#holding female characters to a higher standard than their male counterparts

[splashtailstar]

you! warriors fan who claims to be against fandom misogyny!

are you normal about squirrelflight, nightcloud, or curlfeather

[yuridovewing]

Honestly it's kinda weird to me how people refuse to hold specifically Ivypool and Blossomfall to a higher standard for how they treat their sisters. I've seen recent pushback claiming it's only misogyny (or in the case of Ivypool because she isn't a 'perfect victim') and like sure, in some cases the hate is because someone is being misogynistic or mad they aren't perfect victims after their stint in the Dark Forest. But not everyone who dislikes those two is doing it in bad faith, and it kinda feels like an oversimplification to say that.

Neither Blossomfall or Ivypool face any consequences from their sisters for how they treated them- even in extreme cases like Ivypool throwing the SkyClan rescue party under the bus explicitly because Dovewing and Tigerheart volunteered together, we aren't supposed to be angry at her- Twigbranch going 'Well I guess since crossclan relationships are the worst thing you can ever do it's okay the mentor I was supposed to be able to trust prevented a formal search for my birth Clan when she knew how important it was to me because she's still beefing with her sister :)' says as much. And almost every time they argue, Dovewing usually is the one making the most effort to amend things. Blossomfall's grudge against Briarlight is never resolved- I could be forgetting but I don't think she ever even apologizes. So is it any wonder people would want Briarlight and Dovewing to cut their sisters off- or at the very least until Ivypool and Blossomfall stopped their toxic behavior? IDK man, again I'm not denying there are bad faith criticisms on the basis that they're female characters but I wish people would accept that Ivypool and Blossomfall aren't good sisters at all and rarely do anything to actually better themselves (or their relationships with their siblings) because the Erins simply don't think it's a problem to begin with.

totally agree with you on people using “it’s just misogyny” as an oversimplified defense for criticism. like, yeah, in some cases, its people being too harsh on the female characters compared to their male counterparts. i won’t deny there’s misogyny in play with some people who hate ivypool and blossomfall, i think it’s good to keep that in mind when trying to criticize the series that like… would we hold a male character accountable for what we’re criticizing the female character for? like if mousewhisker or whoever was in blossomfall’s shoes, would more people like him?

but there’s that, and then there’s just “well you just hate ivypool because you hate female characters”.

i think what really bothers me about that defense in these cases is that the fandom has a big history of putting down the female characters around ivypool or blossomfall in order to prop them up. like, the hate ivypool gets here and there is just not comparable to the sheer vitriol dovewing got. blossomfall having haters here and there is sorta weak compared to the ableism lobbed at briarlight. (and if im feeling kinda brave…. millie as well… like. she’s abusive to briarlight, and narratively she’s far worse than blossomfall ever is, but let’s not pretend people weren’t super weird about her “stealing” graystripe and the blossomfall stuff was just another excuse to rant about how millie is a useless deadweight character who deserves to be maimed for ruining the childhood ship, as opposed to actually being mad at her toxicity. like i never saw a single person until recently criticize how she treated briarlight, just that she’s a big ol’ bitch for snapping at blossomfall)

to say the only reason why anyone would be uncomfortable with these characters is misogyny or abuse apologism is just to be really surface level, because to prop these characters up, people are often shitty to the other female abuse victim characters. and i’m not saying people who love them are ableist misogynistic abuse apologists, because that’s just silly at the end of the day (i know plenty of people who love these characters because of how nuanced they can be in the right hands) hell, i don’t even necessarily think these characters are “abusive”, just toxic and poorly handled by the narrative. i just wish more people would acknowledge how these characters are treated vs. how the “other side” gets treated.

[triviareads]

lol I don’t get why pple are worried that Anthony’s characterisation was ruined, audience hate him etc. but let’s be real, after s2 when they reveal Anthony’s sad past, everybody will love him esp considering most of the audience is woman. that tends to happen with male characters whereas we tend to hold woman to harsher standards. hell fandom pretty much acts like that. while Anthony has had it rough pple tend to act like he is somehow the most unlucky character despite his major privilege as a viscount. even in fics Kate’s problems tends to take second place or her insecurity is solved by Anthony telling her she is pretty. or all her flaws are nonexistent and she does not care about others opinions and for some reason at the age of 21 seems to know-it-all. i guess what I am trying to say is I really hope the show allows Kate to be more complex and flawed like they allowed anthony to be.

I agree it's not right that we hold female characters to a higher standard of "likeability" than their male counterparts. Judging from the S2 clip Bridgerton has given us (ik it's not very long), I feel like Simone's Kate has got more of a bite to her, and I hope that's a recurring thing, because I enjoyed her general vibes in that clip.

More Thoughts since I was unable to write them coherently enough

[where-fading-princesses-live]

double standards

So I was watching this very interesting video last night...  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Di_R6Md-L80

And around 6:43, he talks about the classic Mary Sue trope and how, if you have a male character in a work of fiction who is presented as equally perfect and free of flaw (in other words, a Gary Stu), the criticism is less harsh towards him, or in some cases, nearly nonexistent. Some might even say he's a total bad-ass and how dare you find fault in someone so impossibly cool? But if they're female? Good god, it's bad writing and anti-feminist. People seem to be generally way more accepting of male archetypes who fall under this trope than the likes of their female counterparts, hence double standards. You see this all the time in action flicks for instance. Arnold Schwarzenegger films, anyone? James Bond whomst??? But suddenly you have Rey who's arguably not better or worse than the likes of those characters, and yet, the general opinion of her is... kind of unfair. Understandable, nonetheless... I'm not a fan of her either but at the same time, I don't think we should judge her harsher than male characters who have similar treatments. Male characters like that shouldn't be excused. I'm not saying Stus are NEVER pointed out or criticized, but this guy does have a point. There seems to be a much more airtight scrutiny surrounding female characters of this nature and it might be due to internalized misogyny or ''something something quantum quantum...'' Granted, I don't think Stus/Sues should be a widely accepted overused theme regardless, and that should be blamed on poor writing rather than sexism. Whether male, female, both, neither and everything in-between, characters need to be well-written, well-developed, believable and nuanced and blah blah blah. I'm not really here to talk about that. What I want to point out is double standards. And yes, this is sexism.

Take Rick and Morty for example. I'm not going to get too deep into it, but the fandom seems to praise the shit out of Rick who can easily be labelled a Stu because as we're constantly reminded, he's supposedly the ''smartest man in the universe''. Now, when you create a character who is a self-professed genius and placed on a pedestal by the writers, it can definitely come off Stu-ish. It's not that Rick unrealistically lacks flaws... no, this man is LOADED with flaws, but the fact that he's a literal badass who can get out of almost any sticky situation... well, like I said, there's more to his character than that and I'm not going to get into it, but Rick rarely, if ever, fails. Sometimes there's moments of vulnerability and the fact that he keeps trying to change but just slips back into his old ways, that makes him much more 3-dimensional than a Stu... but you know, despite his narcissism, his sarcasm, his alcoholism and mistreatment of his family and his incapability of maintaining healthy long-term relationships, he still has a limitless ability to create, a superior intelligence level even when compared to higher lifeforms on other planets, enabling him to outsmart entire government organizations and civilizations spanning galaxies, well... you can see where I'm going with this. There's no person on this planet like that who exists irl, even among the smartest of history's greatest men. Yes, it's a cartoon, it's meant to be far-fetched. Yes, it's sci-fi so we're expected to suspend our disbelief. Yes, there's a reason for it. Yes, it drives the core of the story. But even if there's times where it seems Rick will definitely fail, he never truly has an ALL IS LOST MOMENT because the writers conveniently write him out of most of his troubles, because the series has to keep going (obviously). Basically, I never feel a real sense of danger when Rick is in trouble because I know he'll get out alive (if not, there's infinite amount of Ricks and infinite amount of realities to replace him-- not to mention he can replace his family members as many times as he fucks up which became the show's laziest overused point in my opinion). Rick's not a bad character. Far from it. That's not what bothers me.

What bothers me is his daughter, Beth. Okay, no, she doesn't specifically bother me. The way the fandom sees her bothers me. Now Beth is undoubtedly cut from the same cloth. You know what they say, like father like daughter. And yet... the fandom fails to recognize her as a potentially great character, just as equally flawed and brilliant minded as Rick. She's a genius horse surgeon in a failing marriage. (I will go out on a limb and say she's more well written than Rick *ducks from flying tomatoes*.) I mean, her story is literally almost the same as her father's, her flaws are just as realistic--in fact, she's probably more realistic because she's not the ''smartest so and so of the godforsaken universe'' which is just as bad as annoyingly cringey The Chosen One trope. She's just Beth. A terribly smart woman with abandonment issues and trust issues and all other kinds of issues, but you can't blame her given her upbringing. By no means perfect or good at everything she does. Or loved (or hated) by everyone or hailed a genius by the entire flipping universe. You can't even call her a Sue. Yet some of the fandom chooses to label her a b*tch for whatever reason... even though her characterization is near identical to D*ck, er I mean Rick (e.g. she drinks just as much when she hits an all time low). She's just as awful with just as many fuck ups yet she's more sympathetic due to the way Rick raised her (or didn't raise her)... yet there's a double standard because somehow, because she's a female, she's a worse character than Rick, who's a male and apparently awesome (brownie points because he's one of the the two titular characters so you *can't* hate him, it's against the law). If Beth were Rick's son instead of his daughter, I wonder if the general opinion would be the same or not. If Rick were a woman.... he would be Rey, now would he? Don't deny it.

Then there's Ed Edd n' Eddy. As much as I love praising the hell out of this show, I also like to crap on it. There's no shame in pointing out flaws in your faves. But this isn't so much the flaw in the actual show and the actual writing, but again, I'm taking a jab at the fandom and how they perceive male characters v. female characters.

Sarah. Sarah is almost exactly like the female Eddy. She's little and bratty and loud af. She's probably the most hated character on the show (even Jimmy and Kevin are more liked than she is). I used to not like Sarah either but I never really asked myself WHY. When I compared her to Eddy, I realized that they're literally, almost the same character and I have no real reason to hate her (yeah yeah a lot of the cul-de-sac kids share eerily similar traits to the Eds and it was no accident; it makes you wonder why the kids hate the Eds so much if they ostracize them for the very same quirks they have, and it's not just the scams--it's because kids at this age are terribly insecure about themselves and tend to make fun of more vulnerable others who share their flaws to make themselves feel better. I was bullied in middle school for acne by... wait for it.... kids who had acne. GASP. Imagine that. So my point is, we often despise traits in others we despise in ourselves, not to mention we don't perceive ourselves the way others perceive us, hence, the Looking Glass Self theory. Basically, EEnE is deeper than it appears on the surface, and I've analyzed this before during those EEnE Appreciation Month things, so I won't bother repeating myself, but that's the basic idea in a nutshell.)

