Women in the Jossverse
I review a lot and tend to get wordy. While doing a review the character of Lilah came up and I started to reply to the authors response but as it got longer and more off topic decided to post it here instead. I wonder if other saw the same things I did or if I've misread the subtext, missed something that others have caught.
We always hear how Buffy is a feminist show, a show that promotes girl power and YAY enlightened Joss.
I LOVE every bit of the show and all the characters for their perfect imperfections. I don't think the show's beauty and strength is all to be laid at any one persons feet though. At times I think it actually achieved it's greatness in SPITE of those creating it! Happy, beautiful accidents aplenty and a perfect storm of writing, acting and so forth.
Oh yeah! About...women in the whole verse...that's where I was going. I think the woman power vibes are one of those "in spite of" things I was talking about.
Willow could have still been a powerful, useful and interesting character just because of her intellect. They showed her being recruited in HIGH SCHOOL by a Gates type character. She was more than merely talented. It was not enough they had to give her mad magic skills then in the end amp it up to near goddess status.
Cordy was a fabulous character who really came into her own on Angel as she matured. She grounded Angel and called him on his shit. She kept him financially solvent. Again that was not enough...they had to first make her half demon (they could have given her the visions without having to upgrade her to make her "strong enough" to handle them...humans have visions without being demons in RL or so they claim). Again not enough they had to elevate her to a Power.
Anya was the opposite...started powerful but when she became a human woman she was IGNORED and insulted! Marginalized by all of them who never listened or even asked about things that a thousand years of being around would have made her a logical "go-to" person for info! They made her a demon again only to have her deep in shame for what she did with her power and then they killed her while saving Andew.
Joyce was human. She was peripheral for the most part and in time killed.
Tara was a natural witch who never got to display her own power not even when she joined the group. They always differed to Willow even though Tara had more practical knowledge. Her tenderness and nurturing made her appear weak. When she did display strength of character by leaving Willow she lost most contact except for Dawn and had to weaken and go back only to be killed.
On Angel the pattern continued...I've already addressed Cordy but Lilah is another example of a human woman of power who is clever and ambitious but ultimately seen to be controlled by powerful males (Senior Partners...same with Eve). When she does "win" she has to share with Lindsey. Any time she exerts power she gets smacked down (probably a good thing because she bats for the bad guys) and ultimately dies.
Darla was a powerful vampire and should have seemed as such but she abdicated that power deferring to Angel, a young man she lusted after. SHE should have been the group leader by all rights. When she came back as a human she felt totally powerless and yearned for and regained her supernatural boost.
Poor Dru was marginalized by her mental/emotional handicaps. Those handicaps were caused by Angel having exploited her tender, nurturing, loving "womanly" heart by killing and torturing all she loved and breaking down her life. The traits society seem to ascribe to the female were he weak point and the very thing that allowed her to be destroyed.
Then there is Fred....another Willow! She is highly intelligent and has mad skills in science. She is quite able to be an asset jut like that but in Joss' world it was not enough. Along with everyone acting like she needed to be protected and coddled she had to be upgraded! Not only was she replaced in her own skin with an old one but a male old one (it was the GOD Illyria, not Goddess). THEN she was a power to reckon with.
Buffy, of course only was strong where her Slayer self was concerned and that was again upgraded human! The girl side was the one seeking, NEEDING the approval of others, insecure in her own choices and needs and easily led.
Dawn is pure mystical though her potential powers aren't explored in canon the implication is they MIGHT be there. When her mystical or potential mystical traits aren't front and center she is treated as an annoyance and one who must constantly be rescued.
Then there are all those Potentials who were mostly cannon fodder, targets to be protected UNTIL they are activated and have that supernatural boost of power.
Women, even intelligent and powerful women seem to not have value unless supernaturally upgraded throughout. Those that don't are killed.
Oddly I think you could even put William into that category as well...until his upgrade he was rather like the women and when his power was leashed by the chip the males on the show treated him like they did Anya...no respect and highly marginalized.
