The Feminist Filter: Never Kill a Boy on the First Date
Okay, I finally got to see the Doctor Who episode. I'm happy now. River Song is my wife, guys.
Since I have to buckle down and do some studying for my Women, Work, and Social Change class, let us continue along the feminist breakdown of BtVS. Cause they go together, you know? Nerd out with me, if you will.
Mission Statement:
This series is intended to outline the feminist text of each episode so as to provoke and encourage open discussion. It's not so much about making value judgments about events and/or characters but about analyzing the series from a feminist framework so as to see what patterns and themes emerge.
Rules:
1. If you do not consider yourself a feminist or do not see the point of dissecting a TV show from a feminist perspective, this is not the meta series for you. I don't mean this in a hostile way, however the intended audience of this series is feminists who want to turn a critical eye to the show.
2. This meta series is written well beyond a 101 level of feminism. If you are new to feminism, I ask that you please take a look at this blog for an introduction to concepts that will be discussed heavily here. To accommodate those who are still learning the feminist ropes, the first comment of each post will be open for basic questions. Anybody is free to take a shot at answering them.
3. If you begin to feel yourself getting defensive on behalf of a character (or the show), take a break from commenting. The outlines as posted are not meant to condemn either the characters or the show, but to contextualize the dialogue and events within the patriarchal cultural in which they reside.
4. BtVS is a constructed media. The characters are not actual people but are written, dressed, and directed by a team of outsiders. Criticizing a character for, say, having sex could be a sexist insult or it could be a legitimate criticism of the writers who chose to go that route with the storyline. There are nuances here when discussing a television show, and I ask that everybody be careful about exactly what's being discussed. A couple helpful terms are Watsonian and Doylist. "Watsonian" indicates that the discussion is taking place within the Buffy universe as if the characters are real people. "Doylist" indicates that the discussion is focused on the construction of the narrative and, as such, deals with the decisions of the writers and/or producers.
5. The key goal here is open discussion. I'm not presenting you guys with any brilliant insights; I'm just laying out what's in the episode. Feel free to discuss or disagree with me and others. Also feel free to answer other commenter's questions. The comment section is an open floor.
1.05 Never Kill a Boy on the First Date
I. The Tallies
Criteria for Bechdel Check: The episode must have a) two women in it b) who talk to each other c) about something besides a man.
II. Agency
Criteria for Agency: Do the female characters a) exert power or influence over the plot b) through decisions based on their own characterization? Agency means more than providing information or support that helps the (usually male) characters resolve the conflict.
The Plot: Buffy attempts to go on a date with Owen while the Master is carrying out plans to receive the Anointed One.
The Big Question:
If Buffy were taken out of this episode, would events occur in much the same fashion? No.
If Willow were taken out of this episode, would events occur in much the same fashion? Yes.
If Cordelia were taken out of this episode, would events occur in much the same fashion? Yes.
III. The Feminist Fine-Toothed Comb
Criteria: Do any of the characters engage in sexist dialogue or action, whether overt or subtle? Does it receive an explicit rebuke or does it pass uncommented on? Further, what can be deduced from the various gendered comments that are made by the characters?
IV. Points to Consider
Since I have to buckle down and do some studying for my Women, Work, and Social Change class, let us continue along the feminist breakdown of BtVS. Cause they go together, you know? Nerd out with me, if you will.
Mission Statement:
This series is intended to outline the feminist text of each episode so as to provoke and encourage open discussion. It's not so much about making value judgments about events and/or characters but about analyzing the series from a feminist framework so as to see what patterns and themes emerge.
Rules:
1. If you do not consider yourself a feminist or do not see the point of dissecting a TV show from a feminist perspective, this is not the meta series for you. I don't mean this in a hostile way, however the intended audience of this series is feminists who want to turn a critical eye to the show.
2. This meta series is written well beyond a 101 level of feminism. If you are new to feminism, I ask that you please take a look at this blog for an introduction to concepts that will be discussed heavily here. To accommodate those who are still learning the feminist ropes, the first comment of each post will be open for basic questions. Anybody is free to take a shot at answering them.
3. If you begin to feel yourself getting defensive on behalf of a character (or the show), take a break from commenting. The outlines as posted are not meant to condemn either the characters or the show, but to contextualize the dialogue and events within the patriarchal cultural in which they reside.
