Feminism and Basic Human Rights

In this video clip about the “Smurfette Principal”, the host of the video discusses the disparity in female to male characters represented in Hollywood and popular culture. It is called the smurfette principal because in the cartoon “The Smurfs”, there was only one female character. Smurfette was introduced by the stories villain, Gargamel, and her primary function was to seduce, deceive, and debilitate the male Smurfs so that Gargamel could eat them. We see this in Hollywood all the time, only one woman in a cast of men. Her role is usually casually belittling, divisive, or reinforcing some kind of untrue stereotype about women. Penny from the “Big Bang Theory” was used as an example. Penny is basically the Smurfette who lives next door. She plays a ditsy blonde girl who has sex appeal. You know, the typical female character. Not much intellect, but boy is she pretty! There are, however, several other women in the show, which is slightly contrary to video maker’s point. Yes, Penny is the only female lead – but the Big Bang Theory has at least three other pretty well developed female characters, which is rare Hollywood. But it's not enough. While one could point out the progress in the past fifty or so years, It is overwhelming, at the same time, how much work remains to be done in terms of female rights. Regardless, though, it is true. We are just so used to seeing these things in pop culture that we don’t even think twice to question them. As I have said before, it seems the vast majority are oblivious to the world around them. 

I think about women’s rights and feminism every day, and have always been a strong voice in defense of equality. This is sort of my one problem with feminism. It’s not a problem with Feminism, it’s a problem with white feminism. Middle to upper class white women have so much more power and influence than women of color, who are objectively more oppressed, and they don’t really use it as well as they could to help their fellow sister. It’s kind of like sitting in front of a homeless person  picking at your big plate of hot food and complaining about how gross it is, and then throwing it away. I find that many of our most outspoken and public women’s rights leaders of the day are awful. Take Lena Dunham for example. Everyone loves this strong and independent female. She is such a strong voice for women, they say, and a voice of her generation. Well who is Lena fighting and speaking for, exactly? Middle class white women? (Here is some great analysis on exactly what I am talking about by Sensei Aishitemasu. I don't think she is famous or anything, but I have been following her visceral commentaries for some time, and I think she makes really great points that I had never thought of. NSFW NSFS, very graphic language). Just offering a different perspective. So if in America white men are the tip of the social and class iceberg, where does that leave white women? I would say it leaves directly below white men, and I would also venture to say that there is a whole lot more below that line which needs to be addressed.

I’m not trying to be incendiary, I swear. I’m not some macho dude writing this note because I feel threatened by feminism or something. I guess my point is this; it can be challenging to watch a group of middle to upper class white women rally about inequality, knowing some of the real poverty and inequality – not just in the US – but in the world, as well as their social position in the grand scheme. I’m not talking about the women’s marches that have been occurring over the past few months. Those marches have been nothing short of amazing and will be a huge part of this country’s great history. A truly great moment. I’m all about it, women’s rights all day! It is insane how women are treated in society, and there are many other groups who are treated just as unfairly. We need to stand up and fight everyone. Women’s rights, LGBTQ rights, Black rights, Muslim rights, etc. These are all basic human rights. We are all human, men are not superior. I feel like the current messaging of the feminist movement, frankly, is not working. Like this past Presidential election. Hillary Clinton was the better candidate, for me, because her priorities aligned more with mine; equality. Well, that’s not true. She was my candidate because the DNC robbed Bernie Sanders of running of the Democratic ticket. But ok. Moving on, If anyone voted for Hillary just because she is a woman than that was irresponsible of you. Hillary losing wasn’t a loss just for women and the feminist movement, it was a loss for human rights and equality across the boards for all of America. If only the DNC hadn’t sabotaged Bernie Sanders, and in turn, America. Never has a politician spoken so directly about everything I care about. Oh America, what is happening to you…