Salty Fangirl Moment, Vol 1
Strong Female Characters/Roles and views which subvert their impact
If you are reading this, I’m sorry. There really are better expository pieces out there about Female Lead Roles, but I wanted to share my reaction to types of opposition and extremism about two projects with strong female leads: Wonder Woman and Doctor Who. (spoilers ahead)
1. Wonder Woman (and the Conservative Curmudgeons)
I saw Wonder Woman multiple times from opening weekend up until today, in English and Spanish, with friends, by myself, and nothing has lessened my joy each time I watch. The movie has foibles in plot and some action sequences, but not when it comes to well written, acted, character, and that for me gives lots of leniency toward other missteps. Chris Pine is wonderfully genuine and generous in his acting to support the project and help everyone else shine, as do the other actors. Gal Gadot does not have much dialogue to carry, but she is expressive and really captures Wonder Woman’s youthful exuberance which was so refreshing. I loved the color grading, I loved the balance of big action and small moments and, DC movie fans can hate me all they desire, I love how it felt like a ‘Marvel movie’. Don’t get me wrong, I have liked some DC movies (Man of Steel, BvS, etc), but from recent experience I think Marvel has been stronger at building characters, relationship dynamics, and ensemble and letting them tell a story, whereas DC has been stronger at building plots, conflicts, action points, and then dropping characters in so that we as an audience watch them react and witness individual character growth. In that sense Wonder Woman felt ‘Marvel’ due to the character focused lens. And overall it was a solid 'A' because it was fun, spirited, passionate, and it filled the tank of enthusiasm as I left the theater each time.
But recently I confronted a group of women, and upon sharing my love for the film (casually in conversation of course *not*, it’s wasn’t as if I steered the conversation with a truth lasso *I totally did*) I was met with a lukewarm response. Still I pressed on trying to get to the source of resistance, countering each potential concern-
> “I loved it. 1. Even if you’re burned out of superhero movies, I think you’ll really like this. It’s character focused, and while it has a ‘mission’ the focus is really on two characters and their ‘we’re not in Kansas anymore’ stories. 2. If you like DC movies, you’ll like this, and if you’ve been disappointed by DC movies, you’ll still like this/ you should give it a chance because it’s not your typical origin story, it has a strong ensemble, it’s well paced for the most part (it doesn’t feel like a 2+ hour film, it flies!!!), and it’s a feel good film. 3. This is a passion project for all of those involved, you can really tell because it’s not a good superhero film, it’s a good film period.”
>>At this point, their reservations thawed and they asked “it sounds interesting, what’s it about?”
Now my mind is blown, because I realize they don’t know who Wonder Woman is from comics or hype, they haven’t seen articles or promo pics or previews (how is this possible), and I’m in charge of the classic elevator summary.
>“Oh, well it’s about Diana, aka Wonder Woman, she grows up on an island of amazon women sheltered from the outside world by Zeus, honing her skills as a warrior under the guidance of her aunt and mother to be on guard for Aries God of War. This all changes when Diana saves a human man, Chris Pine-”
>> “He’s from Star Trek, right?”
> “Yeah, sure. He’s a pilot who stumbled through the barrier from WWI and she joins his return to the war against the wishes of her family, because she believes she’s on Aries’ trail. So they get to the war and she helps fight back against Dr. Poison and the Germans…”
>> “Woah, she’s fighting Nazis. That’s too political for me. I don’t like it.”
> “But…but…you haven’t seen the trailer or gotten to know the characters.”
>> “Why does everything have to be about Nazis?”
> “That’s what I am saying: it’s not about Nazis. Its superhero fiction, it’s about fighting injustice whether it has a real world context or not.”
>> “I’m not going to see it, it sounds like it’s trying to make a statement or be trendy.”
dfggdjfjfklkghjdghghjdghjtkh,jkknfgkgfdghbdf,hvhgdjutg!!!!!!!!! AGGGGGH! Wonder Woman has been an icon forever and a day, and the best you can call her is trendy?!
For the love of god, you are ‘entitled’ to your like/dislike opinion but only on the contingent of citing the source material. Watch a trailer, and critique a movie intelligently for its content: acting / writing / pacing / shot selection/ cinematic style, or draw comparisons to other films for context. If you form an opinion without any ‘research’ I guess you’re allowed, but I’m allowed to call that opinion (not you as a person, but that particular statement) ignorant, ill-informed, fledgling, and flippant.
