Harvey Weinstein and Riley Finn
I've been meaning to write *something* about the whole Harvey Weinstein thing. There are a hundred things I could link you to. However, the thing that I can't get out of my head is this bit of dialogue from 'The Initiative' (slightly edited):
Parker : [Laughs] oh, yeah. The word is stamina. I mean, definitely a bunny in the sack, but later on, well. You know the difference between a freshman girl and a toilet seat? A toilet seat doesn't follow you around after you use it.
Riely decks Parker who hits the floor.
Riley : (Walking between Forrest and Graham.) I can't believe that I did that.
Forrest : What the hell for?
Riley : He--he was just being so crude.
Forrest : Please. You've heard me say much grosser things than that.
Riley : I just didn't like hearing him (he pauses thoughtfully) talk about buffy that way. I think I... Well, I guess I like her.
I have said before that I think Riley Finn was a metaphor for male privilege (straight, white male privilege specifically) and this is the perfect example.
Riley is a nice guy. Decent. Works hard. Goes to church. Serves his country. And it's possible we're meant to cheer him on for decking Parker. But. The line that stands out is Forrest's:
You've heard me say much grosser things than that.
The only thing different is that Riley happens to like Buffy. The whole of the cold open is a lengthy frat-boy-ish objectification of women. And Riley never speaks up.
I wish they'd done more with him. I can't even tell if the metaphor was deliberate, or if they just took the most basic template possible to create him, and the metaphor was built in.
However, it's useful. (Also see Xander of course.) Because in creating him, they essentially made Buffy date the Patriarchy. And the Patriarchy couldn't hack it and ran away.
But... they never really made the Patriarchy face its issues. Maybe they couldn't. Maybe that would have been a step too far for Joss... (*SO* not surprised at his ex-wife's allegations.)
And so it goes. From the Weinsteins and the Trumps at the top, through the Whedons and the Gibsons right down to the guy on the bus who puts his hand on your knee.
Because all the Riley Finns in the world just laugh when their friends are crude.
Not because she's your sister, your mother, your daughter, your girlfriend. Because he is your brother, your father, your son, your friend.
(ETA: Much like white people need to tackle racism, and straight/cis people need to tackle LGBT+ bigotry.)
Post has been cloned from dreamwidth. Comments welcome everywhere.
Parker : [Laughs] oh, yeah. The word is stamina. I mean, definitely a bunny in the sack, but later on, well. You know the difference between a freshman girl and a toilet seat? A toilet seat doesn't follow you around after you use it.
Riely decks Parker who hits the floor.
Riley : (Walking between Forrest and Graham.) I can't believe that I did that.
Forrest : What the hell for?
Riley : He--he was just being so crude.
Forrest : Please. You've heard me say much grosser things than that.
Riley : I just didn't like hearing him (he pauses thoughtfully) talk about buffy that way. I think I... Well, I guess I like her.
I have said before that I think Riley Finn was a metaphor for male privilege (straight, white male privilege specifically) and this is the perfect example.
Riley is a nice guy. Decent. Works hard. Goes to church. Serves his country. And it's possible we're meant to cheer him on for decking Parker. But. The line that stands out is Forrest's:
You've heard me say much grosser things than that.
The only thing different is that Riley happens to like Buffy. The whole of the cold open is a lengthy frat-boy-ish objectification of women. And Riley never speaks up.
I wish they'd done more with him. I can't even tell if the metaphor was deliberate, or if they just took the most basic template possible to create him, and the metaphor was built in.
However, it's useful. (Also see Xander of course.) Because in creating him, they essentially made Buffy date the Patriarchy. And the Patriarchy couldn't hack it and ran away.
But... they never really made the Patriarchy face its issues. Maybe they couldn't. Maybe that would have been a step too far for Joss... (*SO* not surprised at his ex-wife's allegations.)
And so it goes. From the Weinsteins and the Trumps at the top, through the Whedons and the Gibsons right down to the guy on the bus who puts his hand on your knee.
Because all the Riley Finns in the world just laugh when their friends are crude.
Not because she's your sister, your mother, your daughter, your girlfriend. Because he is your brother, your father, your son, your friend.
(ETA: Much like white people need to tackle racism, and straight/cis people need to tackle LGBT+ bigotry.)
Post has been cloned from dreamwidth. Comments welcome everywhere.