NeedAdvice2014]

I felt like this watching Lawless. Well directed and good acting but the female characters are just plot devices to illustrate the men, they don't really have characters individually.

[SunshineBossaNova]

I'm glad it's not just me.

I have the FEMINIST RAGE today, which includes (but is not limited to) women in the media, the 'pro-life' thread, the Josie Cunningham petition (it's a thing)...

Oh, and my Chaucer essay. Medieval misogyny!

[TheDoctrineOfSnatch]

There's a petition?

Oh fuckity Doo dah

[CaptChaos]

A petition?

Asking for what?

There really is no depth to which certain sections of the media will sink, is there?

[SunshineBossaNova]

A petition on change.org asking that she never be allowed on television.
Someone started a thread on here and I reported it.

Sometimes, I hate people.

[CaptChaos]

Really?

Dear goddess! Don't these people have anything better to do? There are real issues in the world, that poor woman needs help and support.

I give up with people sometimes!

[SunshineBossaNova]

It's the 10 minute hate.

I've been a sneaky DM reader for ages. I don't want to join in with the hate, not even tacitly, so I'm going to stop.

[CaptChaos]

No surprises there. They've distracted people again from actual issues by holding up yet another woman to ridicule.

[CuntyBunty]

I just looked up Josie Cunningham. I feel sick and I really hope I never have to see her on TV, or anywhere else.

[sisterbrute]

I noticed on my freeview the other day that there is a new channel called movies4men - just movies then..

[SunshineBossaNova]

That'd be different in what respect from all the other channels, I wonder?

[Callani]

Yep discovering the Bechdel test really opens your eyes to how badly women are portrayed in films.

I'd recommend this Onion article for some lighthearted relief...

[SunshineBossaNova]

I saw Othello at the weekend and IIRC it passes the Bechdel test. But the women are both then murdered by their husbands so...

[noblegiraffe]

I've been watching Agents of Shield and actually thinking that while it's trash, it's refreshing that women are very well represented. The most kick-ass character is female, there's a pair of brilliant scientists, one male, one female, the top computer hacker is female, and they get equal screen time, their own stories and go out on missions rather than being wimpy love interests.

[NeedAdvice2014]

I'm really going to be missing the point spectacularly here, but I wondered what Chaucer you're reading? If it's Patient Griselda I see how it would rile you, but on the whole his depictions of women compare pretty favourably to the era - St. Jerome and the like.

Ok, as you were.

[SunshineBossaNova]

It's the Franklin's Tale, where all the men have 'gentilese' and use shame to control Dorigen's actions. But yes, poor Griselda makes my teeth itch and Chaucer's generally pretty good with women.

[DoctorTwo]

I watch Agents of Shield noble and couldn't think what was different about it.

[LyndaCartersBigPants]

Criminal Minds is a good one, two strong female FBI officers in the team and a fab computer hacker turned technician who is feisty, funny and extremely clever - love her!

I've also been watching Suits, which I remember loving the first time round and still do. There are a couple of great characters in that, however, I've noticed some slightly uncomfortable 'flirting to get what they want' type behaviour in the last few episodes, which spoils it a bit for me. I wanted them to be successful on their merits, not because their male bosses can't stop staring at their boobs.

The managing partner of the firm is a formidable woman though, so I'm still loving it.

[Astarael]

Agents of Shield is fab!

[RunsWithScissors]

All joss whedon is brilliant. I was saying to dh last week that the brilliance of his shows is it seems likes the scripts are written without assigning a gender beforehand (with the exception of Buffy summers). If you look at firefly, agents of shield, etc. you really could substitute a male/female into any role and it wouldn't change the story. Even more so, he doesn't make a big deal about the women being kickass... it's just accepted.

Battlestar Galactica (the new series from a few years ago) is also good for this.

[GatoradeMeBitch]

Mm, I'm not so sure about Joss Whedon. I was disappointed by the 'mewling quim' line (from Loki to the Black Widow) when I took DS to see The Avengers at the cinema. I know Loki is supposed to be evil, but no male character was humiliated and diminished in that way.