Tropes vs. Women: #6 The Straw Feminist

[egmorox13]

I love the song at the end!

[taylorgoodman93]

more trope videos! :) i love these.

[khlova]

Do you have any videos giving examples of well written, respectable Female characters?

Because I am honestly curious about your thoughts on the matter.

[bubblepopelektrikk]

in one of my classes where we were discussing the feminist movement, one girl said she believed that the Feminism as a social movement was over. She thinks we live in a post-feminism world.  How can I argue we don't without getting hot headed and sounding "irrational?"

[feministfrequency]

@bubblepopelektrikk Well I'd say that the person in your class is being irrational since the evidence is all around us, you can provide some simple statistics: gender disparity in pay, violence against women, male domination of all major institutions such as government, corporations, Hollywood etc.

[patrifiedy2k]

Hey, I have a question. What do you think of 2 Broke Girls?

[feministfrequency]

@patrifiedy2k I wrote a paragraph about it on my website in an article titled "I Watched the Fall Premieres So You Don’t Have To"

[ToruKun1]

I'm surprised that you mentioned Phil and Lil's mom but not Jessie Spano from Saved By The Bell. In terms of child/tween-centric shows she was one of the biggest Straw Feminists/Granola Girls/Soapbox Sadies I can remember.

[aNGLICANcHOIR92]

Powerpuff Girls was my favorite show when I was a little girl because I felt like there was finally a good show about girls who did well in school and did cool things like fighting crime. I've never seen the Femme Fatal episode, but I'm deeply saddened to know that it exists.

Anyway, great analysis. We need more people like you around to call bullshit.

[Ralfast]

Wrote a blog post on the webcomic SinFest and the Straw Feminist. I'll try to post the link, if YouTube will allow it. It also has a link to this video.

[jay2lynne]

I would love to see the cut footage as a bonus video. :)

[AverageCheeseBlock]

Thank you for making this video!

[fuuuuuuugootube]

Midterms? Nah. This is too interesting.

[ArcaneSky]

The mom from Mary Poppins is a horrible straw feminist. It's funny because the character came about only because the actress wanted to have a song, so they crafted the feminism characteristic entirely out of a need for something to do. (Sidefact: Mrs. Banks and Mary Poppins never exchange words)

Mary Poppins is a horrible movie for women in general though; the only adult female characters in it are the absentee mother, the homeless birdlady, and a collection of domestics (nannies and maids).

[EuphrasieF]

@ArcaneSky

To an extent, though, I think Mrs. Banks is balanced to an extent out by the portrayal of her husband - he is equally indifferent to his children and off in his own world.

You are right that ''the only adult female characters in it are the mother, the birdlady, and domestics". But the flip side of that is that there are not any admirable adult male characters (except maybe for Bert.) There's Mr. Banks' colleagues, Uncle Albert, the policeman, the crazy old sailor... not much else.

[Dipstikk]

Every time I hear one of my friends or classmates use the word "feminazi," I will remind them that it's a term popularized by Rush Limbaugh. The general disgust associated with that name should be discouraging enough.

[luvlyerdj93]

i think the reason straw feminists exist in film is because there are not enough female writers in hollywood and women's stories are told through the perspectives of men and men are afraid of feminism because they're afraid of losing there unearned privileges.

[boggsster]

Good Video! And you said "Y'all"... Awesome!

[lhadafield]

PERFECT!

[warmslurm]

love me some Nellie Mckay :)

[kali071288]

Britta Perry from Community is another example. In fact, she is a Straw Activist, giving the impression that anyone who cares about anything is a crazy hypocrite. I agree with pretty much everything in this video, and this trope annoys me a lot (especially in shows I otherwise love--like Veronica Mars), but the one thing that always comes to mind is that these women do exist (I've met them): can't they be depicted alongside less radical women? I'm not sure--perhaps it's just too damaging.

[neffersions]

@kali071288 Britta Perry is hilarious and hardly out of place in her clique of self-absorbed hypocrites. Everyone on that show is a caricature, from Jeff the disgraced lawyer to Chase the racist buffoon. The series is basically an extended version of that Avenue Q song. It always seemed to me that Britta, not the issues, were being made fun of, since she's arguably the least batshit of the characters.

[jobearbanana]

Do you think Lisa Simpson is a straw feminist? Don't get me wrong; the Simpsons are awesome and Lisa is awesome (or used to be). In the newer episodes, I feel like the things Lisa says are meant to be made fun of. After all, the show is a parody of the average family. For example, in this one episode she says to Homer, "This goes against every feminist bone in my body, but can't you control your woman?"

