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Feminism: Sex and gender discussions

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Original poster

Disappointed to read author was pressurised to add a trans woman character to The Power

102 replies

BKingso · 13/04/2023 23:10

The Power is a great feminist novel from a few years ago. I was looking forward to the tv series and I am enjoying it so far. Disappointed to see the author was apparently pressurised to add a trans woman to a story about teenage girls getting super powers.

www.cinemablend.com/interviews/the-power-author-talks-adding-a-transgender-character-to-her-story-and-introducing-more-diversity-into-the-series

OP posts:
MagpiePi · 14/04/2023 11:38

Apologies if this spoils the story for people watching the tv series, I’m not watching it but, I read the book a few years ago and I’m sure there was a sub plot about some men trying to transplant the physical source of the power (something to do with the clavicle?) into a man, and it didn’t really work.

So introducing a transwoman into the tv version who gets the power because he thinks he’s a woman, or takes cross sex hormones, or has moobs or wears stereotypical women’s clothes or whatever, is non-sensical.
Maybe NA was a terf when she wrote the book but has bowed to TRA pressures now?

Original poster
BKingso · 14/04/2023 11:46

ditalini · 14/04/2023 11:09

Someone mentioned VOX - it had been optioned and a screenplay had been drafted, but it won't be made because... yes they did it there too and Christina Dalcher said No.

https://twitter.com/CV_Dalcher/status/1641076739458711553?s=20

OMG.

They tried to turn a woman in VOX into a bio male.

I'm speechless. This should be a joke.

OP posts:
Original poster
BKingso · 14/04/2023 11:56

MarkWithaC · 14/04/2023 10:48

I read a Guardian interview with her recently. She came across as a bit of a fence-sitter/don't scare the horses TWAW-lite. here

This is a lot better than the article linked in the OP. I think she sounds like she had both arms twisted right up her back in that one.

OP posts:
Theimpossiblegirl · 14/04/2023 11:59

ditalini · 14/04/2023 11:09

Someone mentioned VOX - it had been optioned and a screenplay had been drafted, but it won't be made because... yes they did it there too and Christina Dalcher said No.

https://twitter.com/CV_Dalcher/status/1641076739458711553?s=20

If I hadn't already bought all of her books I would buy them to show support for her stance. Well done Christina Dalcher.

Original poster
BKingso · 14/04/2023 12:02

I'm so impressed with Christina Dalcher.

I read VOX straight after The Power a while ago and I was thinking throughout that VOX is begging to be made into a film.

Hats off to you CD. I wish this was more widely known, what she bravely did.

OP posts:
TheCountessofFitzdotterel · 14/04/2023 12:05

Theimpossiblegirl · 14/04/2023 11:59

If I hadn't already bought all of her books I would buy them to show support for her stance. Well done Christina Dalcher.

Show quote history

Do you recommend the others? Which is better?
I have avoided them because I had some issues with Vox but this is making me want to read them and they are reasonably priced on Kindle at the moment.

Original poster
BKingso · 14/04/2023 12:17

Good idea @Theimpossiblegirl I've linked this thread to The Power thread on telly addicts too.

Seems to be the same feeling over there as here.

OP posts:
Theimpossiblegirl · 14/04/2023 12:34

I loved Q. Femlandia was a slow burner but I'm glad I stuck with it.

TheCountessofFitzdotterel · 14/04/2023 12:42

Theimpossiblegirl · 14/04/2023 12:34

I loved Q. Femlandia was a slow burner but I'm glad I stuck with it.

Thanks x

EmpressaurusOfCats · 14/04/2023 12:56

Also thanks, I’ll pick Q & Femlandia up.

RhinestoneCowgirl · 14/04/2023 13:06

I have Audible credits so have just downloaded Vox, thanks for the recommendation.

littlbrowndog · 14/04/2023 13:14

Och we just watched first eposide of the power

not gonna watch anymore. What a fucking letdown

cant we have anything at all

IsadoraQuagmire · 14/04/2023 13:24

I've never heard of the book or the TV show, but one glance at that photo makes it clear that the nun is being played by a man.
I've started watching (and switched off) a few shows recently where the viewers are apparently expected to believe a great hulking male is an actual woman or girl.

TragicMuse · 14/04/2023 13:58

I though the book was ok, but stopped just as it was getting interesting and was nowhere near as good or important as people seemed to think it was! Sorry! The premise was good, the execution was limited.

And of course they have added a trans character. Of course they bloody have. There is nothing that won't be taken from us, even a tv programme about women has to be invaded in the name of 'fairness' and balance.

I don't recall the same fuss made about any programme where the majority of characters are men.

Can't imagine why...

Original poster
BKingso · 14/04/2023 15:10

My DP is really enjoying it so I'll persevere and watch the rest of it and report back.

OP posts:
nepeta · 14/04/2023 18:50

It must be an odd intellectual state to hold two things together as the truth when they can't both be true. Either 'woman' is an adult female human being or 'woman' is something undefined, an idea, which anyone can have. Both definitions can't be true at the same time, however kind someone wishes to be.

There would have been better ways to be kind to transgender people than simply handing over our words, spaces, awards etc.

howdoesatoastermaketoast · 14/04/2023 19:05

@MiddleagedBadTemperedWoman I think that this is the one corner of the internet where I tend to assume people are middle aged bad tempered women until proven otherwise.

Why I feel at home here

MiddleagedBadTemperedWoman · 14/04/2023 19:19

howdoesatoastermaketoast · 14/04/2023 19:05

@MiddleagedBadTemperedWoman I think that this is the one corner of the internet where I tend to assume people are middle aged bad tempered women until proven otherwise.

Why I feel at home here

I think I've been one since childhood! Finally my actual age has caught up!

howdoesatoastermaketoast · 14/04/2023 19:42

Oh me too!

beastlyslumber · 14/04/2023 20:14

Me three.

turbonerd · 14/04/2023 21:52

BKingso · 14/04/2023 00:00

I was even thinking to myself "oh I hope they don't shoehorn a transwoman character into this" so I was kind of looking out for it. At the end of ep 4 when sister Maria is saying how the main nun is really progressive and saved her when she was disowned it's hinted really strongly Sis Maria was born male. Then I googled it and found that article.

Maria says it outright:
»so I said to my family I am not the man you believe me to be». So not only hinted at.

He is a Nice enough character, but if he gets the Power I will be well miffed.

turbonerd · 14/04/2023 21:53

I have watched 4 episodes thus far.
Very good, will se how it continues.

Original poster
BKingso · 14/04/2023 21:54

I just watched episode 4, I found the scenes in Saudi Arabia really moving.

OP posts:
Fallingdownhouse · 14/04/2023 22:11

I wrote this in the other thread about the show, but I'd be interested in your thoughts:
I read the book a couple of years ago and have watched the first three episodes. I thought the quality of the show was pretty high, with some excellent actors (love Toni Collette) so I was surprised by the IMDB rating of 5.4 when the show started (it's now 5.9). Given the feminist leaning of the book, I wonder if there's a campaign to downgrade it?

Re the TW character I did roll my eyes at that, especially given there’s no TM counter character (so far). It did feel like the TW character was being used to fill in some of the world building narrative and won’t be a central character, so no harm. I will throw my remote through the screen if the TW gets The Power however!

EmpressaurusOfCats · 15/04/2023 10:59

If it’s about oestrogen rather than chromosomes, a TW getting the power sounds perfectly possible… Hmm

except that (trying to avoid spoilers here) there comes a point when it would presumably be impossible for them to get hold of hormones, so it would then go back to being sex-based.