i woke up still mad about joss whedon. especially about this: “… you’ve got delusions of grandeur and some actual grandeur, which is confusing. i don’t like confusing.”
the Fuck! this is what misogyny looks like. “you seem complex and layered, and that bothers me.” the Fuck??????? women characters are PEOPLE. having men characters react negatively to their complexity is a denial of women’s full humanity. it’s especially ugly to do this when the character is a power fantasy specifically for women. male power fantasy characters– like every other fucking superhero ever– are REWARDED for complexity or depth or even contradiction. (or take any dude anti-hero. that’s what an anti-hero IS: a character that can’t be nailed down to either wholly one thing or the other, assigned good or bad.) what lady love interest in a male superhero film is EVER like “oh, you’re tough but also tender… stubborn and angry but consumed with truth and justice…. which is super confusing, i need you to settle on a single trait.” no!! no!!! it doesn’t happen! their complexity is considered fascinating and compelling and humanizing!!!!
telling women that their heroes and power fantasies are threatening is fucking devastating. it says, go back in the box, if you want us to love you. “be simpler, be less complex, your complexity is a challenge to me. my boner wants you, but my pride wants you humbled before me.” Fuck You!!!!! Fuck You!!!!!! i hope patty jenkins’ wonder woman comes to life like in the “last action hero” and fucking throws rocks at you!!!! big fucking rocks!!!!!
contrast that terrible steve to the steve we saw on-screen in a woman-directed movie: a steve who was kind and mature, who had an urge to help and protect her, but who in combat almost IMMEDIATELY shifted himself to a support position because he recognized and respected her power and 100% knew she should be taking the lead. THAT’S how you pair up a fucking literal goddess of love and justice and a regular-ass man: you make him someone who is deeply inspired by her, you make him someone who is striving to rise to her level. you don’t try to drag her down so he’s more comfortable using her as a footstool!! joss whedon you fucking creep!!!! you fucking lizard person!!!!!!!