Ahem, before I get off on a further tangent, let me reiterate my main point. Sarah IS Eddy. No, not really, but yes, kinda really. Her voice can be irritating and grates on your nerves at times, she's bossy and controlling of her friends (I honestly love her friendship with Jimmy, and how they both defy stereotypical gender norms, and how protective she is of him, but there's times where she pushes his buttons), and though she doesn't hold Jimmy back from finding his own independence apart from her the way Eddy sometimes does to Ed and Edd who he treats them more as cronies in the first season (for instance, Sarah doesn't raise objection to Jimmy joining the Urban Rangers and finding his own identity and making other friends besides her, I mean they don't have to be glued to the hip and she damn well knows that), and yet... the way she treats Ed... well... even if Eddy stands up for Ed against Sarah and grows increasingly annoyed with the way she walks all over him... Eddy ain't much better, pumpkins. DON'T ACT LIKE HE'S BETTER THAN HER. Sure, male characters *always* get excused for this kind of behavior, but if it's a girl, she's automatically a mega beyotch with no redeeming qualities. If she's a b, he's a b, and they both have potential to redeem their flaws.  They should be treated equally.

Don't get me wrong. I LOVE Eddy. He's one of my favorite characters. OPE. And there's the tea.

Most people LOVE Eddy (not everybody, and if you don't, that's fine; you don't even have to like Sarah, but I have a case). Despite the fact that he's bossy, sarcastic, rude, selfish, self-absorbed, over confident, flamboyant, vain, screams with a voice that makes your ears bleed.... well, gee, didn't I just describe Sarah? Sarah loves make-up clothes and hair just as much as Eddy loves speedos and deodorant and cheap shampoo and dressing to the nines for Jonny's Arbor Day Party. Hell, Sarah had a complete meltdown because she lost her freakin' earring! Eddy flipped the fuck out when Ed lost his porno mags. THEY'RE. THE. SAME. FUCKING. PERSON. (and it's why they butt heads but that's a topic for another day, because you know, you can't fight fire with fire... you can argue the same for Eddy and Kevin)

Yet, the fandom HATES Sarah and LOVES Eddy. Probably not cuz she's female, but aside from the Kankers, the girls (and Jimmy, poor Jimmy) seem to receive harsher judgment towards them as characters by fans, even if they have similar traits to the boys. I'm sure it's because Sarah isn't as well written or developed a character as Eddy (who's a main cast member, actually the driving force of the show, the primary lead) BUT that's not to say Sarah doesn't have her moments of vulnerability or moments of total bad-assery that makes her.... well... interesting  if given the chance. (In BPS, she beats the living shit out of the Kankers and devises a plan for her and Jimmy to escape their enslavement, one of my all-time favorite scenes in the entire movie; not to mention she beats the crap out of EVERYONE on the show and it's usually, not always, well-deserved but it's entertaining nonetheless: cat fights with Nazz, even beating up Rolf who's twice her size, etc.). The fact that everyone is afraid of this little girl??? (maybe except Kevin). I mean, this chick is fearless, and yet, she still has moments of weakness. That's 3-dimensional if you ask me. She's more than just the bratty little sister. I didn't used to like her, but after studying her more, I've come to appreciate her. There's nothing about her that makes her an inherently ''bad'' female character. She plays a role, as do they all, and she plays the role perfectly.

Last but not least: Nazz. Everyone's favorite (I'm kidding). I don't know if the fandom hates Sarah or Nazz more. I can understand the hate towards Sarah, but Nazz seems even less just. Nazz is like one of the nicest people on the show and never really does anything to warrant the hate (until the infamous flanderized Season 5-- don't judge me, I love S5 regardless)... but even then she's still nice, if a bit artificially so. I mean, she becomes a bit of a Mean Girl (they all kinda do; it must be how the clique school environment changes a person), but she still goes out of her way to be inclusive towards everyone (even if she can be spotted in the background laughing at the Eds along with the others at times, but they're ALL guilty of this... ya'll out here lovin' on Rolf or Jonny or whatever, and pretending like they're saints, but they laugh at our precious Ed boys too. Also, precious Ed boys are not complete angels either and sometimes they need a good ass whooping or two. I mean, they're just kids. Kids are assholes). She's not a bad person though; she roots for all the contestants during the Spelling Bee. She personally appoints Ed to be the mascot of the football team. I can go on and on. She's just nice. Maybe that's why fans hate her. Because nice is boring. Nice is... personality-less. I don't think Nazz has as much eccentricity as the other characters, obviously, but she, too, has her moments (she yodels, for starters). She's not entirely lacking in personality. Sure, she may have as much personality as a board of wood (actually, I take that back, Plank has MORE personality than her XD) buuuut.... Idk, I like Nazz. I didn't at first either. But even if it irks me a bit that she's reduced down to the unattainable love interest and not much else, she, too, isn't an inherently ''bad'' female character. She has the least development of all the cast members, but she fills her role effectively. Without her, the show would feel like it's missing something. Even if she doesn't appear as often.

What bothers me the most is that she plays the same part as Kevin, only female. Kevin's the quintessential jock/bully popular leader of the kids, the King of the Cul-de-sac if you will (self-appointed or otherwise, just don't tell Eddy I told you). Nazz is like his Homecoming Queen, even if they're not an official couple (they spend the whole series as a ''will they or won't they Ross and Rachel'') and though not the leader of the kids collectively, she does sometimes lead the girls (or really, Sarah and Jimmy), while Kevin leads the boys (Jonny and Rolf, excluding the Eds). AND YET Kevin, though sometimes hated by fans, isn't nearly *as* hated as Nazz. Yet, he has as much personality as her (sorry, I love you, Kev). I mean, THEY'RE. ALMOST. THE. SAME. CHARACTER. Good looking, sporty, popular... He's also the least developed character of the male cast. Plank has more development than him and that's kinda sad... y'know... getting beat by a board of wood. (But Plank comes alive through Jonny, so basically Jonny is split into two separate characters; Plank reveals aspects of Jonny that he won't reveal to us, and vice versa. I can talk about Jonny all day, but let's not, because this is about Nazz.) I mean, again, Nazz and Kevin both have their moments of vulnerability and it's not like they're NEVER interesting; I beg to differ. Kevin, anyway, has two great episodes that revolve directly around his insecurities and anxieties and deep-seated fears, some deep shit I wish we got to see with Nazz. But instead we got BPS and it was hands-down the best character development we ever saw from her in the entire show's run. It's sad it had to be the end, because if they gave us more BPS Nazz throughout the series, she would have been a well rounded 3-d character.

Nazz is angry AF in BPS and I live for angry Nazz. We can kind of feel for her here because Kevin is such a dunce. She's finally reciprocating his feelings and he decides to turn the other way.... for his goddamn inanimate bike. It's something Jonny would do, but Kev always loved that bike... I guess more than Nazz, and it's one of the greatest love triangles ever. Phantom of the Opera don't interact. Ahem. My point is, Nazz finally displays more personality here-- like actual fucking emotion beyond just being nice and pretty (sure, we've seen her get angry sometimes, or freaked out other times, but never like this). Buuuuuut the fandom sees otherwise. They hated Nazz even MORE after this, despite that.... the male characters in BPS, like Rolf who punches through a tree and Edd and Eddy who go at it all piss and vinegar in an actual fist fight, are angry fucking men, and they're allowed to be angry and not Nazz because...? They have more testosterone and she doesn't? Because penises are more justified than vaginas? Oops, no, sorry, women can only be angry when they're on their periods, my bad. I mean, everybody's out in this freezing cold swamp, having a break down, at their wit's end, reaching their ''all is lost'' moment... yet, Rolf and the Eds are allowed to vent their frustrations on each other or on the surrounding environment. But not Nazz. No, Nazz is being a b*tch because.... Kevin's paying more attention to a non-living machine than to her. And he sat flat on his skinny ass and didn't help her when she needed him the most. And she didn't have to tag along with him but she did. She didn't have to put up with his cold aloofness but she did. And even if she was trying to catch his attention and flirt with him at inappropriate times she wasn't entirely useless. It was HER idea to find Eddy's brother. If she hadn't suggested it, he'd still be riding around in circles chasing his shadow. Yeah, okay, she's a total b*tch.

God forbid women have emotions. God forbid women cry or get frustrated. Then they're b*tches. But if they're pretty and nice and perfect and popular, they're Sues. Yet, male characters with the same traits.... get lighter sentences. No one even bats an eye. Boys will be boys am I right?

I can go on but yeah, don't say double standards are total BS. In this essay I will

[enemyofperfect]

favorite female & nb characters!

All right, last week @maculategiraffe​ tagged me for this delightful meme, and now I’m finally getting around to it!  I’m going to follow her excellent example in not merely listing but also rhapsodizing somewhat about each of my faves.

Rules:  Name your top ten favorite female or nonbinary characters from different fandoms.  Tag ten people.

I think Joss Carter held first place on my list for a similar meme a while back, but I can’t help it, I still love her.  She didn’t bend.  Her entire life story was of repeatedly colliding with unjust and broken systems, from the US Army to her own marriage, and refusing to accept their failings.  Of course, since this was Person of Interest, her workarounds weren’t always legal, but Taraji P Henson always made me believe that it was in service of some higher standard, some blazing better world that was yet to be.  She always snarked with the best of them, too.

Kate Reed of the short-lived USA series Fairly Legal was just as tenacious but far less organized, a female counterpart to countless male protagonists who break every rule and social norm, but with a disarming smile, so of course they end up winning in the end.  She starts the series out grieving, half-divorced, and having just launched on a major career shift, but she's as undaunted by her own pain as she is by any other obstacle, determined to slip past or scrabble over top it in order to find the happy ending she knows is almost within reach, and that’s what makes her unforgettable, for me.

