Notions of women
I'd intended to watch more Red Dwarf last night, but got sucked into looking through old journal posts. And...I made an icon. A nostalgic icon. Mwah.
I think I've said before that I want to be splash_the_cat when I grow up. She's got a hooray for Sam Carter post that talks about some fandom issues with the character. Including the one that if Sam had been in a relationship with Jack, that she'd simply become "Jack's girlfriend." Man, that one used to bug the crap out of me back when I was in SG-1 fandom. Why's it always that the woman seems to suddenly be "*only* defined by the relationship" if in a relationship with a man, however, the man does not? Why?? For every pairing that I've shipped over the years, I really can't think of one case where either the woman or the man suddenly lost their individual identity due to going into a relationship (or simply the possibility of going into a relationship - UST and so on). Where does this fandom notion COME from?
Actually, I think I might know where it comes from - a bit. There's such a history - well, history of the world, basically - that a woman's worth was based on what man she was with. It was only in the 20th century that norms began to change. Slowly. So I think there's the need to make absolutely sure that these old notions of "a woman's worth is contingent on a man" does not touch female characters. Which is a good idea. But then it moves to the next level of the idea that a woman really must have *nothing* to do with a man or else it will be implied that her worth is gained through him. And so any sort of romantic relationship (or hint of a romantic relationship) and suddenly the woman becomes "weak" in some's eyes. And god forbid a woman ever display any kind of emotions, even if they fit the circumstances. I can't remember the details since it was a few years back, but do remember after one episode where Sam became emotional about something - and I remember thinking it was justifiable - I'd seen comments of people thinking she didn't deserve to be an Air Force officer because of it.
*sighs*
I sometimes think that to some, the *only* way a woman character can be "strong" is to be Aeryn Sun: leather-wearing, gun-toting, and emotionally repressed. And...we've just got very different ideas about what a "strong woman" is then.
I think I've said before that I want to be splash_the_cat when I grow up. She's got a hooray for Sam Carter post that talks about some fandom issues with the character. Including the one that if Sam had been in a relationship with Jack, that she'd simply become "Jack's girlfriend." Man, that one used to bug the crap out of me back when I was in SG-1 fandom. Why's it always that the woman seems to suddenly be "*only* defined by the relationship" if in a relationship with a man, however, the man does not? Why?? For every pairing that I've shipped over the years, I really can't think of one case where either the woman or the man suddenly lost their individual identity due to going into a relationship (or simply the possibility of going into a relationship - UST and so on). Where does this fandom notion COME from?
Actually, I think I might know where it comes from - a bit. There's such a history - well, history of the world, basically - that a woman's worth was based on what man she was with. It was only in the 20th century that norms began to change. Slowly. So I think there's the need to make absolutely sure that these old notions of "a woman's worth is contingent on a man" does not touch female characters. Which is a good idea. But then it moves to the next level of the idea that a woman really must have *nothing* to do with a man or else it will be implied that her worth is gained through him. And so any sort of romantic relationship (or hint of a romantic relationship) and suddenly the woman becomes "weak" in some's eyes. And god forbid a woman ever display any kind of emotions, even if they fit the circumstances. I can't remember the details since it was a few years back, but do remember after one episode where Sam became emotional about something - and I remember thinking it was justifiable - I'd seen comments of people thinking she didn't deserve to be an Air Force officer because of it.
*sighs*
I sometimes think that to some, the *only* way a woman character can be "strong" is to be Aeryn Sun: leather-wearing, gun-toting, and emotionally repressed. And...we've just got very different ideas about what a "strong woman" is then.