Of Feminism and Semantics

[Twat]

I'd hate to just post an article as my topic, but it covers almost everything I have to say.
http://www.thefword.org.uk/blog/2008/06/the_male_defaul

The page is about twelve paragraphs long. That's a mere fraction compared to the comments. Don't let the page length scare you away from reading it!

Another thing I want to pick on that the article didn't cover is the common need to establish a character is female. By that I mean, sometimes a writer or director will list a bunch of characters. "A construction worker." "A bounty hunter." "An engineer." But then it's "A female construction worker." or "A female bounty hunter.". This isn't a very big problem but I see it all the time. I don't care if the cast is 70% male. If you're going to say that then you might as well start putting "male" infront of anything to indicate it's a guy. You know, since that's balanced. This happens with magazines and newspapers more than anything.

There was a short discussion about this in another topic and I think I wanted to refer this article but I forgot.

[Vapour Trail]

It's an interesting article, and I do agree with the need to switch to a gender-neutral pronoun that doesn't specify a gender, for obvious reasons. But people use "he" to refer to someone who's gender isn't known in formal writing because that's what they were taught to be correct usage back in school. That people use "he" as a gender-neutral pronoun in formal writing is about as insidious as the (also incorrect) rules about not ending your sentences with prepositions or not splitting infinitives. People are just following prescriptivist rules, rather than making an earnest attempt to maintain the supposed power of the patriarchy, or whatever.

At any rate, most people that I know use "they" in conversation anyway. So feminists = 1 / prescriptivist pedants = 0, as far as I can tell.

[Twat]

You are quite fortunate. A lot of people I know don't even think. :[

[Kinokokao]

Elys, it drives me crazy that there is the need to separate a female character from a male like you described.

Also, that only 1 movie in the last 4 years has featured two female leads that weren't in a romantic-comedy (that movie? Devil Wears Prada) ... ie; women are only featured in movies to be the "eye-candy" or love interest for the dominant male character.

I get so angry just thinking about it!

[Maxine MagicFox]

*Nods* Clarissa has even confided in me that she is thrilled to read this one book (can't remember the name) because the werewolf in it is a female protag instead of a male. Something that she is distinctly annoyed with, and hates the whole "damsel in distress" cliche.

I can understand her sentiments as well which is why the protag of my own children's books is definitely a girl who despite being able to beat the crap out of any bully at school and enjoys fishing, still stares longingly at the gowns in a dress shop.

I've noticed that girls are either damsel in distress or have the "Trinity complex" which means they are like Trinity from the Matrix movie: all leather and guy toy. -_-;

[ZetaBladeX13]

[Twat]

[ZetaBladeX13]

/facepalm

[Seniwac]

[SirthOsiris]

[Twat]

[ZetaBladeX13]

[Twat]

[Maxine MagicFox]

[Rain]