Ann Leckie’s Imperial Radch trilogy is populated almost entirely by nonbinary characters, most of whom are human, but as much as I love Breq’s stoic relentless Breqness, for this meme I’m going to list Mercy of Kalr, the spaceship who saw Breq and wanted her for a captain -- even though no one asks ships their opinions about these things -- and combines all of the virtues of ships (polite, restrained, tactically passive-aggressive) and, ultimately, of citizens as well.  My favorite cinnamon roll ever to fly through space, by far.

Annalise Keating of How to Get Away with Murder is a terrible person, and I love her desperately.  She’s manipulative, compassionate, vulnerable, implacable.  She juggles a dozen disasters at any given time and keeps more of them up in the air than anyone else ever could.  She gets to ignore repeated warnings and give voice to her outrage and, despite being a black woman in America, still win.  She is the center about which the show revolves and without which it could not possibly exist.  And it doesn’t hurt any that she’s also proof that Viola Davis deserves every damn award.

Eleanor Shellstrop is an asshole, plain and simple.  She might or might not be the first to admit it, but if she wasn’t, she would defiantly agree just to make sure the first person realized that noticing that pretty obvious fact didn’t give them any kind of hold over her.  She’s selfish.  The only reason she even tries to change is to avoid punishment.  But she does change.  I love her because she loves herself, and because Kristen Bell is kind of a genius, and because of the genuinely beautiful things The Good Place says through her progress.  She’s fantastic.

Do I even need to speak in praise of Joan Watson?  She, along with a refreshingly empathetic iteration of Sherlock Holmes, is what makes Elementary Elementary.  I love that she’s both principled and pragmatic, that she’s compassionate and dispassionate at once.  I love how many times she’s reinvented herself, and how driven she is, no matter what she does, to do it well.  I admit I’m a little confused about why the show has decided to give her an adoption storyline, but at the same time, I love every single thing about it so far.  I love that the life she lives is exactly her own.

Faris Nallaneen is the protagonist of Caroline Stevermer’s novel A College of Magics, and she breaks my heart.  Heir to a small Ruritanian polity and sent by her wicked uncle to the titular college, she is sardonic, iron-willed, passionately devoted to her people -- and living in a world that is so much bigger and more terrible than she is, and which she will fight with everything she has in her to save what is hers to defend.  Looking only at its outline, her story could have easily been silly or slight.  It is neither of those things, and she’s strong enough to bear it -- even though, at the same time, she is so young.

Sulla Pinsky of O Human Star is even younger, and as a humanoid robot in a world whose human population is still adjusting to the existence of artificial intelligence, she’s got her own share of struggles.  Making friends after a life lived in secret, for example.  Or deciding which secrets to keep for fear of being rejected, and which to share so that she can be loved as who she really is.  She’s by turns enthusiastic and shy, skittish and utterly brave.  She has that wisdom of youth that sees what is wrong in the world and meets it with unflagging hope.  I love her so much.

Kel Cheris of Yoon Ha Lee’s Machineries of Empire series... what do I even say about Cheris?  Absurdly brave, but that’s Kel for you.  Absolutely brilliant at math, but it’s not like the story gives concrete examples, or like I could have appreciated them if it had.  She’s kind to robot servitors.  She’s kind to the ghost that takes up residence in her mind.  I could say that she does her best in a world of terrible cruelties, and that’s true, but I also feel like that’s missing the point in some strange way; hers isn’t really the kind of story you can tie up in an inspirational bow.  But I love that she is kind.

And then there’s Murderbot, of The Murderbot Diaries by Martha Wells, who is probably the most relatable of any of these characters.  I’ve only read the first novella so far, but Murderbot leaves a hell of an impression:  part bot, part organic, and 100% socially anxious media fan.  Why do these humans keep wanting to talk?  Why does plot keep getting in the way of binge watching the best drama of all time, Sanctuary Moon?  Murderbot is intensely awkward, chronically cranky, occasionally heroic, and really doesn’t want you to take that last as an excuse to try and interact.  I could not ask for more in a protagonist.

I’m going to skip the tagging step because I’ve worn myself out with how much I love all of these amazing fictional people, but please, if you’d like to play, consider yourself tagged!  I love hearing about people’s faves!

[the-eternal-captain-harlock]

Captain Harlock & Miime: Musings on Isolation, Loneliness and Grief

(For the scope of the analysis I will be focusing solely on the Harlock/Miime relationship as it is portrayed in the 1978 Space Pirate Captain Harlock TV series. If you haven’t watched this anime yet, you really need to.)

“I am Miime; I am the woman who has given her life to Harlock.” - Miime, SPCH

It did not take me long into my sojourn into the 42-episode long self-contained Space Pirate series (and my first Matsumoto anime) to discover just how much I loved Miime, the tall willowy, mouthless, alcohol-swilling, harp-playing, soft-voiced alien woman whose relationship with Harlock is almost as meaningful and touching (in this series) as the relationship between Harlock and Tochiro.

Miime quickly became an exemplar of everything I wanted to see in a supporting female character. I already knew what I didn’t like: female characters who nagged, female characters who made the primary male characters awkwardly uncomfortable, who made them stammer, blush and act like idiots (if they were of high-school age) or forced them to supplant their ideals and opinions with their own, either through sheer bitchy determination or the pervasive ‘power of love’ angle (if they were older and *allegedly* mature). I didn’t know what I hated more: the female characters who ruthlessly and annoying imposed either their emotions, ideals or bodies onto their male counterparts, or, conversely, the male characters who allowed them to do so and conceded to the woman’s wills. I’ve always been more interested in fictional male protagonists then in female ones, and I always view the arrival of a new female character – be they hero or villain – into a novel or show with a certain amount of trepidation, owing to the drama they ineffably inflict upon that particular fictional universe, whether this is intentional on their part or not. 

                    Miime was blessedly free of all of the above behaviors. Everything about her, from her simplistic yet elegant character design, to her voice, mannerisms and hobbies, spoke of maturity, of refinement, and, most important to me at least, the desire to be true to her own person, to remain herself, as she is the last living remnant of her race. Perhaps if she had been a human woman her relationship with Harlock would have been radically (an unsurprisingly) different, but as she is a Juraian, an alien, a literal ‘Other,’ she abides by her own codes of conduct and not once does Harlock ever request or demand that she alter her behavior towards him, just as she never tries to ‘change’ him, as most human woman would try to do.Thus she remains unique, mysterious and ultimately unknowable - much like Harlock himself.

And the relationship the two of them share is unique indeed. Harlock makes no demands upon Miime whatsoever. She has no specific duty as a crew-member of the Arcadia and is free to move about the ship as she pleases. She pours Harlock his wine, but not because she is his serving girl and it is her duty to do so; she plays the harp for him, but not because she is his court musician and it is expected of her. Everything she does for Harlock is for their mutual enjoyment. They do not ask or demand anything from one another, they simply do things together, organically and naturally, in complete emotional and physical freedom. They are perfectly at ease with each other, displaying no awkwardness or stress when together.  Miime does not bicker with, fight with, flirt with, nag, challenge or impose on Harlock’s freedom in any way. She has pledged her life to him, even stating she would follow him into hell if he ever asked her to. Her devotion is total. Her loyalty is beyond reproach (1). Her relationship with the Arcadia’s brooding Captain puts her in the unique position of possessing true knowledge of his personality, allowing her to share her insights as to what kind of man he is with the other crew-mates, who are often confused by Harlock’s decisions and actions. She becomes his unofficial spokesmen and advocate and never doubts that he will accomplish his goals.

 Likewise, Harlock confides in Miime, telling her his plans, expressing his occasional doubts and frustrations or simply reminiscing about the past, often over drinks. But Miime is not a merely passive character Harlock keeps around as a drinking companion. Miime proves her worth as a fighter, displaying competent shooting-skills and reveling hidden depths of power when Harlock is threatened. Unlike Tadashi Diaba, however, she is not learning how to become a warrior or out for revenge against the Mazone invaders. Like Harlock, much of her story has already taken place and she has already reached the pinnacle of her character development. To remain at Harlock’s side is enough; she has no set goals or plans like Tadashi, no ulterior motives or hidden agendas.  Whatever else is happening to the galaxy at large is inconsequential as long as Harlock continues to wander the stars under his ‘flag of freedom.’  Calm, quiet and thoughtful, Miime stands unobtrusively by Harlock on the command-bridge, ready to give advice or make pointed observations, or fills his cabin with the soothing melodious music that relaxes him while the rest of the  crew revels in the Arcadia’s corridors, living for the moment while their haunted Captain broods on the fate of humanity, vowing to fight to the end to protect the earth even as he bemoans the hedonistic apathetic state of mankind. Miime is the only one he truly confides in, and Miime repays his trust by simply being there and supporting him (sometimes even saving him), regardless of the circumstances.

But what truly bonds them? Why do they enjoy one another’s company so thoroughly? Why do they understand and respect each other so fully? What lies behind the simple dignified tenderness they display towards each other? They are not lovers; they display virtually no hint of romantic infatuation or physical attraction. Yet despite retaining their autonomy and personal freedom they still share a certain bond, an intimate relationship which seems to transcend both love and friendship. But this bond is, sadly, rooted in tragedy and grounded by the threefold components of isolation, loneliness and grief.

  I: Isolation

One sad reality of Harlock’s existence is that he is an extremely isolated individual. Although the entire universe is essentially his sandbox and the Arcadia possess enough firepower to level cities and hold off entire alien fleets, Harlock never takes advantage of his considerable power and fearful reputation to make the rest of humanity do his bidding or live according his higher standards. Planet Earth is not a sheltering or welcoming place for the self-exiled space-pirate. Harlock has no wish to dominate, but he will not suffer himself to be dominated, so he endures the derision and scorn of Earth’s rulers and the constant harassment of the planet’s Defense Force with little genuine retaliation, preferring to roam the stars in hopes of finding his ‘final resting place.’ Despite having a homeworld and a people, Harlock, both by choice and circumstance, lives out a solitary and confined existence, with only those few chosen comrades who remain with him in order to fight for their own beliefs and carve out their own paths.

