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Baraka_Guru · 01-01-2010, 08:02 PM

What do you think when you see a female super hero?
Hawt!

How do you feel about the way these women are portrayed?
A side of me says hawt!

Another side of me is reminded of Laura Mulvey's essay "Visual Pleasure and Narrative Cinema," which discusses the concept of the Male Gaze. In summary, women in films are typically objects targeted by the camera (and thus the gaze) and it's assumed that heterosexual men are the default target audience for most films. This isn't as much the case as it was back when the article was first published, but the concept works similarly with comics. Generally, women are placed as objects of desire more so than agents of change or control. Often these women are supporters (or antagonists) of male characters' dilemmas. More recently, this has shifted a bit. Now a high proportion of leads are played by women. And many women's roles have been changed to reflect the advances we've had in gender equality. But what remains...is the Male Gaze. Women are still overtly sexual objects in film (and comics). And some stereotypes and prejudices will never die.

Do you have any examples of comic book superheroines that don't wear revealing clothing?
I'm not enough of a comic buff. So no. Sorry. But, as Willravel mentioned, the men mostly like to show their goods as well.

How do you feel about the apparent dirth of androgenous and hermaphroditic superheroes?
People like clear gender differences. Though I'm sure there is a market for it, as niche as that might be. I wouldn't mind seeing an Androgynous Adrian! comic.

How applicable are these superheroines to the feminist movement?
They are goldmines for topics of research. If I were a feminist academic, I'd love to write about action/adventure films and comics.

Overall, would you say that they are a good or a bad thing for the world's perception of women?
Overall? Bad. Unachievable proportions of mind, body, and abilities. But the perception of men is also bad. Violence is the main option for solving life's problems, emotions are a sign of weakness, and all that rot. This isn't universal among comics, to be sure, but I admit I'm generalizing. As I said, I'm not a comic buff.

01-01-2010, 08:02 PM	#6 (permalink)
Baraka_Guru warrior bodhisattva Super Moderator Location: East-central Canada	What do you think when you see a female super hero? Hawt! How do you feel about the way these women are portrayed? A side of me says hawt! Another side of me is reminded of Laura Mulvey's essay "Visual Pleasure and Narrative Cinema," which discusses the concept of the Male Gaze. In summary, women in films are typically objects targeted by the camera (and thus the gaze) and it's assumed that heterosexual men are the default target audience for most films. This isn't as much the case as it was back when the article was first published, but the concept works similarly with comics. Generally, women are placed as objects of desire more so than agents of change or control. Often these women are supporters (or antagonists) of male characters' dilemmas. More recently, this has shifted a bit. Now a high proportion of leads are played by women. And many women's roles have been changed to reflect the advances we've had in gender equality. But what remains...is the Male Gaze. Women are still overtly sexual objects in film (and comics). And some stereotypes and prejudices will never die. Do you have any examples of comic book superheroines that don't wear revealing clothing? I'm not enough of a comic buff. So no. Sorry. But, as Willravel mentioned, the men mostly like to show their goods as well. How do you feel about the apparent dirth of androgenous and hermaphroditic superheroes? People like clear gender differences. Though I'm sure there is a market for it, as niche as that might be. I wouldn't mind seeing an Androgynous Adrian! comic. How applicable are these superheroines to the feminist movement? They are goldmines for topics of research. If I were a feminist academic, I'd love to write about action/adventure films and comics. Overall, would you say that they are a good or a bad thing for the world's perception of women? Overall? Bad. Unachievable proportions of mind, body, and abilities. But the perception of men is also bad. Violence is the main option for solving life's problems, emotions are a sign of weakness, and all that rot. This isn't universal among comics, to be sure, but I admit I'm generalizing. As I said, I'm not a comic buff. __________________ Knowing that death is certain and that the time of death is uncertain, what's the most important thing? —Bhikkhuni Pema Chödrön Humankind cannot bear very much reality. —From "Burnt Norton," Four Quartets (1936), T. S. Eliot Last edited by Baraka_Guru; 01-01-2010 at 08:06 PM..