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Wednesday, December 28, 2016

Show it Like you Want

Movies like to have at least one tough lady.
I'm guessing it's partly because they want to show diversity, and to have a bit of girl power.
But this comes with some annoying implications. Mostly it say that girls can indeed be tough, but it is unusual. It comes with the implication that most girls are not strong, even if a few of them are.
Half the superhero teams I can think of have 3 or 4 guys, and one girl. Possibly two. But it's almost inevitable that the guys outnumber the girls.
In the movie Dragonheart, Kara is very tough. No one ever really makes a fuss about her being a lady and a warrior until the very end when a bad guy laments that he was beaten by a girl. Of all things, a girl. It throws girls back down there, and portrays Kara more as an exception than as something normal.

Almost every movie I can think of that deals with feminism has with women fighting against a society that is holding them down. Which is understandable, since it's based off of real life. But that also means that all of the stories are still throwing around worlds in which women are not equal.

That's one thing that makes Steven Universe so fascinating. This show breaks a lot of norms for a kids cartoon. But the people in the world of the show don't look down on anyone from gender, race, or romantic preference (ignoring the obvious castes of the gems).
Ladies in the show are tough. That's just how it is in this world.
No one ever finds it weird or unusual that people of the same gender are in love. It's normal.
When Steven dresses up in a skirt and makeup and sings on stage, no one teases about "Haha! Steven's in a dress!" The only comment is "Ah! I knew It had to be Steven. Who else would think of being a mystery guest?"

In this world, people are accepting about stuff that is looked askance at by much of our world.
I think it is a fabulous example for people to follow.
Steven Universe gives us a world which is much more equal than ours.

I especially love this, because I'm trying to do something very similar. I want to build worlds that can act as examples for us, instead of just warnings.
I wish I had more examples other than Steven Universe to give.

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