Thoughts on fiction and gender: So, what about the men?

[prozacpark]

Every time there's a good discussion of the treatment of female characters in fiction or a mention of female deaths/refrigerations, there's always the inevitable derailment of the discussion with the very brilliant question of, "But what about the men? Do they don't die/get mistreated/etc, too?" So, I've been thinking: Indeed, what about the men?

Comments

[glitterberrys]

See, I have issues with the idea that because so many people seem to hate women, that makes it okay to swing it around the other way and loathe men. Personally, if someone comes off as hating either gender, I'm going to think them a douche. The whole two wrongs making a right mentality...I don't buy it. And I definitely wouldn't want to adopt a label that would make people erroneously think ANYTHING of me, let alone that I hate a particular group of people based on something they can't control (gender, race, whatever). So I understand the worry that comes with the label of feminism.

Which is yet another great example of a small, obnoxious group of buttwipes RUINING IT FOR THE REST OF US.

What I like about House is that he's not portrayed as a hero (outside of the medical scenarios). He's a dick. He hates everyone, says things that are horribly insulting, treats everyone badly, etc. And as a result NOBODY LIKES HIM. His underlings treat him with respect for his abilities, but they all recognize him for the douche he is. Except, of course, for Cameron, but I'm pretty sure we're supposed to think that she needs some psychoanalysis, not "oh isn't it sweet that she wants to wuv the big scawy man and fix him with the power of her magical healing vagina." There's no message, at least not one that I've ever picked up on, that's "it's okay to treat people horribly! It's actually really cool! House is awesome!" House is a miserable son of a bitch who hates life and everyone in it, and it - and they - hate him right back. Hugh Laurie lends the character actual depth, but how much of that is the actor and how much is the intent of the show's creators, that I don't know. I also like that it's fairly common for one character to say to another "So...why do we put up with this guy again?" It's like the show actively DOESN'T want us thinking that House is a good person. (Although maybe underneath it all, he was once. Who knows? Maybe we'll find out, but I kind of hope we don't. Some things are better left to the audience's imagination.)

I feel so badly for Jay Carrington (wasn't that the actor's name? I can't be bothered to look it up.) Everyone else got these fascinating, nuanced characters and he got stuck with that guy everyone knows and everyone hates. (And poor Paul. His wife totally wants to leave him for Rebecca. His life just sucks. Oh well, it's his own fault.)

[prozacpark]

I don't think it's okay to hate men either. I was just pointing out the difference in perceptions as far as hating women and men is concerned. Neither is okay, in general, but one is a lot more accepted than the other. Which is all I meant to say by that.

I just happen to think that if we were to adopt another title, it, too, would develop similar negative connotations. I'm just not going to abandon something I like based on others' perception. Like, in feminist circles, no one ever thinks of that word as a bad thing, and it's the term that's still used in academic circles to describe that field of studies? I'm too used to it to abandon it based on what others are going to think of me. But I also understand why others might not want to, and I've been there, in the past.

Which is yet another great example of a small, obnoxious group of buttwipes RUINING IT FOR THE REST OF US.

And, yes, this is exactly what bothers me and I just hate the thought of doing ANYTHING that's being dictated by those people. *shudders*

I don't watch House, but I get what you're saying. For me, often, the difference really is about whether or not the text realizes the flaws of the character. Like, Web doesn't bother me at all, but Angel often does? And in general, Angel is probably a better person than Web. But Web is a more interesting character.

And dude! Paul's wife *did* totally want to leave him for Rebecca! Too bad Rebecca was having a secret affair with Web. But there's always Mel for Karen, yes? Anyone but Paul!

[glitterberrys]

Definitely agree. If House were presented as an awesome person, or even in the light that "oh, it's excusable that he's like this because he's a genius and his life is so hard," that would turn me off. It's actually impressive to me that the show manages to make OTHER CHARACTERS think that way, but the writing of the tone itself, how it's presented to the viewers, isn't that way at all. At least, that's never how I've felt. Shame the show is kind of falling apart, because it's been really great at times.

You really have to pity anyone married to Paul. And Rebecca never struck me as the monogamous sort. Just sayin. ;)

[blueheronz]

Hmm. Not sure I agree with your synopsis of House as a character that everyone dislikes except for Cameron. If you take the time to watch the show from its first season up until the present, it is clear that his character evolves into its current stasis of being truly a sick person. I don't think House was initially presented as unlikeable. Additionally, it has been my impression that Cameron is the rare character who hasn't tried to heal him, but accepts him as is. Cuddy, on the other hand, is the individual who manipulates House, toys with him sexually, and, it seems to me, wants to heal him, with or without her "magical healing vagina." House and Cuddy seem to have a classic enabling/enabler relationship, and the show blatantly minimalizes Cuddy (Cameron, too). Both women have been ill-treated by the show, but Cuddy in particular has been verbally abused by House and allows it. She allows his professional abuse of her as well.

I love your question, though, of how much Hugh Laurie has to do with the humanity we glimpse in House. I'm guessing a lot.