Miime shares in this isolation; for although planet Jura still exists her race has been completely destroyed in nuclear warfare and the following environmental retaliation brought on by the planet’s sentient plant-life. In a brief flash-back, a younger Harlock visits Jura and rescues Miime, now the last Jurian, from the plants and offers her refuge aboard his ship. Not only does Miime owe her life to Harlock, she also is allowed to live on his ship seemingly condition-free. Harlock has no utilitarian motives - neither practical or personal - for keeping her around. Miime does not cook or clean or fly Space Wolves or man any of the Arcadia’s guns; she is not a doctor, a scientist or a navigator. The bulk of Harlock’s otherwise human crew seem mostly indifferent to her presence; they do not compete for her attention or affection, nor do they make advances on her. Even aboard the Arcadia Miime remains in isolation and because Harlock also lives in voluntary isolation, spending most of his time in his elegant sterncastle drinking, brooding and playing his ocarina, their mutual situations and circumstances draw them closer together in a relationship built upon what is missing in their lives rather than what they have in common. They are both unique one-of-a-kind individuals, alone in a cold inhospitable galaxy that has little to offer them in terms of meaning and fulfillment. Even when together, isolation still dominates, for although Miime and Harlock spend a great deal of time alone behind closed doors there is always a significant physical distance between them. Both are heavy drinkers (Miime requires alcohol to survive, as it it is a natural part of her diet; Harlock is an alcoholic), but we never see them genuinely intoxicated and acting stupid, flirty or inappropriate with each other. In their isolation is also their liberty, for being who they are  - free, above all things - they are under no obligations or expectations to behave in certain ways. Harlock and Miime have nothing to prove to each other or to anyone else. Their relationship remains fixed and unchanging amid a universe full of chaos, danger and constant strife. They can always rely on one another - their isolation is their safeguard and shield; perhaps it is not such a tragic state after all.

II: Loneliness

  There is - or should be - a distinction drawn between someone who is physically alone and someone who is feeling lonely. For most people, the two aspects are one and the same. If there is no one around you, no one to talk to or interact with in some manner, this will be perceived by most as a negative state, one which they quickly rectify by either calling or visiting friends, chatting online or making plans for family gatherings and meaningful dates with significant others. To be alone with oneself, with ones’s own feelings, thoughts and memories without any distractions for an extended period of time, is hard for most people to handle - for most, but not all. I myself am an unapologetic loner. This is not due to shyness or social ineptness; I am merely extremely introverted. As I write this part of the article I am alone in the house (except for a sleepy old pit-bull) and I love it. This is the main reason I became so attached to Harlock and Emeraldas - they are both loners living according to their own codes and beliefs, following their own paths and perusing their own destinies (2). The Arcadia - which serves the duel purpose of being Harlock’s fortress, safe-haven and tomb -  enables him to remain free and unattached to the rest of humanity, liberating him from the confines of mankind’s apathetic degenerate social state and allowing him to remain true to his own self and goals.

But although Harlock is a true loner and possesses a solitary nature, he still suffers from genuine loneliness from time to time, although the only other human he intentionally seeks out to spend quality time with is Tochiro’s seven-year-old orphaned daughter, Mayu, which he does at his own peril. Miime, on the other hand, suffers loneliness even more keenly. Harlock, at least, can draw comfort (however sparse), in that he actually has a home-planet and a race to protect (even if he wants nothing to do with them), while Miime is the last of her kind - the last Jurian. Her planet still survives but the Jurian civilization is now nothing but ruins overrun by hostile plant-life. There is no going home for her. Her family and friends are all dead. She is a dispossessed being, without home or people, adrift in a hostile universe. In order to alleviate her loneliness she cleaves to Harlock with a single-minded vengeance, offering him her life, going were he goes, aiding him in all the ways she can, never once standing in his way or making demands of him. “It is better to be with people you hate then to be alone,” she tells Harlock, after lamenting how she had hated her people for the destruction they had wrought, only realizing after they were all dead how much she missed them now that she is truly and utterly alone. Her loneliness is made all the more potent in that she cannot truly leave the Arcadia. Harlock’s human crew-mates can leave and return to Earth if they wish but there is nowhere for Miime to go and no reason for her to leave. But she does not view Harlock’s ship has a prison - she learns about its secrets, about Tochiro, and this draws her and Harlock even closer together. Both Harlock and Miime are alone (one mostly by choice, one entirely by circumstance.) but their shared emotional experiences (and their mutual love of wine and music) allow for them to form and maintain a relationship that dulls the pain caused by loneliness (and the isolation) and gives Harlock the space to engage in meaningful interactions with another that brings them both happiness. Loneliness is the driving force that keeps their relationship stable and constant for the entirety of the series. Neither Miime or Harlock take each other for granted. Both remain grateful for what the one does for the other. Loneliness has gifted them to one another, and, because of its overhanging spectre, their bond is further strengthened by the knowledge that what they have is something unique, something valuable, and ultimately, something that neither one dares to compromise - for if that should happen the loneliness would become unbearable and the isolation truly complete.

III: Grief

The entire Space Pirate Captain Harlock series is overshadowed by an atmosphere of quiet unshakable melancholy. It rests upon Harlock like a second cape, infusing all his actions and choices, unweakening in its hold on him from the first episode to the last. He is never freed from it, for this is a melancholy born of grief, of loss, and of a seemingly-futile yearning for what can never again be. Harlock is in a perpetual state of unending mourning – he mourns for an Earth whose natural beauty and splendor is fading with each passing year, he mourns for a humanity who has forfeited its dreams and visions of the future so as to live in a state of continuous apathy and sloth; but, above all, he mourns for the loss of his best friend, the man who never gave up hope either in humanity, the future, or even Harlock himself. Tochiro Oyama is dead (except in two flash-back episodes), and without that that spunky, optimistic genius-engineer at his side, Harlock’s natural inclinations towards pessimism and depression must be battled at every turn if he is to remain an effective apposing force in the fight against the Mazone. Harlock speaks in passing about ‘looking for a final resting place’ and about spending ‘a life wandering space, looking for a place to die.’ Harlock is a less hopeful and forgiving man then Tochiro, and is tempted often to abandon mankind and the Earth to its fate. But to abandon either of these things is, in effect, to abandon Tochiro himself, especially as his only child, Mayu, lives in an orphanage on Earth. To turn his back upon the planet and its people is to turn his back on Tochiro and his heirs and to scorn his friend’s dream of a better future. Almost against his will, Harlock denies Mazone Queen Lafresia the earth for Tochiro and Mayu’s sake, if nothing else, though he does wish to prove to humanity (who view him as a disruptive, peace-threatening menace to society) that he can and will protect them, regardless of his own negative feelings (or theirs). Prior to the Mazone’s arrival, Harlock lived a listless, goalless life of petty piracy, protected and entombed in a semi-haunted Arcadia infused with the soul and living brain-cells of Tochiro himself. His war with Queen Lafresia gives him a purpose again and rekindles his fighting spirit, but even when victory is achieved Harlock refuses to remain on earth; instead he self-exiles himself once more, leaving his entire crew behind, to continue wandering the stars - but this time, only Miime is allowed to accompany him.

  If Miime is dominated by her loneliness (and her literal ‘alone-ness’) then Harlock is ruled by his grief; no-one, not Miime, Tadashi or even Mayu, can take the place Tochiro holds in his heart. Harlock does not desire wealth, fame, acclamation, status as a hero or even to be respected and appreciated. He fights successfully to secure a future for the Earth but he cannot be apart of that future – for Harlock desires only the Arcadia of his youth, his past life with Tochiro, the long-ago days when it was just two carefree young men seeking to live free and pursue their dreams. But those times of youth and adventure cannot be reclaimed. Tochiro is dead (though still present) and Harlock can do nothing but carry on without him. He keeps Miime at his side, and she follows him willingly into the dark and to whatever fate awaits them. Earth may have been saved and mankind given a second chance, but for Harlock, Miime and Tochiro there is no going back home. Home does not exist for them anymore. Their only true home now is the Sea of Stars, their only banner the Jolly-Roger, and a life lived in freedom their only sustenance. Miime vanishes with Harlock into the vastness of space, remaining loyal to him to the last, even as Harlock remained loyal to Tochiro’s dream, the three of them uplifting and sustaining one another in their long exile. It is not necessarily a happy ending, but it is certainly a fitting one, appropriate to the nature of its characters and in keeping with the series’ overall mood and tone. 

Thus wherever Harlock may go, Miime will always be at his side, a true companion he can rely upon for comfort and advice. For Miime, Harlock will always remain her savior and provider, and her comfort and advice are gladly given, since they both retain their freedom - which is, ultimately, all they ask for and in the end, as long as they remain within the confines of the Arcadia, is all they are allowed to have.

  (1) You can only imagine how pissed-off I was when in the 2013 Space Pirate Captain Harlock CGI film, after Yama replaces Harlock as captain, Space-Elf!Miime declares that her loyalty is to the ship rather than Harlock himself. Boy that made me mad - that among so many other things.

(2) Harlock’s, Emeraldas’s and my own personality traits in a nutshell.

[siancore]

Let’s talk about morals shake we? Like I have them and I wish that “eat a dick” didn’t immediately come out of my mouth when I saw the lovely pedestal that a “guest” perched on. Those are my morals kicking in I guess. You handled that with aplomb and from the way that chapter started you also basically “handled” any further response. I don’t have the characters to address the Madonna complex people have for women and if said guest is reading this work then I have an “ask” for them:

Why? You do realise that you’re reading explicit content right? Where’s your respect for your feminine delicate mind… asking for a friend. Hmm seems I did have enough space… also, @siancore fucking lovely, sexy morally ambiguous update. #crimebossrickismykink #fightme “no respect for her body” #eatadick

@winterscorp Thank you for having my back and for supporting what I am doing with this story. I know there are readers who are not going to be comfortable with everything that is happening, but it is a sexually explicit DarkFic centred on a female undercover operative; lines are going to be crossed. And, like I said before: I want to write women who are morally ambiguous. Fandom always holds women to a higher standard, and I’m over it. I want this version of Michonne to be complex and messy; I want her to make mistakes; I want her to be dark, and vulnerable, and sure, and in control; I want her to be comfortable in her own sexuality. What I don’t want is for her to be unfairly judged because of her choices, when all of the men in this story have done things that are far worse than having slept with some men.

I don’t have any resentment toward the reviewer for offering their honest feedback, I just want them to be mindful of the nature of this story. And to consider this: Why it is that, even in transformative works, such a fanfiction, where we have the opportunity to write progressive narratives, women are still held to a higher standard than men, and not given the chance to display as much moral ambiguity as their male counterparts?

Thanks for dropping by!