[Jaros]

@jobearbanana From what I've heard of more recent Simpsons, Lisa is generally a straw whatever-belief-they-want-to-u­se-at-the-time

[Eosimias100]

Feminism, atheism, and environmentalism must be the three most poorly understood and misrepresented philosophies in America.

I don't know how many people I've heard say things like "I believe in equal rights between genders, but I'm no feminist" or "I care about the planet, but I'm not an environmentalist." I've even heard atheists described their own atheism ("I'm not convinced there's a God") but insist that their "agnostic, but not atheist" (as if the two are mutually exclusive).

[PompamooseMagique]

@Eosimias100 I think the atheist thing has a lot to do with the particular Atheists the media focuse on e.g. a certain Prof. Richard Dawkins, who, although I admire his work, is a little on the rabid side. People don't really want to associciate with the image of nay-saying and constant misery that folk like that have.

[europegirlh2o]

Wow. You totally represent feminists in a positive way. I'm still kind of realizing that the world indeed is not just, and that being bothered by it is not a bad thing. So thanks for the video.

[YouAreDivineBeings]

Great video! What if we were humanists and supported equality for all people? I am a die-hard feminist, but I no that these tropes hurt men, and people of color, and people with disabilities, and people with mental illnesses, I could go on, but you get the point.

[matafuko]

That Powerpuff Girls episode was written by a woman - Lauren Faust, which supports the idea that writers do not use these stereotypes by design. Regretably, we live in a patriarchal society of which these writers are a part - so their writing reflects that. It is not their "goal" to discredit feminism - that's just how it turns out. I'm not suggesting in any way that this is good - or even acceptable - it's just that sexism in Hollywoood is a fault of society at large. Not the other way around.

[AverageCheeseBlock]

@matafuko ahhh the powerpuff girls...three stereotypes of girls all mushed into one show...what more can you ask for?

[airgal18]

Waited so long fr a new vid frm u:)

[xXexplodingfrogXx]

i wish everyone could understand it this way.

[cynicalbiatch96]

I am 15 and I go to an all girls school.A couple of months ago in my history class we had finished a unit on womens rights. During this unit we studied many feminist icons including female writers, judges, atheletes as well as well known feminists. Our teacher then asked how many people supported equal rights. The entire class of 30 raised their hands. She then asked how many considered themselves feminists. Only me and one other girl raised our hands. I have never been more upset with my peers.

[TheSandyDR]

“Feminism is the radical notion that women are human beings.”

― Cheris Kramarae

[BellHooksUrge]

thank you SO much for this. brilliant brilliant.

[MaineJuen]

Thank you for this! So many people I know cringe when I identity myself as a feminist. And it's because they have the image in their head of the straw feminist when they're labeling me. Women (and men) should not be afraid to call themselves feminists. I hate when people say "I'm not a feminist but..." because I feel it undermines everything because it displays their fears. Thanks for this video!! You put things eloquently and simply, something I can show my friends!

[PiKalolz]

How many people have heard of Saranoia from Yin Yang Yo?? The perfect straw feminist!!!

[Rozax]

Growing up, I always saw that particular Powerpuff Girls episode as an example of false feminism (the villain) vs real feminism (the Powerpuff Girls). Must've had my optimist goggles on.

[Hannibal2046]

Amazing video!

[0Angel0A]

What really gets me, is when straw feminist characters (or straw anythings for that matter...) are treated by opponents of feminism as if they were ACTUAL EXAMPLES of feminism or feminists, not parodies/attacks against. A -fictitious depiction- made up by somebody who presumably isn't favorable to feminism? Yeah! Let's attack that instead of actual feminists! And while we're at it smear it over feminists like they personally created it.

I see this happen over and over, and it's just egregious.

[MsSexySocialist]

Great video as always.

Although I do have to disagree over the Amazons in Y: the last man being straw feminists. Their whole purpose in the show was to showcase the kind of violent extremism that could arise is just such a situation and the implications of taking ANY worldview to ridiculous extremes.

The weren't, I feel, depicted as representing anything close to feminism - they represented misandry

The idea of them representing feminism also lacks strength in an otherwise strongly feminist work

[redomelette2000]

Another great video in a great series. In the future it would be great to explore and give credit to the writers who get things right. Obviously you you give credit to Veronica Mars often, but this can't be the only one... please let this not be the only one.

[St1kyFinguz]

I gotta admit as a "dude" I feel kinda exposed. I can't find one reason to justify the negative representation of the feminist on these programs other then prurient ridicule and ..(Dare I Say) ...Fear.

uhhhck.. I'am literally forced to recommend this video.

[DHMunroe]

This video is greeeeeeeaaaaaaaat. Thank you.

