![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
Life, Sexism, and Everything
Dec. 10th, 2007 08:01 pmNB: I wrote this late at night, and it's a bit rambly, but I thought I'd put it up anyway.
So, some background:
I mainlined Life this weekend. It's a hella good show, and I would recommend it to most people
Corollary: I was talking to Trudy about the discrepancy in the portrayal of sexuality (and character, really), between the two leads, and how it can be seen as sexist.
I've been reading "The Alphabet vs. the Goddess" for probably a month now as my nightstand book. It feels hella long, and I notice citations lacking in some places I'd like them, but it's interesting ideas, and I got it for free.
There's also been a sort of diffuse sensitivity toward gender stereotypes in the past few months, for a variety of reasons.
I've also been realizing that there are very few female characters (especially on tv) I could in good conscience tell a daughter of mine she was named after. Granted, with sons, you tend to get 5 for the price of one (e.g. Sam), but, still.
So, anyway, what all of this led me to was a midnight insomniac thought about "Why couldn't Charlie have been a woman?"
( Really, there's no good reason. )
So, what am I saying? I'm saying that I have no issue with these shows individually (well, no inherent issue. I often have issues with sexism and characterization on the shows. Yes, House, I'm looking at you). I adore a lot of these characters, but I do take issue with the pattern, and I do take issue with these stereotypes I'm fighting with my 4th-6th years being just as prevalent on tv, with very few exceptions.
So, some background:
I mainlined Life this weekend. It's a hella good show, and I would recommend it to most people
Corollary: I was talking to Trudy about the discrepancy in the portrayal of sexuality (and character, really), between the two leads, and how it can be seen as sexist.
I've been reading "The Alphabet vs. the Goddess" for probably a month now as my nightstand book. It feels hella long, and I notice citations lacking in some places I'd like them, but it's interesting ideas, and I got it for free.
There's also been a sort of diffuse sensitivity toward gender stereotypes in the past few months, for a variety of reasons.
I've also been realizing that there are very few female characters (especially on tv) I could in good conscience tell a daughter of mine she was named after. Granted, with sons, you tend to get 5 for the price of one (e.g. Sam), but, still.
So, anyway, what all of this led me to was a midnight insomniac thought about "Why couldn't Charlie have been a woman?"
( Really, there's no good reason. )
So, what am I saying? I'm saying that I have no issue with these shows individually (well, no inherent issue. I often have issues with sexism and characterization on the shows. Yes, House, I'm looking at you). I adore a lot of these characters, but I do take issue with the pattern, and I do take issue with these stereotypes I'm fighting with my 4th-6th years being just as prevalent on tv, with very few exceptions.