[logicloup]

There are some of these assessments that I take extreme issue with:

Kira Carsen: Kira never betrays or lies to the PC. Yes, she is temporarily compelled, against her will, to stand at an enemy’s side, but there’s no willful transgression to break trust over. Unless we’re expected to believe that she’s somehow untrustworthy for not having told the PC the hot second they met that she was a Child of the Emperor - information that the PC had absolutely no right to demand or expect.

Yuon Par: While I don’t overlook or excuse her role in abandoning Parkanas on Malachor, it is important to note that one, she was far from the only person involved in that decision, and two, unlike the others, came clean about her involvement and showed genuine remorse for her past actions.

Dread Masters Bestia and Brontes: As with Master Yuon, I’m curious why we’re expected to hold the female members of a group to a higher standard of integrity than their male counterparts. Also, I would hardly consider two members of a largely fungible group of raid bosses to have “a pivotal role in the PC’s story”.

Risha Drayen: Yes, Risha was a horrible, self-centred brat of a mafia princess in her youth. But, as people will sometimes do, she changes. As you yourself point out, she’s solidly on the smuggler PC’s side. Moreover, at least on the one occasion she involves the PC in, she goes out of her way to make an attempt to mend fences with someone she had wronged, admitting her own fault in the situation.

Raina Temple: Lt Temple trusts the PC with a secret that could have her sent to Korriban at best, killed outright at worst, and this somehow means she can’t be trusted?

Jaesa Wilsaam (DS): Sure, ds-Jaesa is a total garbage bag on legs, I’m not even going to try to deny that. But let’s not forget that the PC knowingly and willfully molded her into that image, by using precisely the same tactics Jaesa herself goes on to use to get the PC’s attention - killing loved ones and comrades-in-arms for the express purpose of causing them pain.

Jaesa Wilsaam (LS): I don’t recall any point at which it is stated, or even implied, that Jaesa gave Gnost-Duraal actionable information on the PC. Could I get a source on this one?

Elara Dorne: This is a woman who found within herself the courage and integrity to defect from the Empire when her conscience would no longer allow her to serve in their military. Why, then, does it speak ill of Cpt Dorne that she responds in acrimony to the revelation that the trooper, her former CO, betrayed their oath to defend and uphold the Republic?

Ashara Zavros: Ashara doesn’t have any meaningful agency in the situation on Taris, and that’s entirely the point of her role in the story there. She’s being pulled between two powerful individuals who have each made a demand on her loyalty, and she does the best she can to resolve the situation while satisfying her own moral and ethical convictions. Was it a pretty bonehead move on her part to expect that the Jedi wouldn’t take immediate action against the Sith? Sure. But that was stupidity, not malice, and betrayal requires malicious action.

But okay, let’s flip the coin and look for “strong female characters” who’s agency doesn’t come at the cost of personal integrity. Off the top of my head, there’s...

Akaavi Spar: Fiercely independent, Akaavi insists from moment one that she’s only sticking with the smuggler as a hired gun, and that as soon as something better comes along, she’s going to take that opportunity. And yet, despite picking up the occasional side gig, she stands by the smuggler’s side through thick and thin, right up till the Zakuul incursion knocked everything into a cocked hat.

Mako: Talented, resourceful, and determined, Mako more than earns her place in the Bounty Hunter’s crew, and never gives them any reason to doubt or distrust her - even going so far as to keep the hunter fully apprised of all developments in her investigation into her clone siblings and their involvement with Republic intelligence. (Really would have liked to get some resolution there, game.)

And, because I feel a bit bad limiting this to just class companions, Darth Lachris: Yes, a Sith, an occupier, and generally terrible person to be on the wrong side of. However, she’s remarkably even-handed with an Imperial PC, giving them the intel and resources they need to carry out their assigned tasks, and openly commending them for their role in securing the Empire’s hold on Balmorra.

SWTOR: Women Characters and Betrayal

Something I realized today: With only three exceptions I can identify (Satele Shan, Crysta Markon and Shae Vizla), every single really strong woman with agency in the game that has a pivotal role in the PC's story is depicted as a betrayer or someone who has lied to those who gave them responsibility about major issues. It's as though they had not figured out how to write women without making them either exhibit some treachery, inspire some level of distrust, or have little agency.

SPOILERS FOR EVERY CLASS STORY, SHADOW OF REVAN, KOTFE, KOTET, THE TRAITOR ARC AND OSSUS

Kira Carsen (Jedi Knight): Child of the Emperor. Obviously not her fault and she consciously throws off the Emperor's influence, but they do set her up as "oooh, she's got an evil side!"

Master Yuon (Jedi Consular): Part of the group that abandoned Parkanas Tark on Malachor III. Dread Master Brontes: Turns on the Empire to the point where the Empire sends people to hunt her down and stop her damage. Dread Master Bestia: Turns on the Empire to the point where the Empire sends people to hunt her down and stop her damage. Risha Drayen (smuggler): Some of the NPCs you meet don't ever want to see Risha again because she screwed them over so badly. She does show her loyalty to the smuggler in the confrontation with Nok Drayen, and from then on, but she's still left people like Beryl Thorne in her wake. Raina Temple (Imperial Agent): Raina hasn't lied to the PC, but she's lied to the Sith about being Force sensitive. Kaliyo Djannis (Imperial Agent): Her entire companion storyline is about all the people she's betrayed or reneged on agreements with. She almost does that to the PC, too. They continue this theme in KOTFE by showing her betraying the Overwatch chief, lying to the PC about her true intentions (bombing the city) and getting emails from disgruntled people she's burned. Senya: Does a literal 180 and goes from supporting the Alliance to rescuing the person they're trying to kill and depose. Also lures the PC into an ambushed "trial" with the Scions which damages HK-55. Lana Beniko: Famously, arranges for Theron to be captured by the Revanites during Shadow of Revan. Chancellor Saresh: If you're Imperial, Saresh has reason to kill you already. But if you're a Republic PC in KOTET, Saresh may have worked well along side you - and she tries to kill you and take over the Alliance anyway. Empress Acina: Goes from "the new Sith Empire isn't treacherous, I have no reason to try to betray you" to searching for superweapons on Iokath. Darth Zash (Sith Inquisitor): Literally tries to steal the PC's body. General Garza (Trooper): Havoc Squad 1.0 defected because she left them behind. And the way she treats the hapless victims of Eclipse Squad could be considered betrayal too. DS Jaesa (Sith Warrior): After telling the Sith Warrior "I'll never try to kill you and will always support you," her return involves her slaughtering the PC's troops on Iokath, trying to kill Lana Beniko (who may be the PC's wife or SO at that point) and trying to inflict as much pain as possible on the PC. LS Jaesa (Sith Warrior): Is allowed to stay in Gnost-Dural's sanctuary on Ossus because she sold out the Sith Warrior by telling Gnost-Dural all their secrets. Elara Dorne (trooper): Technically not a betrayal, but if the trooper goes Imperial on Iokath, Dorne says that she wishes they were dead and actively helps Jace Malcom try to kill them. SCORPIO: I don't really need to explain this one, do I? Ashara Zavros (Sith Inquisitor): Calls the Jedi to ambush the PC when they go to meet Zavros's ghost.

Like...do they even know how to write women without having them be depicted in some way as untrustworthy?

[terminalpolitics]

In recent weeks, a controversy has popped up pitting the centrist #Resistance and progressive wings of the Democratic party against each other. This iteration of what has become a common battle regards a rising star of the establishment Democratic party—Kamala Harris, junior senator from California. Although the recent debate on Harris is relatively new, sparked by an articlefrom The Week by Ryan Cooper titled “Why Leftists Don’t Trust Kamala Harris, Cory Booker, and Deval Patrick,” it’s only the newest incarnation of a toxic dynamic that has been in full swing since 2016, where the two sides do battle over whether leftist critique of certain politicians is proof that the critics are racist, misogynist, or both. No matter how specific and policy-oriented the left’s critiques are, a certain class of liberals will never let the debate be about policy. This piece is an attempt to explain their tactics, and outline a strategy for overcoming them.

Typically, there are five steps to the centrist smear.

Step One: Define the Enemy as a White Male, Erase All Others

First, the leftists making the critiques are depicted by liberals as being almost exclusively white, male, and (often) privileged. The most popular method for carrying this out is the coining and weaponizing of the term “Bernie Bros.” Sometimes (white) female Bernie supporters are begrudgingly acknowledged, only to be dismissed as traitors suffering from “internalized misogyny,” or as flighty young singles supporting Sanders because that’s where the boys are—as Gloria Steinem, among others, claimed. Leftists of color, however, are rarely acknowledged even begrudgingly, and are often ignored outright in an act of erasure.

Step Two: Define the Leftist Motivation as Racist/Misogynist/Etc.

The second tactic of centrist liberals is to portray these supposedly exclusively white, male leftists as being solely motivated by misogyny and racism in their criticisms of women and minority politicians. They tend to do this by ignoring, minimizing or outright dismissing any policy criticisms leveled against these politicians, and by claiming that these female and or minority politicians are being held to a higher standard of purity testing than their white, male counterparts.

Step Three: Present Identity Politics and Class Politics as a Zero-Sum Game

Step three from the centrist playbook is to maintain that identity politics are being thrown under the bus in favor of class-only politics—regardless of the substantive policy and character critiques put forth. Many #Resistance-style liberals have a very narrow definition of good identity politics that only allows for superficial diversity in the form of representation optics. For example, a board of directors of a corporation may exploit its black workers and run abusive third-world sweatshops and practice environmental racism, but as long as that board has a proportionate number of women and minorities, the liberal idea of identity politics is usually satisfied. Therefore, even if the critique against a minority or woman candidate is for an action that disproportionately targeted black people—expanding the prison-industrial complex by locking up black men at an increased rate, for example—centrists perpetually claim that the greater crime to the marginalized group is the fact that anyone dares to criticize a politician from that group. Even when that minority candidate is being criticized for a policy that hurts minorities and women, the lie must be maintained—criticism of that politician is criticism of the group, and identity politics in all its forms.

Step Four: Attack the Delivery of the Message, Not the Message Itself

Step four is simple tone policing—divert the topic to “civility of the discourse,” shifting the focus to how the critic delivered her criticism, rather than the substantive merit of said criticism. This leads directly to smarm and virtue signaling—a pattern that repeatedly occurred in 2016 with Hillary Clinton, and is happening again with Kamala Harris. In both cases, liberals press the idea that criticisms only ever come from privileged white men, are too rude and abusive to ever be constructive, and only ever stem from racism and sexism—usually in the form of a total dismissal of all identity politics and a contempt for the oppressed identities they’re meant to protect. Critics of these politicians are never acknowledged as having legitimate concerns on policy and character.

