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

[JeanneDeMontbaston]

Indulge me here. Where would you start with the perfect feminist (fictional) bloke?

I quite like Joss Whedon's men, but they all tend to have a worrying streak of misogyny/evil in them.

And if someone suggests Gilbert Blythe, I may have to become aggressive and silencing.

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 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.

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.

Valar morghulis.

Don't kill Tara you evil person.

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

Nooo! Harry is a terrible feminist ally.

He is a teenage boy, admittedly.

But it should be Hermione's book.

jackie - yes, Prof Bhaer. I was practically married to him. I think he is a bit patronizing, but then Alcott is, isn't she? But I do like how he gives her space instead of assuming she'll like him, and does really worry she won't.

I actually think Laurie isn't awful, when he gets past the teenage arrogance.

sabrina - oh, I just don't think Gilbert is perfect.

He's not bad at all.

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.

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.

Has nobody seen Parks and Recreation? Surely a huge portion of this feminist man would be made up of Ben Wyatt! (I do love him quite a lot, so I'm slightly outraged )

George Cooper from The Song of the Lioness Quartet by Tamora Pierce (YA fantasy).

He's the only one of Alannah's lovers to accept her for exactly who she is. Jon wants her to wear more dresses and Liam prefers her to be solely a fighter, whereas George just loves her for her and doesn't try to restrict her in any way.

Also, continuing the Tamora Pierce theme, Raoul and Neal from the Protector of the Small quartet.

Why should it be Hermione's book? Confused, but I don't want to derail.

Oh God yeah, George Cooper - so preferable to Jon! He just supports her doesn't he? To be who she is.

Atticus Finch? Struggling to recall as it's be years since I read the book

Albus Dumbledore

Whatshisface from little women. The 'poor professor'? He didnt appear to feel Jo should be held back because she was female (admittedly I've only read the first book, which he wasnt in, and basing this on the film!)

In many ways the absolute antithesis of a feminist ally, I loved the way Mick Carter in Eastenders (Danny Dyer - I know, I know) responded to his wife's rape. He didn't doubt her for a second, although many others did. That's just one facet to his character, but I think he showed real strength and understanding when she told him.
Also, DH says a lot of Star Trek characters are feminist allies eg Chakotay (I don't watch it because it's for boys - JOKING )

Has nobody seen Parks and Recreation? Surely a huge portion of this feminist man would be made up of Ben Wyatt! (I do love him quite a lot, so I'm slightly outraged)

I opened this thread to say exactly this! Ben is my TV Husband

The Andy / April relationship is quite beautiful too...of course, he was an arse at the beginning of the series when he was with Ann, but the writers reinvented him quite a bit after that. At the end he's willing to give up his dream job so April can pursue hers. That's pretty good.

Harry Potter is def feminist - has no problem with being outsmarted by a woman and is capable of being friends with a woman without seeing her as a sex object. (Why I settle for Ron is another mystery altogether)

Will in the dark materials trilogy

yonic - yes, to be fair, he does acknowledge jealousy as his problem. And he is kind to Ginny when she has a crush on him and he doesn't reciprocate - or, more importantly, he doesn't cotton on she has a crush for ages, because he doesn't assume it would be the case (and that's rare, and rather sweet).

But, but ... no, sorry, he's not a feminist. He accepts Hermione is clever, but cleverness is devalued to mean book-smart. Hermione is rarely credited with world-changing intelligence. That's what he has. And he never fails to notice her weaknesses - he knows exactly which spells she can't do and he can.

The biggest issue is that he never makes it become her story, though. Sorry! I blame him for JEK.

JEK?

JKR.

Hmm, Hermione says that about herself though, the book smart thing.... Though the Patronus in the Wizengamot was needless, I agree.

It's bollocks about the book smart anyway, Hermione knows loads of useful and life saving spells that aren't necessarily DAtDA ones.

Shall we settle for him being more feminist than the average teen boy protagonist?

But a good feminist wouldn't accept a woman doing herself down.

And, and ...!

No, we can totally accept that.

Can I have Montalbano? He is happy that Livia has a high powered job. He is with her through her infertility and adoption struggle. All the women are allowed to shag about as much as the men in the books without having to be punished for it.

Trice - can we share? (But only the older one clearly).

I've not got into Montalbano, but someone gave me the DVDs so I should.

I just wanted to say, I've curled up with the Anne DVD this morning (which I'd never seen before) and I am coming round to Gilbert as he is in these. Bless.

Sam Beckett from Quantum Leap!

Can't think of any instance of him being anti feminist.

He always supports the 'women libbers' he meets.