Monday, July 14, 2008

Women portrayed wrong: So What?

I friend of mine brought up last week how women are rarely portrayed well or correctly in geek-type media. Sci-fi movies, comics, games; women tend to fit sterotypes. The amazon, the sexpot, the damsel, the cutie. And, I agreed with her. This does tend to be true.

Then I thought about it...men aren't displayed real either. Even Peter Parker is still always witty, married a model, and is one of the most brilliant people in the world.

what it comes down to is that fiction often pleys to sterotypes. People like to read about exraordinary people. These extremes of both skill, power, and personality are what make them interesting. Average folks are...well...US. I live that life already.

So, yes, women in these genres are not typical. because I want to read about some hot woman who can kick butt. But I am pretty sure that most of the men in Sex and the City aren't middle class, slightly overweight couch potatoes either.

10 comments:

T.H. Elliott said...

Yep, Men in chick flicks aren't portrayed well either. They are one of the following.

1. Extremely cool yet unrealisticly handsome guy who is for some reason shy and needs help meeting women, yeah right.

2. The outgoing but loser friend of #1, often overweight with a bad sense of humor and potty mouth. The "ugly" friend if you will.

Lyza Lynne said...

I have one to add:

3. The misunderstood romantic type, who is kind and decent and isn't just interested in getting into your pants. Who loves you even when you're ugly and bitchy and sticks by you no matter what. The "Prince Charming", The "Hero".. the romance novel sensitive guy type.

This portrayal of men gives women unrealistic expectations of what guys are really like. It's as much a disservice to guys as the notion that all women have perfect figures and like to watch sports. :)

Sghoul said...

WHAT? You mean I wont be able to find my playboy bunny, bear swilling, football lover?! My life has been for naught!

Medio Pomelo said...

Hi Sghoul, "playboy bunny, bear swilling, football lover" is easy as long as you don't want her to also cook you a yummy dinner, be a good giggle and not embarrass you in front of your friends by being dumb. The challenge is being all the above (or finding one who is):)

E. Peterman said...

Yeah, but ...
Notice how there are several TV shows where a guy like Jim Belushi snags a gorgeous wife like Jami Gertz or Courtney Thorne-Smith? I have yet to see a sitcom in which an average and/or plump woman gets to play house with an extremely handsome man. And what about all those movies where a woman who is barely in her 20s always plays the love interest of a man in his late 30s, 40s and up? Even Michelle Pfieffer was too young for Harrison Ford in "What Lies Beneath." This would be less of an issue if women weren't bombarded with unrealistic images/expectations 24/7. That being said, hot women in comics don't bother me at all. It's a fantasy medium.

Sghoul said...

But that seems to follow real life...I see far more women dating 'down' than men. Face it, men are pickier about looks.

Based on some of the women who have dated me, that seems to be art imitating life.

E. Peterman said...

Sorry, but I don't know any woman who dreams of waking up next to the guy from "King of Queens."

Sghoul said...

Dream of? Or end up with? Or looked different before he let himself go because he got married?

Do a nice google search of "Kevin James Wife". I thank you for proving my point.

E. Peterman said...

It helps that Kevin James has lots of money. Which proves nothing other than the fact that men with money, fame and power can overcome just about any handicap. That's why Billy Joel can get a pretty woman younger than my sister. You're saying women aren't shallow, or just not AS shallow?

Sghoul said...

Different Shallow. Women seem far more likely to be willing to overlook physical for other attributes. Which is why you are more likely to hear about an attractive woman marrying an older man. A man will also do this, but the older woman tends to still be attractive.