Step Five: Personality, Not Policy

The fifth and final step for the neoliberals is to make the political debate a matter of charismatic personalities, or “names.” This is why we see so many pieces lamenting that Kamala Harris has a “Bernieland problem,” or is struggling with “Bernie Sanders supporters,” despite the fact that neither Bernie Sanders or anyone in his inner circle are actually behind any of the Harris public criticisms, and most of these leftists haven’t brought up Sanders at all in their critiques. (Some centrists, such as Laurence Tribe, have gone so far as to accuse Sanders of masterminding the attacks, in the absence of all evidence.) These pieces often refuse to call the critics “leftists” or “progressives,” because that would give a clearer idea of policy beliefs and ideals.

On Aug. 8, when The Week published the aforementioned Ryan Cooper article, and every day since, all of these dynamics have been in the media. Cooper responded to accusations that the left is motivated by racism and misogyny in its distrust of Harris by citing her history as a prosecutor, her defense of questionable Wall Street fat cats like Bain Capital, and her closeness to the donor class. However, although a few responses did try to sincerely engage Cooper’s arguments, most simply evaded them altogether in favor of doubling down on accusations of racism, sexism, and the false claim that these critics refused to hold white politicians to the same standards.

READ MORE...

[mexicodish98-blog]

How to Protect Your Career From Those Who Try to Undermine You

Women must practice career self-defense against subtle and not-so-subtle challenges.

September 7, 2018 6 min read

Opinions expressed by Entrepreneur contributors are their own.

The sad truth is that women in business must always be on the lookout for people who will try to discredit them. The opposition could come in the form of a direct challenge to your authority or a sneak attack to damage your reputation with your clients, your customers, your bosses and peers. Ask any woman in any line of work, and she'll tell you how simple it is for a carefully planted seed of doubt or a well-placed bit of gossip to jeopardize her position by raising questions about her professional competence or her effectiveness in her business. Watching your back, unfortunately, is an inescapable part of the track to success. When it comes to protection from sneak attacks, you have to go it alone.

Related: If Another Woman Is Being Rude or Uncivil to You at Work, Here's What You Can Do

Sniper alert: king snakes, queen bees and mean girls

While working in big corporate law, I took on a high-stakes case requiring a team of associates and one junior partner. Unfortunately, all the junior partners were fully booked. Arriving to the "rescue," another senior partner volunteered to "help" me. No sooner had he signed on than he announced to me that he'd be taking lead on the entire case. I doubt that he saw his actions as an attempt to push me aside. He was simply doing what powerful men do: He was conflating his involvement with being the boss.

I didn't take his attempt to usurp me lying down. But, dealing with these sniper attacks is tricky business. A well-placed male enemy with deep connections in the old boys' network is no small matter. If you're not careful, one back-room political maneuver by a jealous rival could knock you off the rung you earned with your merit and grit.

For all the attacks that may come from men, however, what is often more unexpected is an attack from another woman. Whether arising from naked ambition or from the perception that there can be only one "queen bee" in the company, a back stab from within your own tribe carries its own unique sting.

Related: How to Present an Authentic Self at Work as a Woman

While taking lead on a case for a Fortune 100 client, I pulled in several junior partners, including one woman. Within two weeks of bringing her on board, she was trying to poach the client. Her actions blindsided me. Fortunately, I had a 15-year relationship with the client, and she had zero chance of succeeding. Still, being double-crossed by someone who should be your ally is difficult to forget.

"Queen bee syndrome" describes a woman who has succeeded in her own career only to pull up the ladder behind her. It can also describe a woman who treats her female subordinates more critically than their male counterparts. I've long maintained that this corrosive phenomenon is rooted in the misguided perception that there is only room for one woman at the table, but I was surprised to learn that research now theorizes that queen bees are simply trying to emulate the men in an attempt to fit in.

Queen bees are trapped in a vicious cycle, according to one recent study. As they rise in their careers, they distance themselves from junior women, legitimizing and perpetuating the very gender discrimination that they faced while advancing their careers in male-dominated organizations. According to the study, queen bee behavior is a response to misogyny and the social-identity threats that women encounter in businesses controlled by men.

Related: 9 Ways Successful Group Networking Empowers Women Entrepreneurs

"Queen bees" may control the hive, but they're not the only women standing in the way of progress. "Mean girls" are women who undercut or bully out of a desire for supremacy, jealousy or in response to a perceived slight, real or imagined. A 2010 study conducted by the Workplace Bullying Institute found that female bullies directed their hostilities toward other women 80 percent of the time. In contrast, male bullies are equal opportunity bullies. A 2011 study of 1,000 working women conducted by the American Management Association found that 95 percent of these women felt they had been "undermined by another woman at some point in their careers."

The fine art of career self-defense

Protect yourself from attack with these five strategies:

1. Maintain constant vigilance. It's not helpful to become paranoid or to spend your entire professional life looking for slights or attacks. It does, however, make sense to expect that an attack could come at any time and to guard against exclusions, putdowns and lies before they go too far.

2. Build alliances. Countering sabotage is much easier if you've already established genuine working relationships. Well-placed allies, including people senior to you, can tip you off to threats and come to your defense if needed. Don't neglect your broader network either. Leverage your contacts to build alliances beyond your own organization.

Related: It's Time for Women to Stop Apologizing So Much

3. Don't let it slide when you are attacked. Your enemies need to know that you can't be trifled with -- you're tough as nails and will staunchly defend your position against their sabotage. Call out your attackers. Be direct. Make it clear that you're not inviting debate; you're simply explaining that you're fully up to speed and that sabotage won't go unpunished. You'll be surprised how effective open confrontation can be.

4. Keep it professional. Counter-sabotage and underhanded tactics rarely work. Stick to the high road no matter how tempting the low road may be. When the truth comes out -- and it will -- you want to be able to hold your head high. Your integrity will distinguish you from those who have tried to undermine you.

5. Go above and beyond in proving yourself. Women are held to higher performance standards than men. Starting on Day One, deploy all the skills women have -- talent, grit, emotional intelligence, femininity and strong relationships -- to build your standing with your organization. That way you'll be in as strong a position as possible when someone questions your character or suggests that you can't cut it in terms of performance.

Perhaps you'll be the rare woman who makes it through her career unscathed by sniper fire. But, it's smarter to assume that you won't and prepare yourself accordingly.

Source: https://www.entrepreneur.com/article/319097

[crimsonrevolt]

Congratulations Jen you’ve been accepted to Crimson Revolt as Emma Vanity!

↳ please refer to our character checklist

Jen -- your applications are always so thought through and developed, and it’s such a joy to read through them because it’s always so easy to see how invested you are in the character you’re applying for. I love how you shaped Emma and thought about who she is as a person and what her ambitions are, and how highly central her drive is (even when it might be hidden behind false smiles and a pretty appearance.) If that hadn’t sold me alone, all of the effort you took into the headcanons and your in character section would have done the trick. I’m already so excited to see where you take Emma and can’t wait to see you play out this journey with her!  *your faceclaim change to Camila Mendes has been accepted!

application beneath the cut

OUT OF CHARACTER

INTRODUCTION

Jen, GMT, 22, she/her

ACTIVITY

I still have characters in other rps and obviously Greta in this one also but I am still reasonably confident that I’ll be able to do replies every other day or every two days.

TRIGGERS

*removed for privacy

HOW DID YOU FIND US?

I am a member of this wonderful group!

WHAT HARRY POTTER CHARACTER DO YOU IDENTIFY WITH MOST?

This is such a tough one to me because they’re all so near and dear to my hearts. If you were asking me to pick a favourite then it would be a tie between the twins and Ginny but as for which one I relate to most I would probably have to go for Mrs Weasley. Family is hugely important to me and I think that being open and caring are two of the most important things a person can be and those are two things that she embodies and that I strive for.

ANYTHING ELSE?

Nothing I can think of!

IN CHARACTER

DESIRED CHARACTER

Emma Helena Vanity

FACE CLAIM

I’d like to use Camila Mendes for her please!

REASON FOR CHOSEN CHARACTER

At the beginning I was only every going to play one muse but because I have no self restraint I found myself flicking through the untaken skeletons one day and Emma stood out to me again. I am a complete sucker for driven women who take no prisoners, letting no one get in the way of what they want, and she is exactly that.

What strikes me about Emma is that her most defining characteristics are all things she keeps hidden beneath polished smiles, a pristine appearance and polite conversation. She’s a girl who wants the best and will settle for nothing less, embracing the role she’s been cast in simply because it suits her best interest. Despite her annoyance at being seen as more of a doll than an equal, she plays herself up in that part because people consistently underestimate her which hugely works in her favour when it comes to getting what she wants.

I love that she is wholly out for herself, no time to give others consideration when she drives herself so strongly. Completely unapologetic about any lack of genuine care, she’s gotten very good at faking interest in people to later use information or favours she’s given them to her advantage.

She is endlessly confident and assured of her life choices and the way she holds herself. So much so that she finds it easy to critique others on the way that they go about their lives while holding herself higher than them.

I think in her mind she’s got her life all planned out, goals set in place that she intends to be as unmovable as she is. Except I would love to start testing her and seeing if things change for her and opinions begin to shift or she’ll just always be completely set in her ways.

PREFERRED SHIPS // CHARACTER SEXUALITY // GENDER & PRONOUNS

Emma is bisexual and biromantic though she will only officially be seen to date men in order to keep up with appearances. She recognises that playing her part in pureblood society is necessary in order too get what she wants and to do that she needs to marry into a good family- eventually. This isn’t to say that she wouldn’t and hasn’t happily be with another woman or someone who isn’t pureblooded just the relationship is almost guaranteed to be kept a secret at the time and after its end.