[EmpressJudge13]

The second I saw this video's title, I thought "About damn time!" As a post-genderist media junkie, the Straw Feminist trope pisses me off, most esp. when the trope is used to make genuine concerns/legitimate ideas (reform of sexual conduct, pay gaps, etc.) seem like nothing more than raging misandry. Also: Kudos for bringing up the utopia fantasyland of Powerpuff Girls. It's so easy to claim that "everything's equal now" when you happen to have both a drawing board and an agenda.

[NMorgan688]

When People look at pop culture from a couple of decades ago, they're shocked by the open racism, sexism and generally backward and embarrassing attitudes people openly displayed. Your videos remind me that people decades from now will probably still do that. I think there's been progress, but I love that smart people like you are standing up and calling us as a culture on where we're still lagging. Kudos and great video.

[karacherith]

Another, more obscure example of the straw feminist was Enid, on the British series Lark Rise to Candleford. Enid raises excellent points about the female predicament in 19th century England, which is largely treated as a source of humor. She is also represented as a liar and an extremist, and the female protagonist tries to correct her. It's a shame that even a great TV show like Lark Rise, which is full of strong female characters, felt the need to use a straw feminist.

[CoughUpBlood]

Awesome video. Thank you very much. I don't think I've ever seen you roll your eyes so much in 10 minutes. But it's understandable. It's sad how many people don't know the definition of feminism.

[DoctorKandosii]

In the UK with have laws against people going on air and saying mental nonsense like Rush Limbough (incitement to violence and such), while still preserving the right to freedom of speech. This is something for America to think about.

[babileilei]

I always have so much to say after watching your videos, that there just isn't enough space in the comments section! I've sat here for 10 minutes re-writing my statement to try and make it fit, but I gave up! I'll say simply this - excellent video and excellent points! I think we all have been tightly stereotyped before and know how it feels, and it's just aggravating when they become one-dimensional characters on TV for people to reaffirm their believes.  Aggravating! But help video!

[CarryLarry]

One day, we'll look back at today's pop culture with the same kind of pity that we feel when we look at the Dark Ages. "Those poor unenlightened people in the 21st century," we'll say, "I guess they just didn't know any better, I'm glad we were able to move on and make an all-inclusive society."

[selphiexfairy]

family guy is a terrible show. the end.

[asc2617]

You are wonderful. Even in my Women in Art History class, my professor, though a great teacher who I enjoy, told the class she doesn't identify as a feminist because she's not "angry" and doesn't "hate men" yet every day in class she brings up and expresses distaste for the complete lack of women in history books. I think she also needs to look up the definition of the word feminist.

[djinie270787]

I love your videos. It's interesting to hear and learn about certain tropes that are rarely addressed as such. When you're done with this serie of episodes, would it be possible to make a video about strong feminist characters in the media? Sometimes I find it quite hard to find shows, movies and series that meet that standard. Maybe you have some suggestions in that area.

Keep up the great work, I'm always looking forward to your videos :)

[midgysamurai15]

as a POC feminist, I am happy you called out Veronica Mars on that season of bullshit. Seriously, in a feminist community where all I ever hear about is how Veronica Mars is oh so progressive, the moment I raise this issue I'm often told that "you're being too sensitive" "i don't believe in race" "you should be happy that there are poc people on your tv anyway".

And people ask why Women of Colour are angry.

[lamenzies]

Thanks for posting.

...and, of course, the straw feminist is often used to perpetuate the myth that 'all she needs is a good man/ to get laid'.

[takship]

I'm glad you covered this trope since it is definitely is the root for all the negative connotations with the word "feminist." Even a few weeks ago, when my English professor announced that we would be covering Feminist theory for the week, she mentioned how many male students in the past dropped the class at the very mention of it. She said that they would assume that it would be topic for the entire semester. (Perish the thought right?)

[bschlotz]

I feel like there's some nuance missing here - the media serves to perpetuate the perception of feminists as irrelevant, preachy and judgemental, but there's some self-reflection that needs to be done in feminist circles along those lines.

Many women, especially women of color, have found feminism (esp 2nd wave) irrelevant to their needs, hence "womanism". there's also a lot of aggressive ideology policing and "feminister-than-thou" in the community that also makes things worse.

[purplecrazy656]

This is something that always seriously annoys me in TV and movies. In fact, I remember watching the PPG when I was little and loving the episode with Femme Fatale. I liked that she was willing to take things into her own hands if everyone else refused to change, even if she was going about it the wrong way. And as a girl who was bullied and threatened when I was young just because I was a girl who stood up for herself, It's really insulting to be told that feminists are crazy and delusional.

