The Feminist Filter: Inca Mummy Girl

[gabrielleabelle]

Y'all know what this is! Let's do it!

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

Comments

[gabrielleabelle]

I don't think she was stroking his ego at all.

I was speaking to the effect of her words, not her intentions.

I doubt that a girl born in her time would ever get a chance to learn or make discoveries or invent stuff. She wasn't born in 20th century.

Well, plays into the point, doesn't it?

Furthermore, I don't think that comments like this in early seasons of BtVS are related to girls specifically, as to the idea that teenagers are far more interested in sex and romance than studying.

I think it's valuable a) to look at how the show differs in its portrayal of this desire by gender (the boys, Xander, think about sex; the girls think about romance); and b) to remember that men and women's different positions in society mean that these types of portrayals have differential effects. While, yes, the show depicts boys as wanting sex, larger culture gives boys far more leeway as far as activities they can do or be interested in. Girls are often confined to romantic activities. Confirmation bias that springs from the preexisting stereotype means that every instance of the girl = romance connection will reinforce said stereotype.

In other words, this be a feminist critique. Of course I'm gonna point out when the show connects a girl with romance so strongly.

[boot_the_grime]

I think it's valuable a) to look at how the show differs in its portrayal of this desire by gender (the boys, Xander, think about sex; the girls think about romance); and b) to remember that men and women's different positions in society mean that these types of portrayals have differential effects. While, yes, the show depicts boys as wanting sex, larger culture gives boys far more leeway as far as activities they can do or be interested in. Girls are often confined to romantic activities. Confirmation bias that springs from the preexisting stereotype means that every instance of the girl = romance connection will reinforce said stereotype.

Yes, the show does that early on, especially with Xander in "Teacher's Pet" (and episode full of gender stereotypes) and Willow in "I Robot, You Jane", and a couple of other instances when Xander is ogling a hot teacher, for instance. Though in general, Xander's interests are really mostly confined to the few girls he has an established relationship with, and he tends to go for women who are strong and assertive, in addition to being physically attractive. And while Buffy is looking for romance, all the men she is showing an interest in are, in addition to other qualities, good-looking. From the start, there is no doubt that physical attraction plays a big part in her feelings for Angel, in addition to his brooding mysterious persona.

One might argue that the difference mostly comes from the way that boys and girls are taught to shape and manifest their interest in sex/romance.

Of course, it gets heavily subverted in season 3 with Faith/Xander. But again, it's one of the attributes of a "bad girl".