Just something I noticed. I love the show and characters but wonder how it got the rep. for being a girl power model?
*hugs*
Kathleen
We always hear how Buffy is a feminist show, a show that promotes girl power and YAY enlightened Joss.
I LOVE every bit of the show and all the characters for their perfect imperfections. I don't think the show's beauty and strength is all to be laid at any one persons feet though. At times I think it actually achieved it's greatness in SPITE of those creating it! Happy, beautiful accidents aplenty and a perfect storm of writing, acting and so forth.
Oh yeah! About...women in the whole verse...that's where I was going. I think the woman power vibes are one of those "in spite of" things I was talking about.
Willow could have still been a powerful, useful and interesting character just because of her intellect. They showed her being recruited in HIGH SCHOOL by a Gates type character. She was more than merely talented. It was not enough they had to give her mad magic skills then in the end amp it up to near goddess status.
Cordy was a fabulous character who really came into her own on Angel as she matured. She grounded Angel and called him on his shit. She kept him financially solvent. Again that was not enough...they had to first make her half demon (they could have given her the visions without having to upgrade her to make her "strong enough" to handle them...humans have visions without being demons in RL or so they claim). Again not enough they had to elevate her to a Power.
Anya was the opposite...started powerful but when she became a human woman she was IGNORED and insulted! Marginalized by all of them who never listened or even asked about things that a thousand years of being around would have made her a logical "go-to" person for info! They made her a demon again only to have her deep in shame for what she did with her power and then they killed her while saving Andew.
Joyce was human. She was peripheral for the most part and in time killed.
Tara was a natural witch who never got to display her own power not even when she joined the group. They always differed to Willow even though Tara had more practical knowledge. Her tenderness and nurturing made her appear weak. When she did display strength of character by leaving Willow she lost most contact except for Dawn and had to weaken and go back only to be killed.
On Angel the pattern continued...I've already addressed Cordy but Lilah is another example of a human woman of power who is clever and ambitious but ultimately seen to be controlled by powerful males (Senior Partners...same with Eve). When she does "win" she has to share with Lindsey. Any time she exerts power she gets smacked down (probably a good thing because she bats for the bad guys) and ultimately dies.
Darla was a powerful vampire and should have seemed as such but she abdicated that power deferring to Angel, a young man she lusted after. SHE should have been the group leader by all rights. When she came back as a human she felt totally powerless and yearned for and regained her supernatural boost.
Poor Dru was marginalized by her mental/emotional handicaps. Those handicaps were caused by Angel having exploited her tender, nurturing, loving "womanly" heart by killing and torturing all she loved and breaking down her life. The traits society seem to ascribe to the female were he weak point and the very thing that allowed her to be destroyed.
Then there is Fred....another Willow! She is highly intelligent and has mad skills in science. She is quite able to be an asset jut like that but in Joss' world it was not enough. Along with everyone acting like she needed to be protected and coddled she had to be upgraded! Not only was she replaced in her own skin with an old one but a male old one (it was the GOD Illyria, not Goddess). THEN she was a power to reckon with.
Buffy, of course only was strong where her Slayer self was concerned and that was again upgraded human! The girl side was the one seeking, NEEDING the approval of others, insecure in her own choices and needs and easily led.
Dawn is pure mystical though her potential powers aren't explored in canon the implication is they MIGHT be there. When her mystical or potential mystical traits aren't front and center she is treated as an annoyance and one who must constantly be rescued.
Then there are all those Potentials who were mostly cannon fodder, targets to be protected UNTIL they are activated and have that supernatural boost of power.
Women, even intelligent and powerful women seem to not have value unless supernaturally upgraded throughout. Those that don't are killed.
Oddly I think you could even put William into that category as well...until his upgrade he was rather like the women and when his power was leashed by the chip the males on the show treated him like they did Anya...no respect and highly marginalized.
Just something I noticed. I love the show and characters but wonder how it got the rep. for being a girl power model?
*hugs*
Kathleen