If you could build the perfect feminist bloke from existing fictional characters ...

I agree it should be Hermione's book. But Harry sees Hermione and Ginny as people, don't you think? When he's jealous of Ginny's dates, he acknowledges this as his problem, not hers.

Everard Barfoot in George Gissing's "The Odd Women". Published in 1893.

Thomas More as in "A Man for All Seasons" but most likely not as he really was.

Harry himself is pretty feminist ally, I think. Ron less so.

Valar morghulis.

Don't kill Tara you evil person.

Trills I've seen The Newsroom. The combination of the poorly-constructed and dreadfully written characters played by Emily Mortimer and Alison Pill did my head in. I didn't completely hate the show but I could cheerfully have taken Mac and Maggie, lined them up against a wall with Tara and Kennedy out of Buffy and shot all four.

I can't think of anyone in Game if Thrones, except possibly the eunuch, or the soldier with the face that changed, who gave Arya the coin and told her she could come to him.

What about Ricki in my so-called life?
He is forgiving and understanding and refuses to use a girl to 'fit in'.

David in Roseanne does at times seem decent but then there are episodes where he's a creepy stalker ex, tries to pressurise darlene into sex, comes out with a right clanger on gendered roles in the home. Hmm, not so good after all...

Atticus Finch- afaicr he doesn't treat his dd as worth less than her dbro. He does employ a black maid though.

Harry Potter? (Not read the books)

Uncle Buck? He doesn't criticise the daughter for going out etc but maybe he's not a very good dp to his partner

Ray from ER?
John from ER? He does let Anna think he's broke though

Peter Parker/Spider-Man he loves his gran and what I've seen from a couple of films is quite respectful of M-J

The German professor Jo in little women ends up with.

Jim in yes, minister- he tries to bring in a quota policy for women in the civil service but the system conspires against him. He seems decent to his wife.

Brandon from BH 90210? He's pitched as the good guy. Are there episodes where he falls short? (I only ever watched the first couple of series)

I mean "Young" Jolyon.

I am considering Jolyon from The Forsyte Saga.

He was the only one who understood what Irene had gone through.

Oh, sorry!!!! I'm getting my threads mixed up! I thought you had something against Gilbert Blythe!!!

If you do, please feel free to elaborate - always interested in a feminist analysis. But I love Gilbert Blythe at the moment.

Pieter - yes a bit humourless definitely. And I found him annoying for some reason, he's not my 'feminist bloke' - but I never warmed to Gale at all, so she had a really rubbish choice of men really!

Pieter is another one who seems to respect and admire the woman's ability without attempting to take her over and control her. He lied to her but in order to keep her safe not to trick her into doing things he wants and she doesn't.

The one that isn't Pieter treats katniss fairly equally, no?

Btw - I think strong feminist women are easier to find in fiction that feminist blokes. It seems easy to put a strong female in a film or book that otherwise subscribes to fairly misogynistic standards.

How about Pieter from Hunger Games?

Jean - what's up with Giles? You have to tell me!

I liked Ross from friends till the MN thread....

Although the series has a few issues from a feminist viewpoint, David Weber's Honor Harrington military SF series is mostly populated by non-misogynistic types. Even the misogynistic ones mostly see the light once they get their faces rubbed in it.

Star Wars and its Expanded Universe doesn't do badly. Admiral Ackbar is the fleet commander at Endor, tribpot. But the head of the rebellion, the one who built it from the ground up, is a woman (Mon Mothma). The first two Heads of State of the New Republic are women (Mon Mothma and Leia) and the new Jedi order seems to be around 50:50 (haven't counted, I must admit). The prequel movies were terrible, though. Amidala does a pretty good job in the first one, but is reduced to pretty much nothing but a pregnant tummy by the third one.

Helo is brilliant - he's also the first (I think) to take the point of view of just because they are not human doesn't mean they are not PEOPLE, which is fairly feminist.

I loved Matt Smith's doctor - and I loved River Song even more. The Doctor is normally the know-all, but River Song was ahead of him in every way, adn she could re-generate, so she was his equal.

Which is strange, because I don't like seven Moffet's writing so much - but he got that bit right.

I'd also take Darcy in the PD James version (forget what it's called) because he clearly respects her, and she argues back to him so well. But I haven't read the book, just watched the bbc version.

But I've found this surprisingly difficult to answer! There are not many are there?

tribpot if you like the West Wing, you should watch The Newsroom.

I don't mind Leia delegating - every good leader knows it's important to have good people to do that jobs that you either do not want to do or cannot do.

And no to the West Wing. Whenever they strayed near feminism they got it horribly wrong. At one point Josh refers to women as a minority. Erm, 52% of the population is the smaller half? Yuck.

Matt Smith's doctor is pretty good, and there was very little "all men together" wankery between him and Rory. In fact, there were quite a few references to how Amy was a more dominant character without her being all fierce and shouty.

Parts of the good guy in Bridget Jones (Colin Firth's character). He actually seems to have quite a lot of respect and admiration for her (fck knows why) and in spite of how important his job is can make time for her. Also doesn't hold a grudge against her. Not perfect though, and don't go near the second book as he seems to have a complete character transplant.

Lurcio - I don't see it as being about sex, but happiness. Admittedly Buffy doesn't have a marvellous time when her boyf goes apeshit but better than the idea of her being turned to the dark side by sex.

Which brings me to .. Han Solo. There may be aspects of the dialog that could stand updating but it's not like he tries to put Leia down as a woman (who could, she is the Boss). I'm less thrilled at the idea that Leia can't command the fleet herself but has Admiral funny-face do it for her (I would look it up in Wookeepedia but can't be arsed!) but that's not on Han.

West Wing characters - it's hard not to view them through the lens of some of Sorkin's dreadful writing (and I think the West Wing is the best written show on TV ever). Josh certainly not, Bartlet I think yes - this quote always makes me laugh:
ABBEY: It was a perfectly lovely homily on Ephesians 5:21. "Husbands, love your wives, as Christ loved the church and gave himself up for her."
BARTLET: Yeah. She's skipping over the part that says, "Wives, be subject to your husbands as to the Lord, for a husband is the head of a wife as Christ is the head of the church."
ABBEY: I do skip over that part.
BARTLET: Why?
ABBEY: Because it's stupid!

Parlabane's fine from the feminist POV, but attracts too much trouble to be the perfect partner, I'd say