anti action babes

[kattahj]

While looking at a picture of Buffy, it struck me that I really, really hate that little pout she sports. And then it struck me that the pout is part of her face and not a form of characterisation.

It sounds weird. It is weird. But I have a very fundamental dislike for Buffy that has nothing to do with her actions in canon (such as the unethical

Comments

[phantomas]

I can enjoy Buffy on an entertainment level (I mean, Spike;) but don't get me started on the 'cute, pretty heroine' in the wrong clothes and time to style her hair every other scene thing. I could (can) go on for hours. I particularly dislike ALIAS, which is even worse than Buffy is. Besides, all these heroines, they are all unhappy, aren't they? No James Bond kind of life style, of course, they have to run after Love. I am sick of it, and thank you thank you thank you for mentioning Pippi: I loved her too :)

[tanacawyr]

The issue is that they still feel like they have to apologize for making a strong female character -- which implies to me that they think a woman who is strong and intelligent has something to apologize for in the first place

[kattahj]

*nods consent*

I just hope that if I yell enough, people will take things my way and not get into the strange post-feminism backlash that seems to pop up here and there. (Kate & Leopold? My mother is more liberated than that.)

And I gotta say, seeing Gwen made Buffy look nearly endearing. Lipstick during a burglary? How about thinking of how to avoid people seeing you in the first place?

[istima]

I want a world where a woman can be James fucking Bond -- totally perfect, killing bad guys left and right, fucking lovely men (and women -- and MY definition of lovely women, not Vogue magazine's definition), with all the cool cars and gadgets, and not have to apologize for it. I want a world and an entire tradition of moviemaking where the woman gets to toss off a snide comment before blowing up the bad guy without making sure she whines about breaking a nail or having a bad hair day or is otherwise charmingly stupid or incompetent to make sure she doesn't turn us off by being too smart or strong.

Well, actually, I like Tombraider movies for that reason. I just love Angelina Jolie as Lara Croft, and her haughty expression makes me cheer.

There should be more movies where a woman kicks ass!

Re: anti action babes

[kylandra]

I want a world where a woman can be James fucking Bond -- totally perfect, killing bad guys left and right, fucking lovely men (and women -- and MY definition of lovely women, not Vogue magazine's definition), with all the cool cars and gadgets, and not have to apologize for it. I want a world and an entire tradition of moviemaking where the woman gets to toss off a snide comment before blowing up the bad guy without making sure she whines about breaking a nail or having a bad hair day or is otherwise charmingly stupid or incompetent to make sure she doesn't turn us off by being too smart or strong.

Except if we get that, then everybody immediately has to jump all over her as a Mary Sue and vilify it. Like Anita Blake. Not Vogue magazine gorgeous but men love her anyway, uber powerful, sleeps with many beautiful men and always wins out. But instead of accepting it the way people accept James Bond, every woman around has to stomp all over her as a Mary Sue and a slut, and declare how much the series sucks.

[kattahj]

It'd be nice to see a few more female chars on TV that haven't been toned down to this extent but it doesn't look like it'll happen any time soon.

Well, it does happen. Just not often, or in action shows. Or very many American shows, come to think of it. Isn't it better in Australia? Or is it just some warped idea I've got because most of the shows I liked as a kid were Australian, Canadian or British?

[carmarthen]

Skintight stretch jeans are fine for kicking, actually, but I don't think hers are stretch.

Also, she punches with her wrists bent. No one above yellow belt at my school punches like that.

*nitpicks with you*

[kahn]

That was a fucking awesome rant.

[kattahj]

Thank you. Fucking awesome is always nice to be. :-)

Actually...

[alara_r]

The whole "my love life sucks/I protect a world that hates and fears me/I just wish I could have a normal life" trope is a staple of *male* superhero characters. I mean, Cyclops? Spiderman? Hulk? The typical Marvel superhero has problems with his love life, can't get along with the defined social authorities even though he's a nice guy at heart, may think his powers are really cool but also may see them as something of a curse, and often angsts over his lack of a normal life

Re: Actually...

[kattahj]

I'm well aware that the "I wish I had a normal life" thing happens with male heroes as well. (And I hate it there too, btw.) It's just a question of proportions. For every angsty "woe is me" actionhero there's always half a dozen who are pretty much fine with who they are. But the trend of action babes pretty damn *always* has it. And the fucked up lovelife. And the bizarre clothing.

As for your male examples of fucked up lovelifes, I agree that it happens... but I don't agree with all your examples. Picard *thought* of his lovelife about two times a season. If he had spent an entire season angsting over the fact that he was sleeping with the wrong person (as Buffy did in season 6) he'd probably have gotten two mutinies on his hands - one from the crew and one from the fans.

As for Kirk... *bursts into helpless laughter* Oh, yeah, sadness aplenty there. What's his bimbo ratio per episode again?

I think it's fine if people occasionally worry about the clash between love and duty, or how their lives are weirder than most other