I am sure most readers have forgotten that I am also a comic book fan! Back in May, I wrote two posts (that may or may not have been a bit incoherent) about female superheroes; The Female Superhero and Watchmen and Alan Moore Revisted. A few weeks ago, I was in a somewhat serious state of depression and in the ‘why am I on this planet?’ mood of mine that comes once in a blue moon. Anyway it was in this state that I discovered my problem with the representation of women not only in comics and fairy tales but also in the media generally. The reason I have decided to focus more on the comics medium in this particular post is because in that down state of mine I thought in frustration something along the lines of; ‘We are living in a rape culture and all I am asking for is that my favourite superheroine lives without having to worry about being raped!’
It was either that or something along those lines. I did mention rape specifically but I was implying all the other bad things that seem to happen a lot to superheroines such as forced marriages, lost powers or mental illness. I do not get it when some people say that the reason female superheroes are physically (and also psychologically it seems) weaker than their male counterparts is because ‘in real life it is this way’. Oh really? I suppose in real life, men go around flying in capes and tights too. I have reached the stage where I am just too tired and disgusted by the way women are portrayed in mainstream media outlets no matter the medium. I enjoy some excellent pieces of work every once in a while (right now I am reading Y: The Last Man) but I find it disturbing, the sort of world we are living in or shall I say what mainstream media says about the sort of world we are living in. Sorry if I am not making much sense, I shall attempt to explain.
It started with me reading this excellent post on Shakesville; “Rape Culture 101”, reading that post left me seriously thinking and that was what eventually lead to me lamenting on the sad fate/overall uselessness of superheroines. Stuff like comic books are meant to be means of escaping the sad realities of this world are they not? That is probably the reason why I specifically thought of superheroines first. The weekend past, I found some articles online that addressed the issue of women and misogyny in comics. I also came across these articles on Hollywood and physically strong women and another on the ‘male fantasy of gender roles’ the latter is extremely intriguing as the author gave examples of badass women.
I do not know if this post made any sense at all but I was overcome with this urge to just write down all that came into my head after reading about rape culture. It may seem odd the way I linked rape culture to comic books in my head. Indeed, I do find it strange myself so, you can just take this post as one of the ones in which I am ‘venting’ ^^
I don't think it's odd that you linked rape culture to comic books. Comic books aren't made in a vaccum. They were written in a world that enforces/endorses rape culture, it's going to appear in the pages because THAT'S THE WORLD THE WRITERS know.If you're interested in rape culture and the media, try to get a hold of Dreamworlds 3. It's a really great movie that looks at contemporary music videos about what they saw about cultural attitudes about sexuality. Some of it is really scary at some points (there is a video in there that literally has a clip from one of my worst nightmares) but i think the messages people take from them are more frightening.-Alicehttp://diaryofakinkycurlytransitioner.wordpress.com/
yeah, nothing is made in a vacuum to be honest. i just wish more people were making an effort to change things. oh i'm totally interested in Dreamworld 3! i'll check it out, i hope it's not too scary though. and i do agree with you, it's the messages that are the most disturbing. and when you try talking about stuff like these with people it's brushed off as 'paranoia' or 'nonsense'
Hello there yoruba. Been a while. There's nothing strange about you linking up there two ideas. They are strongly related. A physically and mentally strong woman poses a threat to the foundations of misogyny by ascertaining that a woman has the power needed to overcome the manipulation required to coerce her into submission. I'm sure every thinking woman has these dark moments. Our world makes it so hard for us to display the strength we already have. To the point that we are almost, almost conditioned to thinking that being weak, helpless and in need of a man certifies womanhood. What lies they feed us! Thank you for letting me know once again that I'm not alone. It also reduces my own "paranoia". Keep on doing what you do best ma'am.
In a story format like comics rape is going to pop up now and then unless it is made taboo.My wife likes to read what I call "abuse the children books" that I don't enjoy or care for but I hardly think the readers are wanting to start locking children in the attic or anything.I also don't think mocking or harassing my wife for reading such books is fair. If she enjoys them who am I to tell her she is wrong?
Miss Sheeba! it's been a while indeed ^.^ thanks for your kind comment. you've said it so eloquently! and trust me, you're definitely not alone in your 'paranoia'…in fact i wonder if we should call it that. Andre, my main issue is the widespread, almost obsession, with images of rape and/or degradation of women in pop culture. sometimes it is not explicitly drawn/shown but that does not stop me from noticing. i personally would not be blogging about this issue if it popped up every once in a while and if i did not think it was a serious issue.there is nothing interesting about the degradation of women and i believe that the presence of such images in several pop culture mediums encourages the normalization of such behaviour. and that to me is self-destructive. i'm not going to mock or harass anyone for indulging in whatever they fancy however when i feel there is something wrong, i'm definitely going to point it out. like i said above, if i felt the issue at hand was not widespread, i would have been disturbed but not this disturbed. the presence of images depicting violence against women and the degradation of women in pop culture normalises rape culture and that is my problem.