I just see Emma and chemistry really but the most important thing would be that whoever she ends up with she’s her for what she is- someone to be a partner not just a prize or an accomplishment. Anyone who thought she was just another pretty face would not be someone she’d ever be truly happy with even though she’d probably settle for someone she could tolerate.s

She identifies as female and uses she/her pronouns

CREATE ONE (OR MORE!) OF THE FOLLOWING FOR YOUR CHARACTER:

Anything I have for Emma can be found here: https://vanityxe.tumblr.com/

IN CHARACTER QUESTIONNAIRE

♔ If you were able to invent one spell, potion, or charm, what would it do, what would you use it for or how would you use it? Feel free to name it:

A light little hum is given at the question. “Well, it would be foolish for me not to want to invent something to aid me in my profession, would it not?” It’s rhetorical just like almost all of her questions are when she hardly cares about other people’s answers but she still does the polite thing and pauses for a moment to allow input before continuing. “The real question would be how could I possibly improve upon what is out there already? As much as I can find it soothing the upkeep of my broom can be rather tiresome after a hard match so perhaps a spell that would either speed the process up or do it for me completely.”

♔ You have to venture deep into the Forbidden Forest one night. Pick one other character and one object (muggle or magical), besides your wand, that you’d want with you:

Emma wrinkles her nose delicately at the thought which would naturally be abhorrent to a lady such as herself. “I cannot say I’ve ever thought too much about this- it’s hardly a proper pastime. But I suppose I would take some enchanted thread or map to ensure I would be able to find my way out.” Pearly teeth gently chew on her lower lip as she forms the answer that’s expected from her. “Why, I suppose I would take any strong young man who could help keep me safe in there. I’m precious cargo, am I not?” She laughs, practised enough times that it sounds genuine without her features creasing too much.

♔ What kinds of decisions are the most difficult for you to make?

“I don’t find any decisions particularly difficult when it’s a simple case of what’s best for me.” The girl paused, a delicate sigh exhaled as she decides that she can’t dodge the question so completely and at least a sliver of honest is needed. “Though I suppose I take slightly more time when it comes to how I choose to spend my personal time to balance enjoyment with opportunity.”

♔ What is one thing you would never want said about you?

It’s easy to answer- almost too easy really but she still takes a moment to pretend to contemplate it with one perfectly manicured nail resting on her cheek. “That I will never amount to anything.” A small smile then graces her lips, as though she was about to confess a secret. “Although that would only encourage me to work that little bit harder to prove them wrong.”

WRITING SAMPLE

Stepping out of the changing rooms with another win under her belt, the brunette was pleased with her performance and that of her team. Pleased but not satisfied. It had been a convincing enough win but it was easy for her to pick out mistakes from her play already. While the rest of her team favoured violence as a way to win, Emma had always preferred a more measured and clinical approach, only resorting to dirtier tactics if things weren’t going her way. She wanted to be the best on pure talent and skill alone, not how many cheap shots she took. Except today she’d allowed herself to get sucked into the rougher side of the game after she hadn’t been able to stop her blood from boiling after being called girlie and princess one too many times.

It had made her game too sloppy, not up to her usual polished standards and that meant that she would be spending even more of her time on the pitch in order to ensure that it’s not a mistake that she makes twice. With her bag resting on her shoulder, she make her way to the spot that she usually aparates home from while trying to smooth out the disappointed frown she knew was resting on her brow.

“Miss Vanity!” A voice called out to her and she turned to face them with a pleased smile on her face that someone had recognised her. The middle aged man jogs over to her, shoving a programme in her direction. “Would you sign this for me? Getting the signature best female seeker in the league was too good an opportunity to pass up.” His comment despite being well intended ate away at her already frayed nerves. It wasn’t good enough to her, not when she was one of only two starting seekers, four in the total of the league.

At that moment Emma wanted to do so much. She wanted to scrunch up her nose and purse her lips at the casual sexism. To stomp her foot and unleash her rage and frustration at always being placed second best. To demand that he considers her on level playing terms with her male counterparts. To rant or to put him in his place with some cutting or seething words. Except she does none of that. A hand rises to smooth down hair that she already knows is in place before she aims her perfect, practised smile his way as though he’s just given her the best compliment she’d ever received. “Well, I can only hope that one day I’ve improved enough to simply be the best.” The words are spoken so evenly with just the right amount of sweetness that any irritation she possessed was so easily cloaked by it.

Rather than deter her it was exchanges like these that simply propelled her forward. Gave her yet more incentive to keep going until no one could deny that she was the best not just in the league or the country but in the world. One day, she would have the pleasure of proving them all wrong and that alone was enough to make her smile so genuinely as she asked sweetly. “Now, who can I make this out to?”

[swan2swan]

Not to sound ignorant but what's this female stormtrooper thing with Rebels fans?

OKAY SO:

Back in the previous canon, "female stormtroopers" weren't a thing. The Empire was anti-female. This was presumably because there were supposedly no female Imperials in the movies (fun fact: a lot of the Stormtroopers were actually women because they could be Extras), but considering the fact that there were less than half a dozen female Rebels in the Original Trilogy, that was a pretty lame excuse (but, you know, Daala...).

NOTE: Rebel Assault 2 was a notable exception in that not only did it feature an actress dressed up as a Stormtrooper (proving that even lady-boobs can fit inside a standard suit of armor), but she talked under the helmet in a lady voice and reported in as a lady pilot--and attracted no suspicion while doing so.

But let's fast-forward to the time of New Canon Hype--Rebels was on the horizon, rumors were circulating about the impending new movie, and everything was being upended. Our first genuine glimpse of the new universe was the novel A New Dawn, and we found this:

Thus, we saw that being a Stormtrooper was no longer a boys-only club. Rae Sloane was also a member of the Imperial Squad, showing that women could become officers, too--and of course, if one wants to become an officer, she has to spend some time in the trenches, filing up with the other cadets in the academy.

Soon, we also learned about the approach of the notorious Captain Phasma--a shiny Stormtrooper whose IV stats stood a full head higher than any of her male counterparts. Her existence further confirmed that not everyone in the army would be voiced by Steve Blum: gender and sex mattered not to the Empire, so long as you could hold a blaster and...shoot a blaster. 

Yet we are now nearing the climactic conclusion of the show’s third season, and with two movies behind us the only non-male Stormtrooper voice has come from the helmet of Gwendoline Christie. Three seasons of an animated show have passed, and not once have they decided to hand the script to Vanessa Marshall or Mary McGlynn so that they may say “Over here!” or “You Rebel scum!” or “What are your orders?” There hasn’t even been a cry of pain in response to a blaster bolt.

Now, thankfully we have Captain Brunson to establish that there are women standing among the ranks of white men who dominate Imperial warships, but that is far too little to convince people that there are truly female Stormtroopers. And yes, I understand that putting women and people of color in the Armies of Evil Nazis may seem counterintuitive--but to deny them a presence period makes it harder to flesh out convincing stories of betrayal and evolution. If all Stormtroopers are burly white men, then telling a story about one who defects either requires your Stormtrooper to be a burly white man, or to be this anomalous black man or black woman or white woman or any other variation you could imagine. It also makes it harder to create stories where, say, Sabine has to impersonate a Stormtrooper (note: they made female Imperial Pilot models for the episode where she had to pose as one, so there’s that). If there’s an episode in Season Four where they introduce a new Lady for the Ghost Crew who happens to be a Stormtrooper, it’s going to be weird when we hear our First Female Stormtrooper voice, she pulls off her helmet, and we establish her as a main character...and then never see another Female Stormtrooper again. If we had heard them from the start, it would make the appearance of a new Stormie feel more natural.

It’s all about Worldbuilding and setting things up. It’s about planning your moves ten steps in advance and giving a broader perspective, and it helps to protect your future characters from being branded as “Special Snowflakes” or “Mary Sues”. The more “normal” a character appears, the more exceptional they become when they deviate from the norm and evolve. 

TLDR: All they have to do is have Vanessa Marshall read off a few Stormtrooper lines in an Evil Voice and then use one of their already-rendered Stormtrooper models to deliver it. 

[darkshrimpemotions]

There are multiple ways something can be military propaganda without going "the military is 100% great all the time!"

In Captain Marvel's case, it's more to do with the marketing campaign, and with framing breaking through the military's sexism and misogyny as a feminist goal or triumph (instead of, you know, dismantling imperial militarism all together).

In Captain America: The First Avenger, Steve becomes Captain America as part of a pro-military propaganda campaign. And this is never condemned! On the contrary, Steve's only issue with it is that he's not REALLY helping by fighting himself. And the U.S.'s role in WWII is highy valorized; the U.S. are the "good guys" despite, historically, being very pro-Nazi until the Pearl Harbor bombing.

The Iron Man films are a mixed bag. On the one hand, there is some lipservice paid here and there to the problem with the proliferation of weapons from American corporations, consequentialism, etc. On the other hand, you have Tony essentially openly acting as a vigilante using military-grade weapons. And any criticisms this gets are handwaved away by Tony until CA:CW. Which is...its own mess of issues.

Even Black Panther frames Wakanda's prosperity and safety from the worldwide exploitation Black people have suffered as only possible through isolationism and superior military might. Which is...probably true but. Still plays into that very American idea of "the ONLY way we can ensure our safety is to be the toughest and have the biggest guns."

Overall, the MCU portrayal of the military is very "this level of power is GREAT in the right hands and serving the right purpose" which in itself is an issue because there are few, if any, "right" hands or purposes when it comes to war and militarism in the real world.

Bruce Banner's wariness of the military and government institutions in general is great and fits with his character, but it hardly nullifies the overall pro-military stance of the MCU.

That being said, Captain Marvel is not the first superhero film to have this problem. Almost ALL superhero movies have this problem. Not just the MCU. Man of Steel was ridiculously pro-military. And despite all the backlash that film has gotten, I have never heard a single person point that out.

In fact, the only other time I've heard this discussed was right after Wonder Woman came out. Because like CA:TFA, it paints the U.S. as heroes in a conflict where that narrative is even less historically accurate and makes less sense than it does for WWII.

It's not that the criticism isn't valid. It's that it's noticeably absent from films led by men, and never cited as a reason not to support those films. It's almost like people are holding female-led films to a much higher standard than their male-led counterparts, or something.

I think it’s important to recognize and discuss how superhero movies can function as military propoganda, but I also think it’s highly suspicious that this has suddenly become a major talking point around Marvel’s only female-led film when it’s hardly the first Marvel film this criticism applies to.

[mondknight]

bahowar42: “Oh look, here's another person who cannot show empathy for Iris West, a black woman, and holds her to higher standard than her female and male counterparts. You can continue to write long replies all you want. It doesn't change the fact that you are biased against Iris West. Nothing she does will ever meet your standards. And we know why.”

Oh look, here's another person who cannot respect peoples opinions. 

