(no subject)
Look, let's just assume that it's real late and I'm a little loopy.
I'm taking a class on graphic novels this term and a couple of weeks ago I wrote a reaction piece to this article in School Library Journal about the role of women across last year's superhero films. It started like this: "Black Widow was a personal watershed moment for me as a fan of superhero films and a woman. The most disheartening thing about being a feminist is when other feminists tell you that you're wrong in expressing feminine thoughts or feelings. Black Widow was exactly herself." She wore leather jackets and jeans, she wore lipstick and she was the only member of the team whose place or loyalty was never once questioned. She wasn't defined by her romantic entanglements, but neither was she sexless. She reminded me that I can be girly and still be a badass feminist.
She reminded me of Emma Peel, who was sometimes used as a honeypot, but much more frequently as the muscle. (Plus, she had a PhD in mathematics. For funsies.) She's echoed in Joan Watson, who's brilliant and focused and has a sexual history, like any normal woman, but isn't defined or trapped by it.
Then, tonight, I was flipping through the DVR and remembered where I first learned that lesson. Holmes on Homes. Stick with me here. One of the first things I noticed about that show, back when I first moved to Chicago and was obsessed with it, was that his construction team had girls on it, including Mike's own daughters. (His kids are all required to put in a year of hard labor with the crew. While the eldest decided it wasn't for her and went into marketing, Sherry stayed on the crew.) In one of the first episodes I saw, Pinky (so named because of her tendency to wear pink, a tendency encouraged by the team supplying her with pink crew shirts instead of standard black) showed up at a job with hugs and giggles for everyone and brand new blonde extensions. And then she put her goggles on and dug out a drainage system. Sherry is super cute and afraid of spiders and I once watched her tear down and rebuild a log shed by herself. No one treats the girls any differently. They're just as skilled and worked just as hard to be there. And their femininity doesn't have to be stifled to achieve that. They can be exactly who they are and still kick ass.
I have more purses than I need and a passion for sparkly high heels. I mostly wear dresses and just spent a whole lot of money on extensions. I'm almost done with my second master's degree and I can rewire a home entertainment system in my sleep. Put that in your neatly marked box and shove it.
I'm taking a class on graphic novels this term and a couple of weeks ago I wrote a reaction piece to this article in School Library Journal about the role of women across last year's superhero films. It started like this: "Black Widow was a personal watershed moment for me as a fan of superhero films and a woman. The most disheartening thing about being a feminist is when other feminists tell you that you're wrong in expressing feminine thoughts or feelings. Black Widow was exactly herself." She wore leather jackets and jeans, she wore lipstick and she was the only member of the team whose place or loyalty was never once questioned. She wasn't defined by her romantic entanglements, but neither was she sexless. She reminded me that I can be girly and still be a badass feminist.
She reminded me of Emma Peel, who was sometimes used as a honeypot, but much more frequently as the muscle. (Plus, she had a PhD in mathematics. For funsies.) She's echoed in Joan Watson, who's brilliant and focused and has a sexual history, like any normal woman, but isn't defined or trapped by it.
Then, tonight, I was flipping through the DVR and remembered where I first learned that lesson. Holmes on Homes. Stick with me here. One of the first things I noticed about that show, back when I first moved to Chicago and was obsessed with it, was that his construction team had girls on it, including Mike's own daughters. (His kids are all required to put in a year of hard labor with the crew. While the eldest decided it wasn't for her and went into marketing, Sherry stayed on the crew.) In one of the first episodes I saw, Pinky (so named because of her tendency to wear pink, a tendency encouraged by the team supplying her with pink crew shirts instead of standard black) showed up at a job with hugs and giggles for everyone and brand new blonde extensions. And then she put her goggles on and dug out a drainage system. Sherry is super cute and afraid of spiders and I once watched her tear down and rebuild a log shed by herself. No one treats the girls any differently. They're just as skilled and worked just as hard to be there. And their femininity doesn't have to be stifled to achieve that. They can be exactly who they are and still kick ass.
I have more purses than I need and a passion for sparkly high heels. I mostly wear dresses and just spent a whole lot of money on extensions. I'm almost done with my second master's degree and I can rewire a home entertainment system in my sleep. Put that in your neatly marked box and shove it.