A Rapist's View of the World: Joss Whedon and Firefly

[Berin Kinsman]

Something that will always be entertaining to me is when someone starts off with a valid point or two, then takes it to extremes so ridiculous as to invalidate their own credibility and turns their argument into a hilarious if unintended self-parody. These are generally people who go out of their way looking for things to be offended by.

For example, the following LJ post arguing that Firefly is all about rape:
http://users.livejournal.com/_allecto_/34718.html

I see a few valid points in there. I also see a lot of gross generalizations and serious effort to find things to get righteously upset over. Again, I see the points the writer's trying to make; it's the hyperbole that makes me laugh out loud.

"I really am beyond worried about how much men hate us, given that this was written by a man who calls himself a feminist."

Gosh, I liked Firefly, I must hate women.

I find much of Joss Whedon’s work to be heavily influenced by pornography, and pornographic humour.

Buh?

Firefly takes mysogeny to a new level of terrifying

Wow, if they'd pitched it to FOX that way they might have put effort into keeping the series alive. Makes a great tagline, doesn't it? I can see that quote on the back of a DVD box.

Only one episode was written by a woman. It was no better or worse in its depiction of women than the ones written by men.

Jane Espenson hates women! Who knew?

This goes on and on... and on... and on. This person counts how many lines women have, as opposed to how many lines men have. Seriously. This person is offended that Zoe, a black woman, takes orders from Mal, a white male. Because, you know, in the future people can't follow other people on merit or anything.

Read it. Or not.

[Lon Sarver]

You aren't missing much. This one is as bad as they say.

[Lon Sarver]

I had a similar reaction. The depressive fit lasted less than a day, but still...

[Deidzoeb]

"This person is offended that Zoe, a black woman, takes orders from Mal, a white male. Because, you know, in the future people can't follow other people on merit or anything."

Setting aside two people who respect each other but occasionally talk smack, or friends who trust each other's judgement enough to listen to orders, or the dynamics of an employer and his employee, the line that's quoted where Mal issues an order to Zoe, tells her to shut up and she obeys, is while they are in the MILITARY! The kind of place where you might be executed for ignoring orders.

I can see the possibility of a separate essay, perhaps by a writer less prone to logical fallacy, validly arguing that military culture tends towards disrespect and devaluation of grunts, the unfairness of heirarchy no matter the gender of commander or commandee But assuming Zoe had voluntarily joined the military, how can this author criticize a woman for following the command of a military superior?

Another frustrating detail in that rant, among many, was that she emphasizes how Joss Whedon uses the term "Companion" as a euphemism for prostitution. Granted, it's a euphemism used by some people in that society, but the main character Mal who we are supposed to be sympathizing with, the one who probably most closely reflects Whedon's character or fantasy of what he would like to be like, cuts through the b.s. and insults the "Companion" by callling her a whore. So it's not very convincing to say that Whedon wants us to gloss over the concept of prostitution by using a euphemism.

Then the author takes the other side of the argument, saying how rude it is that Mal consistently calls her a whore when she asks him not to. He should call her a "Companion" or some other euphemism? Author needs to make up her mind.

[Berin Kinsman]

That was one of my major beefs too, Rob. It's okay for the ultrafeminist to call Inara a whore and to look down her nose at the whole "Companion" thing, but when Mal does the same he's an evil, evil man.

[Xose Lucero]

When women objectify themselves it's empowering but when men objectify women they're always pigs?

Or to put it another way, cleavage is women's N-word.

[Lon Sarver]

Actually, folks like the author think it's objectification either way. It's just that when women do it (so the argument goes) it's because The Patriarchy has brainwashed them to do it.

[Sir Golgotha, KEoPS]

Because God forbid any woman should be intelligent & capable enough to make the same mistakes a man does.

[Deidzoeb]

Goddess forbid.

[Sir Golgotha, KEoPS]

Gyddess forbid...
Gxddess fyrbid...
Kltpzyxm fxbid?

[Xose Lucero]

Cthulhu furby?

[Sir Golgotha, KEoPS]

The Great Old Ones are Canadian?

[Lon Sarver]

Um... Someone pass the brain bleach, please?