2. Doctor Who - 13th Doctor (and the Heel Draggers and Super Enthusiasts)
The casting of the 13th Doctor suffers the same kind of character undermining, but this time from men and women on both extreme ends of the spectrum. We’ve got, in a similar vein to the curmudgeons but at least more informed, the heel-draggers:
>>“1) Why do they have to cast a woman just because it’s PC/ a stunt/ publicity, 2) why do they have to shove an agenda in our face and 3) insult the traditions of the show I love. I’m not watching anymore.“
> I hardly think it has to do with the dreaded, often misused, recently catch-all term that we call political correctness. Out of all the regenerations, the dice isn’t always going to land on the same side. Secondly, believe it or not, all stories have an agenda called plot or arc, each writer/director/show runner has one. A casting choice of a different sex is not an agenda. And lastly, the show/fandom has many traditions; the fandom becomes richer as those traditions evolve, and the mark of a good writer/director/show runner is knowing the balance of constancy and change, and applying changes carefully with character or plot driven purpose. Sonic shades, sonic screwdriver, both? Converse or loafers? Raggedy or disco? As long as the Doctor is still the Doctor, still travels in the TARDIS, still values the same things, still has their past, and still has a companion, we might just survive!
But we also have the super enthusiasts who will fire first and ask questions later at any sign of dissent over the 13th Doctor. -
>>“1) The future is Female! Yes! Protect Jodie Whitaker at all cost. 2) Why are you worried about this casting, why aren’t you excited, you just don’t want the Doctor to be a woman. 3) Why don’t you like the trailer, you just don’t like change. 4) Power/ Control, we’ve got your superheroes, Doctors… 4) NOW A WHOLE BUNCH OF YOUNG GIRLS CAN COSPLAY AS THE DOCTOR (caps not mine, copied from a post)”
>Yes, the future is female, but a) that’s under the assumption she identifies as female and b) puleeeeasse Jodie Whitaker can protect herself as she feels so inclined, as can the whole Doctor Who creative team. Listen to opposition and evaluate if they have a valid point before you leap. Secondly, I’m not excited because I didn’t want the casting to be spoiled for me and it was, not because a woman was cast. And I’m not worried about a woman being cast - I can envision actresses in the part. I have concerns about Jodie Whitaker’s casting in conjunction with other circumstances outside her control. Every regeneration is always a gut check, and change is by nature uncomfortable: I’ve enjoyed and grown used to the male Doctor and companion dynamic, it doesn’t mean you should assume I hate the idea of a female doctor. Jodie in particular presents a challenge because I know her and associate her with roles that bias me, including Broadchurch and The Assets. Again, my bias = no one’s problem but mine. I think she’s mega talented, but in this case her notability makes me more uneasy as opposed to a hypothetical niche-known actress of equal talent; I like Doctor Who’s recent track record at finding someone “new” and Jodie is not as ‘new’ to me as I had hoped. I would have been more enthusiastic for someone who, unlike Jodie, hadn’t worked so recently with Chibnall, the new showrunner, to inject fresh excitement. Or at least if Bill, Nardol, or even Missy were still around to ease us in as a focal point that the audience can transition through, like Rose for Tennant or Clara for Capaldi. So ultimately its the culmination of ‘clean slate’ circumstances that I find most unnerving, not solely the new Doctor. And I still have to get over the “Doctor Who Stages of Regeneration Grief” for Capaldi before I can form a passionate opinion of a new actor.
Thirdly, I don’t like the “Introducing Jodie Whitaker” trailer because of the marketing choice - I find it boring and ‘too easy’ to build hype only to show Jodie’s face out from under a hood. It sends the absolutely wrong message for me that she’s a woman, not she’s the Doctor. Eccleston got to speak, Tennant got to speak, Matt Smith same, John Hurt same, Capaldi didn’t, but his first marketing intro was in the context of an episode in action, saving Gallifrey, being the Doctor, so it felt right. This felt a little cheap. And to those who see this as an opportunity for a female to be in power/control of the title role, give me a break. We’re not watching the same show. Doctor Who has never been about the Doctor being in control, more often than not it’s the TARDIS or companions, a majority of which have been played by actresses, that demonstrate force, a guiding hand, etc. I’m happy to have a female in the title role, I’m not happy with the fans who have narrowed the scope and don’t recognize the power that female characters have had all along in Doctor Who. Lastly, SWEET RASSILON ALIVE, girls have already been cosplaying as the Doctor since time immemorial because they identify with the character first not the actor/actress. I’m happy you’re happy that girls have an easily identifiable role model, but if you are going to praise the value of transcending gender roles assigned to a specific sex, its gotta work both ways or you are diminishing the character value.
My biggest grievance common to the people in all three points of opposition is the inability to simultaneously:
Have their own preferences while at the same time stepping outside their perspective to role play someone else’s view
Realize that both views can exist without invalidation of each other and
Undervaluing the IMPORTANCE OF THE WELL-WRITTEN CHARACTER.
So if everyone can do me a favor? Let’s have a moment of silence and LISTEN to Wonder Woman and the Doctor. Thank you.