"Andre, my main issue is the widespread, almost obsession, with images of rape and/or degradation of women in pop culture." We have a obsession with sex but widespread, almost obsession with rape? I don't see that. "there is nothing interesting about the degradation of women"Unless there is something interesting about it. We explore so much in our storys about what it would be like if someone killed our family, the limits we would go to in the name of protecting our children or the pain we might suffer if we lose one. In games and movies we explore the thrill of going on a killing rampage. Rape is a issue that is going to get used but we do have the option of not going out and watching last house on the left.let me put it this wayThere is nothing interesting about the degradation of kids. Agreed? if so then what about people that liked Flowers in the attic?
I have reached the stage where I am just too tired and disgusted by the way women are portrayed in mainstream media outlets no matter the medium.Same here. I am tired of the way both sexes are portrayed. Thankfully, I don't have a tv! And I have not read comic strips in many years. Which is strange considering comic stores are all around me in Montreal. lol
@Andre, i do not know why that book was popular though i guess its popularity is due to it tackling a taboo subject. i didn't even know about the book, i had to check Wiki. it seems to me that you do not understand what i am trying to say. i am not saying that all books that feature rape scenes should be banned. what i'm saying is that rape culture and violence against the most vulnerable in society should not be normalised. i don't know if that is too much to ask. personally i see hatred (for lack of a better term) of women in music videos, advertisements, movies, comic books…i see this every single day. i believe this adds to anti-woman attitudes being normalised and as a woman, i'm just asking for respite and whether it was odd or not, comic books popped first in mind. and w/r/t obsession with rape, i did add 'and/or degradation of women'. perhaps i should have placed more emphasis on the degradation of women part as it moreso obvious in the objectification of women we see in pop culture daily. i've tried my best to be coherent and i do hope i make sense. if you are not convinced then perhaps you could start with watching the documentary that Alice suggested (Dreamworlds 3), i enjoyed 'Killing Us Softly' and if you did not read the post on 'Rape Culture 101' perhaps you should.@puregoldlady, i don't have a tv either! and you're right the way both sexes are portrayed just sends out disturbing archaic messages though i believe that women (,children and those generally considered to be weaker) suffer the brunt of it. i'm definitely heading to Montreal! comics!!!
"@Andre, i do not know why that book was popular"Why it was popular is unimportant so long as we can agree that someone reading the book is not a bad person, that the book is not going to make someone a bad person, or that the book should be seen as a affront to kids everywhere and serve as a example of how adults are hating on children. Yah I know it is a bit of a strawmen but I think it highlights my argument."it seems to me that you do not understand what i am trying to say."Oh I understand… I just disagree on key points and hope to challenge those abit. "what I am saying is that rape culture and violence against the most vulnerable in society should not be normalised."First I don't find women so vulnerable myself, and second I disagree that it is being normalized or that this normalization has much if any effect on people. They have been trying to prove a link with violent porn and real world violence for a long time now and have found nothing conclusive.Yes sexism is bad and wrong and you can find examples of it everywhere despite how much progress we have been making. However sadly for everyone who would rather not see a favorite hero be hurt I think that asking for a taboo on stories you don't care for is to much to much to ask.Still nothing wrong with making your preference known but calling a story you don't like a cause of anti-woman attitudes is a little far fetched imo.
@Andre, this is not about my preferences at all. i'm simply commenting on an issue that i at first thought was weird but i realise is not thanks to the few women who have chipped in saying my connection of rape culture to comic books is not odd. again i am not saying that anything should be made taboo. as a woman, i do not think women are vulnerable either except in certain situations by including those that are vulnerable members of society in my sentence, i was actually referring to children. i don't believe that one medium in and of itself can be responsible for considerable effects in the real world. thus i don't believe violent porn has considerable direct effects in the 'real world' although i do believe it may have affects on the actors and actresses who take part in it. i believe that violent porn in conjunction with the prevalence of violent images against women in other parts of our culture add to the rape culture. my opinions may be far fetched to you and that's okay. i believe it is anti-woman if it is not kind in its portrayal of women and i guess i'm just frustrated these days. again, i'm not saying that rape/incest/whatever should be made taboo, i'm not saying heros or heroines should not suffer or face violence. i just happen to find the violences female superheroes face very disturbing as opposed to their male counterparts. perhaps i'm biased because i'm female…far fetched or not, it's my opinion and i see that i'm not the only woman who thinks this way.