4. BtVS is a constructed media. The characters are not actual people but are written, dressed, and directed by a team of outsiders. Criticizing a character for, say, having sex could be a sexist insult or it could be a legitimate criticism of the writers who chose to go that route with the storyline. There are nuances here when discussing a television show, and I ask that everybody be careful about exactly what's being discussed. A couple helpful terms are Watsonian and Doylist. "Watsonian" indicates that the discussion is taking place within the Buffy universe as if the characters are real people. "Doylist" indicates that the discussion is focused on the construction of the narrative and, as such, deals with the decisions of the writers and/or producers.
5. The key goal here is open discussion. I'm not presenting you guys with any brilliant insights; I'm just laying out what's in the episode. Feel free to discuss or disagree with me and others. Also feel free to answer other commenter's questions. The comment section is an open floor.
1.05 Never Kill a Boy on the First Date
I. The Tallies
Criteria for Bechdel Check: The episode must have a) two women in it b) who talk to each other c) about something besides a man.
- Bechdel Check: FAIL
- Deaths:
Dead boys: 3
Dead girls: 2
II. Agency
Criteria for Agency: Do the female characters a) exert power or influence over the plot b) through decisions based on their own characterization? Agency means more than providing information or support that helps the (usually male) characters resolve the conflict.
The Plot: Buffy attempts to go on a date with Owen while the Master is carrying out plans to receive the Anointed One.
The Big Question:
If Buffy were taken out of this episode, would events occur in much the same fashion? No.
If Willow were taken out of this episode, would events occur in much the same fashion? Yes.
If Cordelia were taken out of this episode, would events occur in much the same fashion? Yes.
- Decisive Buffy: A large part of the plot is focused on Buffy's love life. As such, her agency is a given. However, her participation in the main plot comes when she shrugs off Giles' attempt to go to the morgue in lieu of her date. This puts Giles in danger and requires her rescue of him later.
III. The Feminist Fine-Toothed Comb
Criteria: Do any of the characters engage in sexist dialogue or action, whether overt or subtle? Does it receive an explicit rebuke or does it pass uncommented on? Further, what can be deduced from the various gendered comments that are made by the characters?
- Protagonists (Buffy, Xander, Willow, Giles, and Owen)
1. An interesting exchange takes place when Owen checks out the Emily Dickinson. Giles notes that: "She's quite a good poet, I mean for a..."
"A girl?" Buffy supplies.
"For an American," Giles finishes.
Buffy's statement had been challenging, suggesting she was preemptively heading off what she thought would be a sexist remark. It also seems to mirror their later exchange in Helpless wherein Buffy complains that she's throwing like... "A girl?" Giles supplies. Buffy clarifies: "Like I'm not the Slayer."
2. Buffy, giddy about having a conversation with Owen, asks Giles: "Does this outfit make me look fat?"
It's not the first indication we've had about the importance of thinness and appearance for the girls in the series, and here it's explicitly linked to attempting to appeal to a guy.
3. Willow sets up a troubling dichotomy when she comments on Owen: "He's sensitive, yet manly!" The phrasing, with "yet", implies that sensitivity is typically at odds with masculinity. Again, we're getting a harsh construction of masculinity on the show, with "being a man" clearly at odds with being sensitive or thoughtful.
4. Continuing from #2, Buffy, when bumped out of the way by Cordelia, comments: "Boy! Cordelia's hips are wider than I thought!"
Following up on Buffy's earlier weight-centered statement, she uses weight as ammunition in an insult against Cordelia.
5. The next day, Buffy laments her miss with Owen. "I can't take this anymore. I feel like everyone is staring at me, the big, hideous, dateless monster. What? Yeah, that's right, I have no life, c'mon, nothin' to see here, pal, move it along!"
The struggle to allow girls and women to have fulfilling lives independent of men is still ongoing, and, especially in the teenage years, it can be easy to succumb to social pressures to define your self-worth by whether you have a boyfriend or not. Buffy describes herself as a big, hideous monster because she doesn't have a date.
Xander does provide some rebuke: "You're acting a little overly, aren't you? I mean, you could have any guy in school."
However, his counterpoint doesn't address the core issue (though Xander will do so in S5's I Was Made to Love You) and instead offers up a shallow comfort of Buffy being able to get any guy.
