well, it definitely makes me think that they were trying to make a statement about how easily corrupted and thirsty for power women are. but then again, the slayer is always a girl, so why would they give a woman power if they did not trust her with it? if they thought she could be so easily seduced by it? but it could also simply be because they know this one girl, in all the world, will live a violent, short life. they’d rather have the girl do the sacrificing. so, yes, the council is definitely sexist. they have always viewed buffy as an “instrument” like even mr. travers says that to buffy’s face. giles is fired because he views buffy as more than just “an instrument to fight evil.” but is the show acknowledging that it’s fucked up and twisted and wrong? in a lot of ways, yes. so... as much as buffy subverts female horror tropes, as much as it is feminist on the surface, no one is claiming that its feminism is perfect. it is very reflective of the time it was written, but also somehow manages to not feel *too* dated. which makes it wonderful, still.