"again i am not saying that anything should be made taboo."Sorry but this comment gave me a different impression. "all I am asking for is that my favourite superheroine lives without having to worry about being raped!'"Still that is good to know."i believe that violent porn in conjunction with the prevalence of violent images against women in other parts of our culture add to the rape culture."Then I have to ask why you would not be in favor of a taboo on such topics? I could also be wrong but I thought that as our exposure to violent images has exploded thanks to the internet that the amount of rapes has dropped. however like I said I could be wrong but I notice the same thing in Japan. Makes me think that just like violent videogames, over exposure is not likely to effect our odds of shooting people anymore then sports. Blaming rape on anything other then the rapist is just wrong and kinda scary imo. "i just happen to find the violences female superheroes face very disturbing as opposed to their male counterparts."I am familiar with WIR but I will challenge the idea that women suffer more or worse as opposed to their male counterparts. In fact and no offence ment but women are still protected in part from the sexist idea that it is wrong to hurt a girl.What sort of things do women suffer that men don't?Death? A quick look shows tons more guys get killed then girls in comics. Maybe the girls just stand out more because they are girls and that is shocking?Depowerment? Maybe, however men suffer this as well but I can see a argument if it is true that it happens more to women.Beat up? lol… noFor every one knocked out tooth or black eye on a girl I will show you 10 men just as bad off. However there are exceptions and a few writers make me wonder about them but I don't see this as normal at all, only shocking. Castration? Snip, stab, bang, rip, crush. This is something that shows up only(you know anyone?) for men. Rape? Here is the big one. Yah women get rapped more then men in comics or so I have been told. When a women gets raped in story it is often used for shock and horror. Sometimes it is used as a limit breaker for a revenge story. When a guy is raped it is most often used for lols. However as Batman, Deadpool, and Green Arrow can tell us, men are not fully immune. However reactions are much different as a man who is raped is unlikely to be seen as a badass hero.
"Blaming rape on anything other then the rapist is just wrong and kinda scary imo."i agree with this. you know there'll always be that random sick person who gets inspired by seeing violent images in the media. i don't know about rape rates dropping though. and most people tend to use Japan as an example. however we must remember that there are women who don't report when they have been raped. the reason i'm not going to call for taboo is basically out of respect for other people's free will, the artist's creative license etc. and i guess it's cool as long as it is not exploitative. if that makes sense."Death? A quick look shows tons more guys get killed then girls in comics. Maybe the girls just stand out more because they are girls and that is shocking?"my female friend said exactly the same thing. as a teenager reading comics female superheroes were role models enough but as an adult, i find that they mostly fall short of my expectations. i guess one could say this is due to these female characters being created by men and we're living in a patrairchal society etc. i don't know if you've heard about Marvel announcing 'Girl Comics'? i'll keep an eye on that but the name already just makes me roll my eyes. and w/r/t men being raped, i don't get how that can be funny but thanks for explaining. i guess i may be a bit protective, female characters are hardly ever properly developed and when the violence is added to that…it becomes really sad and disturbing.
"i don't know about rape rates dropping though."http://www.ojp.gov/bjs/glance/rape.gifit is not really proof of anything and more reading is needed but it is better it is still great to see a drop like that imo. Might be worth looking at the dates of those spikes and see what might have been going on.As for japan yah they have a very diferent culture but they also popularized monster rape porn. So take from that what you will."the reason i'm not going to call for taboo is basically out of respect for other people's free will, the artist's creative license etc. and i guess it's cool as long as it is not exploitative. if that makes sense."I like that answer.As for myself I would say such a taboo is bad because it will likely have much worse effects then anything rape culture can do. Just look at the effect it has had on men. I once watched a guy tell a cop he was raped by a women and the cop made fun of him behind his back about it to another cop. I can also show you tons of horrible sexist remarks o other sites like "Can't rape the willing and a guy is always willing"Yah best to have people talking about it and exploring what it is (even if it is just with cheap hacks telling a bad story for the shock facter) then to keep it taboo and therefor more shameful if it happens to someone."i don't know if you've heard about Marvel announcing 'Girl Comics'? i'll keep an eye on that but the name already just makes me roll my eyes."LOL yahHigh I am Marvel and we letting girls write a few storys! Look they think they are people!I know I am not being fare to marvel but the sexism pissed me off… and impressed me as kinda a good idea. I mean it is kinda a lesser evil with a cool chance of doing something fun and maybe even good.I am just scared that if it fails it will be used as a chance to have them throw there hands into the air and say they gave it a shot but girls just don't like comics or something.(As a note, do you think that artist gave she hulk such a large endowment on purpose?)"and w/r/t men being raped, i don't get how that can be funny"I can show you exaples if you like.http://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pmwiki.php/Main/RapeIsOkWhenItIsFemaleOnMaleTake a good look at how many hero's like Hulk, Thor and poor poor Nightwing (He shows up a few times on the list.)