*nods* Yes, BSG sets a new bar as far as women's roles go, no doubt about it, and it's one of the main reasons I fangirl the show. I'd say I was being unfair to compare other female roles to those, except that that's where I think the benchmark should be. I'm just frustrated against the regressive gender politics of mainstream cinema at the moment. It's actually got worse--in the 80s and 90s there were albeit clumsy but genuine attempts to write strong female leads. Now the fight seems to have been dropped and we're seeing all these girly roles glamourised again. Even that would be ok if the girly girls were fully rounded characters, but they don't seem to be--they are too frequently played by wispy anorexic actresses with personality lobotomies who look pretty for the camera in great costumes and make-up but can't carry a weighty line or convey character complexity very well at all.
I was so relieved when they got Keira into the boy's clothes. Her jutting jawline and her non-existent waist and hips really scare me. But her fake cleavage freaks me even more. The anorexia is frightening, but my concerns go further than that. I find it disturbing in period movies when a character who is meant to be attractive for that period is played by someone who fits the idealised body image of today. It sends a message that tall angular women were always beautiful. That's not true and it's damaging for those who don't fit that model. At a more subconscious level it also sends a message that if you want to be the equal of a man you need to look like a man, or at least a boy. Keira's character doesn't have to worry about fighting opponents taller than her who have longer reach, or about her breasts getting in the way of her sword fighting (as a martial artist, I understand why the Amazons cut them off!) and she probably doesn't have to worry about her period since she's too darn skinny to have one. I'd just rather have seen a more womanly actress in the role. Or else, just hire a boy and be done with it! (of course they wouldn't do that... but I end up concluding that they wish they could have)
Rant over. I feel loads better! *g* If you actually read this: *hugs*
don't read this if you don't want to hear me rant. I won't mind! ;-)
Yes, BSG sets a new bar as far as women's roles go, no doubt about it, and it's one of the main reasons I fangirl the show. I'd say I was being unfair to compare other female roles to those, except that that's where I think the benchmark should be. I'm just frustrated against the regressive gender politics of mainstream cinema at the moment. It's actually got worse--in the 80s and 90s there were albeit clumsy but genuine attempts to write strong female leads. Now the fight seems to have been dropped and we're seeing all these girly roles glamourised again. Even that would be ok if the girly girls were fully rounded characters, but they don't seem to be--they are too frequently played by wispy anorexic actresses with personality lobotomies who look pretty for the camera in great costumes and make-up but can't carry a weighty line or convey character complexity very well at all.
I was so relieved when they got Keira into the boy's clothes. Her jutting jawline and her non-existent waist and hips really scare me. But her fake cleavage freaks me even more. The anorexia is frightening, but my concerns go further than that. I find it disturbing in period movies when a character who is meant to be attractive for that period is played by someone who fits the idealised body image of today. It sends a message that tall angular women were always beautiful. That's not true and it's damaging for those who don't fit that model. At a more subconscious level it also sends a message that if you want to be the equal of a man you need to look like a man, or at least a boy. Keira's character doesn't have to worry about fighting opponents taller than her who have longer reach, or about her breasts getting in the way of her sword fighting (as a martial artist, I understand why the Amazons cut them off!) and she probably doesn't have to worry about her period since she's too darn skinny to have one. I'd just rather have seen a more womanly actress in the role. Or else, just hire a boy and be done with it! (of course they wouldn't do that... but I end up concluding that they wish they could have)
Rant over. I feel loads better! *g* If you actually read this: *hugs*