I am very glad this is part 1, and only partly because there is not a single mention of Cally, Dee, or Ellen in the post. I still haven't finished BSG - I'm bogged down in early S4 - but I've been intermittently reading and enjoying your thoughts on it RE: feminism. Carry on. :)
OH GOD S4. KNOW THAT YOU ARE NOT ALONE IN THIS ~TRIAL.~
I'm being a little overdramatic, but yeah, get a hat and hold the fuck onto it as far as ladyfail is concerned. (Possibly Battlestar Redactica is more to your tastes? It's a fan remake of 4.5 by someone who was dedicated to the integrity of the female characters. I rec it all over the place.)
You know, it's not even the female character issues in particular in S4 that are the problem, it's just everything. There's all these plot threads and the pace everywhere feels glacial and I can't remember if there's anyone I like anymore.
that's definitely fair. My reaction to S4 is a lot like my reaction to AtS - I have massive philosophical and storytelling issues with it, to the point where I'm not entirely sure I can say I like it as a whole without qualification, but the stuff that works for me I absolutely adore. something something wheat chaff. But I totally get your point.
* Sexual politics: A society with religious stigma on abortion and social stigma on (uniformly female) sex workers does revile women as the sex class, whether or not this is explicit. Sexual violence against women is a constant threat
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YES. It's the lack of acknowledgment that's so bad it really hurts my enjoyment of the show to hear from the writers. It wouldn't, if the party line were an intellectually honest "it was important to us to push the envelope on what female characters get to do." I think the show did that, by and large quite well. But I get pissed at the way that was trotted out as an excuse for uncritically utilizing every sexist trope in the book.
I think some of the genderfail was not holding themselves to a standard of checking their dialogue and their costuming. It really bothers me that the men and women still wore traditionally feminine and masculine garb. I didn't want Star Trek versions of gender neutrality (no offense intended), but it bothers me that Laura wore a skirt most of the time. I hate the assumption that women will take their husband's name! IT'S A COMPLETE FAILURE! It comes from a history of men owning their wives and taking their names away. OMG. CHATTLE AND ALL THAT! *GASPING FOR AIR* It's enraging (and particularly moreso as a Lee-lover. I almost choked when he said that about marriage as "the point" and "Kara Anders". Really??? WRITER FAIL SO MUCH!) And what about the actors? No objections? CRAZY PANTS!!!!
(Sorry. Ranting and capslocking all over your LJ. *calms self*)
NO APOLOGIES I love and completely agree with your capslock.
SO TRUE on the costuming. I mean, I can sort of see Laura's clothing as a character choice, where she's someone who is used to having to walk that totally impossible line of professional wear for women in politics? But that only makes sense if there are the same impossible sexist expectations for how women should look and dress. And in any event, yeah, it would have been nice for her to own a pair of pants (or even, THE HORROR, flat shoes).
And yeah, I think at least Mary McDonnell has mentioned some of these issues, it sounds like she got slammed down at every turn.
I hate the assumption that women will take their husband's name! IT'S A COMPLETE FAILURE!
SERIOUSLY. I would at least think everyone would know that.
particularly moreso as a Lee-lover. I almost choked when he said that about marriage as "the point" and "Kara Anders". Really???right? I could kind of handwave it as *he* might have some romanticized notions about traditional families, but that implies they
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Well you know my reaction was to screw just rewriting S4 to rewriting everything from the beginning. The first change - Laura is not low level. Carry on - I so hate the whole women are equal because - see they all hang out with men instead of other women.
RDM is a great writer, but he so needs to let go of his delusion that he has any consciousness with regards to gender or sexual orientation, then maybe he'll find some.
Meanwhile I look forward to reading you shred the boys and their misogynist world.
point! what was she, 34th in line? Education is below the Department of Semi-Deciduous Trees? oh, yeah, that sounds like a society that can put people in space.
RDM is a great writer, but he so needs to let go of his delusion that he has any consciousness with regards to gender or sexual orientation, then maybe he'll find some.
seriously. It's fine not to know. Everyone has to learn sometime. But digging his heels in and yelling NUH-UH MY EQUALITY IS BETTER THAN YOURS, SHUT UP, WHINY HOS, that is unacceptable. and ugh, yes on the massive gayfail.
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Oh my god. I cannot even on the read of this very thoughtful essay because...oh my fucking god. My mind is BLOWN.
Just. Oh my god. This is 1000% the greatest thing that has ever been suggested ever. Oh my god.
*screams with delight in corner*
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I'm being a little overdramatic, but yeah, get a hat and hold the fuck onto it as far as ladyfail is concerned. (Possibly Battlestar Redactica is more to your tastes? It's a fan remake of 4.5 by someone who was dedicated to the integrity of the female characters. I rec it all over the place.)
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But it is very nice to know I have company!
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(Sorry. Ranting and capslocking all over your LJ. *calms self*)
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SO TRUE on the costuming. I mean, I can sort of see Laura's clothing as a character choice, where she's someone who is used to having to walk that totally impossible line of professional wear for women in politics? But that only makes sense if there are the same impossible sexist expectations for how women should look and dress. And in any event, yeah, it would have been nice for her to own a pair of pants (or even, THE HORROR, flat shoes).
And yeah, I think at least Mary McDonnell has mentioned some of these issues, it sounds like she got slammed down at every turn.
I hate the assumption that women will take their husband's name! IT'S A COMPLETE FAILURE!
SERIOUSLY. I would at least think everyone would know that.
particularly moreso as a Lee-lover. I almost choked when he said that about marriage as "the point" and "Kara Anders". Really???right? I could kind of handwave it as *he* might have some romanticized notions about traditional families, but that implies they ( ... )
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RDM is a great writer, but he so needs to let go of his delusion that he has any consciousness with regards to gender or sexual orientation, then maybe he'll find some.
Meanwhile I look forward to reading you shred the boys and their misogynist world.
We will have to talk about my fic.
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Laura is not low level
point! what was she, 34th in line? Education is below the Department of Semi-Deciduous Trees? oh, yeah, that sounds like a society that can put people in space.
RDM is a great writer, but he so needs to let go of his delusion that he has any consciousness with regards to gender or sexual orientation, then maybe he'll find some.
seriously. It's fine not to know. Everyone has to learn sometime. But digging his heels in and yelling NUH-UH MY EQUALITY IS BETTER THAN YOURS, SHUT UP, WHINY HOS, that is unacceptable. and ugh, yes on the massive gayfail.
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