misogyny round #5,638

likeadeuce linked to two articles about sexism in media. I found them fascinating partly because both articles seem to be a point in the middle of larger arguments that cycle through fandom (and elsewhere) constantly, but imo neither article does a great job of setting up those larger arguments. They left their straw men at home, either because they assumed we’d encountered the arguments so frequently we didn’t need an introduction, or because they didn’t think context was important.

What interested me most about these articles was that they’re talking to each other from opposite sides of an issue, without really seeming to acknowledge or understand each other. I think context is the most important part of these arguments, and part of the reason people so often disagree.

The first article is Kicking Ass, Taking Names, Bubblegum Optional by Sigrid Ellis over at Apex Magazine. Excerpt:

False consciousness is the idea that the oppressed (you, me, women, queers, people of color, most of the planet) cannot recognize the tools of our oppression. That the downtrodden participate in oppressing ourselves while falsely thinking we are making free choices. The lack of diversity in female action heroes means that we are forced into upholding unrealistic standards of appearance, youth, and gender. False consciousness is the idea that we don’t know this — that we can’t see the problem. False consciousness tells me that I can’t admire female action heroes without buying all the rest of the crap. This is, frankly, bullshit.

[. . .] Could I wish that not every female action hero be scantily clad? I could. I do. But I refuse to agree that the clothes a woman wears — even a character in a film, dressed by corporate filmmakers — somehow makes her less of a fucking badass.

The second article is Escher Girl’s post, On Female Characters. Excerpt:

I am tired of being told to like female characters.

(This post has been edited a little to more accurately define false consciousness :o) Thanks, lynnenne!

( So obviously, these people are talking about the same thing. )