*bangs pans together* OKAY LISTEN HERE YOU LITTLE SHITS. @bahowar42 @kuntxmalik thisislostinlace andrewsmccoy facebook-shame + every other person I forgot because there are too many of you hating on me because of my opinion and I am tired and actually sick.

I can show empathy for Iris, I can understand not wanting to be lied to. I can respect her, AS I HAVE FUCKING STATED MULTIPLE TIMES.

Am I biased against her? What are my standards? And why exactly is that, please enlighten me. Because if you want to paint me as a racist on top of me apparently being misogynistic, let me fucking stop you right there. This is not about her being black. This is not about her being a woman. This is about her being fucking MANIPULATIVE AND ABUSIVE. She  b l a c k m a i l e d Eddie.

I am not "defending a group of men" and I am not overlooking the flaws of every other character. This just stood out to me, BECAUSE IT HAS HAPPENED TO ME.

I HAD A PARTNER WHO DID BASICALLY THE SAME THING.

If she cannot have a relationship with secrets, she should've ended it, not threatened to end it, because that is fucking manipulatve and guilttripping, on top of it being blackmail. I had a partner who guilt tripped me even though he had no right to do it. I had a partner who wanted no secrets and threatened to break up if I didn't tell him everything, even though I  e x p l i c i t l y  told him that even thinking about it made me uncomfortable. I recognize her behaviour as manipulative and abusive because it happened to me. That is why I don't particularly like her.

I AM NOT SAYING SHE IS A BAD PERSON. I AM NOT SAYING SHE IS AN ALL-AROUND ABUSIVE PERSON. I AM NOT SAYING I HATE HER AND EVERYTHING THAT SHE DOES. I AM NOT SAYING I CAN'T AT LEAST UNDERSTAND HER SIDE. I AM NOT SAYING THAT EVERYONE ELSE'S FLAWS CAN SIMPLY BE OVERLOOKED.I AM NOT SAYING THAT OTHER PEOPLE DIDN’T DO SHITTY THINGS. YES OTHER PEOPLE hAVE TREATED HER WRONGLY AS WELL. I RECOGNIZE HER GOOD ACTIONS AND HER GOOD SIDES. I RESPECT HER. I RESPECT MOST OF HER ACTIONS. WHAT SHE DID WAS STILL ABUSIVE AND MANIPULATIVE.

I  AM NOT SAYING THAT NO ONE IS ALOWED TO TO LIKE HER. BEFORE TODAY, I HADN’T SEEN ANY IRIS HATE AND I WANTED TO POINT SOMETHING THAT I PICKED UP ON. NOT HATING ON HER. SIMPLY STATING THAT I DON’T LIKE HER.

I AM SIMPLY SAYING THAT I. DON'T. LIKE. HER. BECAUSE.  IT . HAS. HAPPENED. TO. ME.

[spynotebook]

For every female protagonist in a mainstream movie or TV show, there will be a thousand people lining up to call her strong. When asked why she is a good character we should care about, they will say she is tough, and confident, and not at all like those weaker women of the past.

The backlash against the Strong Female Character isn’t anything particularly new, as proven by a brilliant 2015 article on this very site. What has been missing, though, is a solution to the problem. Female characters are still underwritten whether they’re in the background or pride of place on the poster, and many of us were pessimistic about Wonder Woman’s chances of changing that.

Thank Zeus we were wrong.

First, let’s define the Strong Female Character so that there’s no confusion. Maybe we can call her Joan. Joan is a good fighter, and she’ll prove this immediately in her very first appearance by spin kicking someone is the face. She doesn’t stand for your sexist nonsense, thank you very much, and is genuinely bemused by your attempts at humour.

Joan won’t show emotion when her love interest (the film’s star, because you can bet it isn’t her) is injured or incapacitated, and her own battle scars will extend no further than a dirty smudge on her cheek and a strategic rip in her impractical armour. Joan is boring, but Joan is strong.

For the very fact that the majority of audiences and higher-ups in the industry still respond to the term as a signifier of a film’s feminist credentials, Diana has been automatically touted as a Strong Female Character throughout Wonder Woman’s marketing and now, in its reviews. It’s a shorthand for saying that she can hold her own in a fight next to the boys, but fails to encompass anything else about her.

The main problem with this trope is that (mostly male) filmmakers have seized upon it so readily, and that the results are so restrictive and uninteresting. By making a character “strong,” it reduces her to a set of pre-approved traits that ignore the nuance of real human beings.

Superhero films are a good microcosm of the problem, as we have so many straight, white, male protagonists when compared to any variation on that default. There still aren’t any canonically LGBTQ+ heroes, and we’re waiting for a hero of colour to take centre stage (Black Panther can’t come soon enough), but now Wonder Woman has arrived to provide a counterpoint to the endless parade of ripped dudes on the cinematic slate.

Because there’s so much of the same, these guys can be actual characters without being shackled by the expectation that they will represent all men. Captain America and Iron Man can represent two sides of a political debate, Thor can be the redeemed Prince of Asgard and Bruce Banner can be the nerdy scientist with anger issues. Spider-Man can be plucky and Batman can be brooding and tortured.

They, too, exist within archetypes, but they’re all distinct from one another. In the past, filmmakers have failed to apply this same courtesy to female heroes because they equate such nuance with weakness. In some people’s minds, a flawed female character is a weak female character, and weakness is not feminist. Showing a woman to be maternal, or emotional, or naive wouldn’t do, so they must be strong and they cannot be anything else.

Wonder Woman sees this trope and it casually throws it aside, not giving it enough thought to address or subvert it and instead simply presenting Diana as she is, warts and all. When we meet her, she is hungry for action and the ability to fight for her people, and soon she is consumed by the desire to fight against the very concept of conflict during the first world war.

All of this, on paper, are the makings of your standard Strong Female Character, but alongside her physical abilities she is also childlike in her optimism, fiercely compassionate, and completely uninhibited by the social norms of the era. She doesn’t rail against those in her way because she is a woman, but rather because she doesn’t know any other way.

People have compared her to Christopher Reeve’s Superman for these reasons, but I’m going to go ahead and put her beside The CW’s Supergirl. In general, female heroes on television have fared much better than their big screen counterparts, mainly because it’s frankly hard not to flesh out your characters when you have 13-22 hours of screen time to fill. 

Personally, I had a similar reaction to that much-discussed first trailer for Supergirl as I did to Wonder Woman’s stride across No Man’s Land in this film: tears of joy. Here was a bad-ass female hero who wasn’t great in spite of being a woman, but great because she is a woman. Kara Danvers is girly and silly and frets about dating boys. She is compassionate and understanding and sometimes too headstrong and idealistic for her own good. Sometimes she’s wrong, and she makes mistakes.

She’s me, and so many other men and women who’ve been told for decades that they shouldn’t indulge that side of themselves for risk of being dismissed.

Etta’s line about women fighting with their principles is played for laughs in Wonder Woman, but really that’s what Diana’s all about. She has the benefit of superpowers, but what sets her apart is the desire to use them to protect others and free them from oppression. She does fight with her principles, and the film embraces that side of her without question or condescension.

The lack of variety in our screen heroines has meant that when one comes along, she is saddled with decades of starvation and expectation. Yet, in 2017 it’s generally accepted that films like Catwoman and Elektra failed to catch on because they’re terrible, rather than because of the gender of their protagonists. It’s taken 76 years to get here, but Patty Jenkins and Gal Gadot have risen to the challenge.

Iconic characters rarely spring from bad or lazy films, and no matter what the Superman or Captain America haters say, unwavering heroism isn’t always synonymous with wooden or uninteresting. After such positive early reactions and buzz, this iteration of Wonder Woman looks set to be iconic, and she got there precisely because of the traits that don’t neatly fit within the archetype we’ve been handed for so long.

It’s not a spoiler to say that Diana Prince saves the world at the end of Wonder Woman. She does it because she has to, and because she is holding true to a belief system that has been challenged and reaffirmed over the course of the film. She saves her friends, she fights the bad guys, and she does it all with a defined personality and really great hair.

Caroline is a freelance writer and podcaster living in London, UK. Follow her at @carolinepreece.

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—The Mary Sue has a strict comment policy that forbids, but is not limited to, personal insults toward anyone, hate speech, and trolling.—

[thesharondefenseleague]

I actually have a theory on why Starton in unpopular as a ship and it actually has nothing to do with Sharon....well kind of. Let me explain. So I think at least on tumblr there are two things that people like to put importance on in shipping one is the bond and two is the equality. For bond what I mean is people want the characters to be close understand each other sacrifice for each other support each other etc. And for that to exist before they hook up. Pt.1

If you have attraction to each other and not the bond its considered a shallow ship if you don't have a bond before the hook up. The second I said is equality, this can be equality in importance of the character or equality in how complex/interesting both characters are, or in action focused stories how strong/useful that character is in fights etc. You can have either the bond or the equality or both. When you have neither its considered a shallow ship. pt.2

There's nothing wrong with shipping like this its perfectly fine. But there can be complications as a result. Firstly some relationships start with base initial reaction the relationship is built after they hookup and not before. That doesn't make the relation bad if they don't have that bond when they start dating. The second problem is alot of the time female characters are sidelined and don't get the level of importance their male counterparts do. So many ships with them get shit on. pt.3

It makes things a bit complicated wanting to have couples that feel like equals feels like a good thing people shouldn't have to comprimise that I don't want them to have to . But women are left out then. Now you could say that this could be build up by a good bond. Unfortunately hollywood tends to not do many m/f friendships when there is a strong relationship between a guy and a girl it turns romantic. Which wouldn't be bad but its not about building that deep trust and connection. pt.4

I can’t agree with you entirely, because while having a bond is important in all relationships, both romantic and platonic, and in some cases familial, there are popular ships in all fandoms that are between two characters that never even shared screen-time or exchange more than six lines of dialogue, or better yet hate each other passionately and have tried killing each other (not naming names, it’s not Marvel, but if you think of your ship, ask yourself why). And then other people take close bonds way too far and then you got your incest ships too (if you think of your fave ship, then you know why).

What you’re saying does make sense, and it is practical when entering relationships - I’ve seen many go downhill because people jumped in right after learning their name, and it’s become a popular horror/thriller trope that makes people wary, especially with big name films doing it like Gone Girl - but I don’t think fandom truly holds that as a standard when ships like Clint and Coulson are widely popular with little knowledge about either of them or any sort of history between them besides one is the other’s higher-up.

-Mod R