[clothesandcurls]

Your channel is so inspiring. It really has changed the way I approach popular culture. Thanks for all your hard work.

[iheartcatsmeow]

So glad this was addressed. So many people honestly think that feminists are out to some how reverse gender roles and make men obsolete. The tropes do nothing to help feminism and make it seem like it's some how "the bad guy".

[theburgundycrayon]

Wow, I couldn't agree with you more on these points! Views of feminism have really been distorted by our media, and being called a "feminist" is now considered an insult. Thanks for your vids! :D

[inbach]

Thank you, Anita. I think thats one of your most interesting and important videos.

Always a plesure watching you.:)

[melvinawright]

I love all the videos in this series, but I'm just damn glad someone else was annoyed as I was at that damn Powerpuff Girls episode. The worst part in the episode was where the other women in the series gather the girls in a dark room, admit that major inequality exists, but that they must capture the bad guy to preserve a society which has next to no plans of correcting those inequalities.

[sublimedo]

As I was watching this, I was really wishing comics were as popular as television because,Y the last man, has some perfect examples of Straw Feminists to discuss. I think there is a lot more to that book than just that set of characters as the finale pretty much goes out and proves that the world has been very misogynistic and unfair to women. I think the story is actually very pro-feminist and would recommend it to anyone. love the video! thank you!

[Pratchettgaiman]

The Daughters of the Amazon I think deserved more than you gave them--they are indeed Straw Feminists, but I think it bears acknowledging that, in the world of YtLM they are acknowledged and believed to be completely nucking futs, by every other woman and in no way true feminists---they are misandrists, pure and simple.

Also, until you pointed it out in passing, it had escaped me that the feminists in S3 Veronica Mars are the most racially diverse group of women on the entire show

[feministfrequency]

@Pratchettgaiman Yes but "Straw Feminists" in all there universes are acknowledged and appear to be irrational and ridiculous. That's kind of the point.

[Pratchettgaiman]

@feministfrequency Aren't there plenty of rational feminists in YtLM as well? At least, I remembered there being some (if not in name, then in action--Yorick's mom, for example). Although I suppose the reason for feminists to exist is kind of lacking in Y, as there's only one gender left so equality between the sexes is rather a moot point, if you discount transgendered women and sperm--which of course the DotA kill and destroy. Hunh, I guess that might make them anti-feminists, technically

[doviod]

@feministfrequency but the question should be - are they recognized as quintessentially feminist? in DotA are not seen, in that world, as representative of actual feminism, then I fail to see the problem. YES, there are some misguided women out there whose feminism borders on the absurd, and these women will draw attention to themselves. Denying they exist won't help you, but clarifying that THAT is not feminism will.

[MosquitoNumber13]

@feministfrequency Yes, but unlike in other media, they are surrounded by actual feminists who identify as such, and therefor are not used to seperate "strong, independent women" from "feminists".

[hallisb]

@feministfrequency

But irrational and ridiculous people of all genders and ideology exist. Y the Last Man had many strong feminist characters and it was very far removed from the "last man on Earth" fantasy that many of your viewers may assume based on your brief reference to it.

I definitely agree that it is a trope that should be avoided FAR more often than used and there is terrible absence of positive and realistic female characters in popular culture. I'm just a fan of Y the Last Man :)

[andre567]

@feministfrequency I'm simply asking this out of pure ignorance, but don't you think that women like that really exist? I mean, I agree with you that media in general don't portray women the way that they should be portrayed, but I think that there are indeed some women that "hide" behind feminism to attack other people. In the other hand, I really get that it's absurd to have women say they fight for equality but aren't feminists.

[SmileyIfSinging]

Just watched this again... I love your videos so much. As a teenager growing up trying to explain my ideas to people, I find it disheartening how many people assume that feminism equates to anti-men, or rage. I just think people should be equal, what's so wrong with that?

[turtlepoppet]

Your best video yet. Veronica Mars in particular was upsetting to me cos of the strong first 2 seasons. Please continue to make awesome videos <3

[Grandy12]

I'm under the impression here that the problem is that the show has got to show the characters are feminist, but if they do so, they are labeled as "straw" because... well because they have to act in a way that leaves no doubt about it. On the other hand, successfull career women who might just as well be feminists (such as the tree role models the PPG meet at the end of the episode) are not considered feminists because they don't spell it out to people. And if they did, they'd be straw feminist

[feministfrequency]

@Grandy12 No actually that is not the problem, the problem is when a character identified as feminist appears, she (occasionally he) is nearly ALWAYS a Straw Feminist (which is never good). Not all strong, smart, capable women on TV need to be openly identified as feminist, for example, many people read Veronica Mars as feminist, and that is probably why the writers included the Straw Feminists in the last season. (cont.)

