Buffy/Angel Rewatch: feminist nit-picking.
Ok. This isn't specific to any episode in particular, but rather the entire series. And this is something that's been bugging me since the start. Of course, it's just my feminist brain being pedantic, and it doesn't stop me from enjoying the show, but it's there and I felt I should post about it.
You see, there is a feeling in the show that normal women aren't good enough: that only women with enhanced magical powers are strong/worthy/heroes etc.
On the surface this is preposterous. We see all female characters being treated with respect, not just the magical ones. But let's just have a look at the facts and consider the subtext.
Magical/Strong Women
- Buffy: the hero. Has super strength and abilities (given to her, indirectly, by men). Lives, and goes on to "empower" other women (more on this later.)
- Willow: the friend. Although magical, it is obvious that her abilities give her too much power. Ultimately, she is tamed by 2 men (Giles and Xander), who go on to repress her magical talents. Lives.
- Tara: magical, but does not use her magic abilities much. Dies.
- Cordelia: although human initially, she becomes a sympathetic main character, and a hero, when she inherits magical abilities. Dies.
The Others
- Anya: although human for much of the show, she previously had powers. Dies as a human.
- Dawn: technically magical in origin, but has no powers. Lives, but after her magical side is taken away, she fades into the background.
- Joyce: human. Dies.
- Fred: human. Dies.
There we go. I'll let you all draw your own conclusions from that, because this isn't going to be a huge meta. Of course there are other issues apparent here, like how even other magically enhanced women are either weaker (Tara) or dangerous/evil (Willow and Cordy), while Buffy is, well the best.
But I'll end on this. At the end of the show, Buffy makes all the Potentials Slayers. Moral greyness aside, this isn't the empowering message Joss wished to send. On the surface it says "we can all be Slayers! We are all strong! Empowerment wooh!". But let's consider this. Buffy has been shown to be better than other women (and men, but that's not the point of this) throughout the show. She's the Chosen One. There is no "you're awesome just as you are" message at the end. No. The message buried deep is that we aren't good just as we are. We have to be magical to be strong, to be good, to be worthy. To be heroes.
Discuss!
~Lili
You see, there is a feeling in the show that normal women aren't good enough: that only women with enhanced magical powers are strong/worthy/heroes etc.
On the surface this is preposterous. We see all female characters being treated with respect, not just the magical ones. But let's just have a look at the facts and consider the subtext.
Magical/Strong Women
- Buffy: the hero. Has super strength and abilities (given to her, indirectly, by men). Lives, and goes on to "empower" other women (more on this later.)
- Willow: the friend. Although magical, it is obvious that her abilities give her too much power. Ultimately, she is tamed by 2 men (Giles and Xander), who go on to repress her magical talents. Lives.
- Tara: magical, but does not use her magic abilities much. Dies.
- Cordelia: although human initially, she becomes a sympathetic main character, and a hero, when she inherits magical abilities. Dies.
The Others
- Anya: although human for much of the show, she previously had powers. Dies as a human.
- Dawn: technically magical in origin, but has no powers. Lives, but after her magical side is taken away, she fades into the background.
- Joyce: human. Dies.
- Fred: human. Dies.
There we go. I'll let you all draw your own conclusions from that, because this isn't going to be a huge meta. Of course there are other issues apparent here, like how even other magically enhanced women are either weaker (Tara) or dangerous/evil (Willow and Cordy), while Buffy is, well the best.
But I'll end on this. At the end of the show, Buffy makes all the Potentials Slayers. Moral greyness aside, this isn't the empowering message Joss wished to send. On the surface it says "we can all be Slayers! We are all strong! Empowerment wooh!". But let's consider this. Buffy has been shown to be better than other women (and men, but that's not the point of this) throughout the show. She's the Chosen One. There is no "you're awesome just as you are" message at the end. No. The message buried deep is that we aren't good just as we are. We have to be magical to be strong, to be good, to be worthy. To be heroes.
Discuss!
~Lili