6. The scene with Buffy deciding what to wear for the date with Willow and Xander has a whole bunch to analyze. For one, we, again, get the Virgin/Whore dichotomy: "Okay, do I wanna appear shy, coy, and naive or unrestrained, insatiable, and aggressive?"
Xander posits a third option: "Owen is a little home spun, he probably doesn't like that overly assertive look. Oh, hey, here's something. A nice comfy overcoat and a ski cap!"
It's also an interesting play on different styles of clothing predicting different behavior. Xander is attempting to keep things from getting physical on the date, and he's using methods such as fully covering Buffy up to do so.
What does one wear to appear "insatiable"? How about "naive"? And why is Buffy worried about which "role" she wants to play rather than just being herself? This is gender as performance.
Later, Xander uses the specter of slut-shaming to try to keep Buffy in line: "Oh, you mean for kissing you and then telling all his friends how easy you are so the whole school loses respect for you and then talks behind your back?"
It's a pretty explicit example of the use of negative social sanctions to corral women into "appropriate" behaviors: in this case, wearing an outfit that will ease Xander's peace of mind.
7. While Buffy's dressing, she indicates that she doesn't want Xander watching. He turns his back but then attempts to angle a mirror so as to watch her. This is an extreme violation on Xander's part and receives no censure on the show (though that may be because nobody notices).
8. While Buffy and Giles argue about her going on a date, Xander talks to Owen about what not to do on the date: "Uh, you should probably know that Buffy doesn't like to be kissed. Actually she doesn't like to be touched. [...] As a matter of fact, don't even look at her."
Xander displays here a proprietary attitude towards Buffy. It has the feel of Xander warning Owen off his "territory". Xander, at this point, hasn't approached Buffy with his feelings, so his actions are very presumptuous and troubling. It speaks to the entitlement men are socialized to feel toward women they would like to be with, as well as calling up "women as property" parallels.
9. While on the date, Owen comments: "I just find most girls pretty frivolous. I mean, there's a lot more important things in life than dating, y'know?"
This is a large generalization that dismisses half the population as "frivolous". It relies on gender stereotypes to conclude that the most important things in girls' life is dating and then subsequently demonizes them for it without looking to potential reasons for it.
10. Later in the date, Owen and Buffy are dancing. Owen asks if Buffy's having fun, and she responds: "Yeah. I almost feel like a girl."
In this case, we're getting "girl" defined as someone who goes on dates with boys. Buffy - the character - has a lot of experience with the word "girl" ( link) (or she will throughout the show).
Her Slayer duties, which involve death and fighting, are then unilaterally declared not at all girl-like whereas dating boys and dancing with them are.
11. In an interesting follow-up to the fat-shaming comments of earlier, Owen asks if Buffy wants anything to eat and she says: "Sure. Just make it something fattening."
12. Owen is bit by Andrew and comments to Buffy: "Did you see that? He tried to bite me! What a sissy!"
"Sissy" being a derogatory female-coded term. It's used to say that someone is like a girl and, therefore, weak.
- The Rest (Angel and Cordelia):
1. Cordelia watches Buffy and Owen on their date and gets caught up in some slut-shaming: "What a disgusting display. Is that really appropriate behavior in a public forum? I mean, I've never seen a girl throw herself at a guy like that. Uhh!"
Obviously, an exaggeration of Buffy's actions.
IV. Points to Consider
- This episode introduces Buffy's struggle with Slayer-life conflict. The show (and the character) get some criticism because of her perceived consistent worry about being with a man. Does the show manage to explore and deconstruct this throughout the seven seasons or does it, instead, maintain the cultural standard that a girl/woman is not complete without a man? What about this particular episode?
- This episode also highlights how Buffy straddles the line between masculine and feminine. Both Owen and Giles comment: "She's the strangest girl!" When Giles says it, it's in response to her frantically prioritizing her dating life (feminine) over Slaying (masculine). When Owen says it, it's in the reverse situation: she's running off to handle her Slaying side at the expense of her dating life.
How well is this conflict depicted? Is it productive to label romance and dating as feminine, as the show does here? Do this line for Buffy blur later on in the series? Does presenting a female hero who so strongly sticks to her feminine traits end up reinforcing gender stereotypes?