[feministfrequency]

@Grandy12 (cont.) but the fact is that feminism is a bad word on TV and we hardly ever seen characters who are awesome, sympathetic characters AND also openly feminist.

[Grandy12]

@feministfrequency True enough, I suppose.

[EvaEarlong]

@feministfrequency there's always leslie knope

[SaramisKismet]

@Grandy12 Well in the case of the veronica Mars example, I don't think throwing eggs at someone's car is expressing "I am a feminist" but rather "I am a vandal.". And feigning a rape situation does NOTHING to help feminism. Those characters would have been positive portrayals of open feminists if not for those additions, and that's what makes them Straw.

[feministfrequency]

@SaramisKismet I think there were many other elements that made them Straw Feminists in addition to those points you bring up, for example, the fact that all they care about is bringing down the fraternities even in the face of overwhelming evidence that they had nothing to do with it. They even had to be schooled by Veronica about finding out the truth versus falsely convicting someone. It was atrociously horrible.

[Sunshine44008]

The family guy example especially bothers me because not only does it perpetuate the Straw Feminist trope, but it also makes a caricature of a real woman (Gloria Allred) who is working to actually help other women.

[ReiNoKiri]

Thank you so much for this video! I've actually met a little resistance from my father when talking about feminism and taking Women's Studies courses. He always says, "As long as they don't teach you to hate men," or "I like movies about women, as long as they don't end with 'men are evil'." How many of those movies actually exist? More often messages in movies are like the straw feminist.

[TheCroco99]

Thank you for making this video. It's pure propaganda, isn't - even aimed at children, they gotta learn young! I recognize the same thinking from IRL discussion. Everything is already fair and equal....so women and girls who protest sexism are unreasonable. The message is the same as always in patriarchy: Ladies, be ladylike and shut up. Never protest anything.

So let's do the opposite!

[alittletoocrazy101]

What's depressing is that there really is a very vocal minority of so-called "feminists" who are unbelievably sexist against men and tear down every strong female character they can think of for being "feminine." Because of this, the actual majority of sane, rational feminists who simply want gender equality, like feministfrequency, is overlooked in favor of the "straw feminist" image.

So, bravo. Just...bravo.

[Roseblight]

Thank you so much for doing this; it's the most horrible and sickening of tropes.

[tarnim80]

This was realy great episode! Very interesting and enlightening. :)

[MissNayNay]

Man, I just LOVE your videos. You are intelligent, informative, and speak as to why feminism is still relevant today! It always amazed me why people are too stubborn to see why Feminism is still relevant and needed today. There are so many myths about feminism that it's not even funny. I hope that you will start making more videos more often. I saw your channel on the list of recommended channels to watch last week. I subscribed. We need more channels like yours.

[LLLeeeeeeeee]

Wonderful video indeed, it drives me crazy when I hear people say ,"I'm not a feminist or anything like that" as if it's this nasty silly thing. I am a gay male and I'm always having to tell people, yes I am a feminist... YES you can be male and be a feminist! lol My sister's girlfriend even questioned my feminist identity. it's 2011 people!!!! There is much work to be done with the slimey media pulling it's strings.

[espon0skyskee]

finally someone who didn't think Y the Last Man was a perfect book. found the whole thing really underwhelming. and i didn't even realize till now that part of the reason was the exaggerated and ridiculous antagonists you mentioned

[sonictheunknown]

Wow, thank you so much for this video. I have to admit I fall under the type of "I believe in equal rights for women, BUT I'm not feminist" because I want to stay away from the stereotype that all feminists are crazy and over-the-top. I'm starting to see how a lot of this is the fault of the media though, and it's disappointing how many people work to put it so out of perspective. Thanks for these videos, I always enjoy them.

[gengigloves]

Excellent work, as always. Your insight into culture, and the easily-digested way you present it, are a godsend.

[koolguy1029]

I never even thought about this. Thank you for the informing video.

[latieplolo]

Your best yet.

I'm still a young feminist, and have a lot to learn. But I'm so proud of you and what you're doing. You're really turning "feminist" into a good word again. This video is the most complete, clear, reasonable, coherent feminist argument I've heard in a while and I really want to thank you. Please keep doing what you're doing, you really do make a difference.

[Serithe]

One of your best and most important videos yet.....thank you so much for this!

[TheAsexualHermit]

It depresses me to think how effective this trope is. When I stop and think, there are so many people I know, both friends and family, who believe that most/all feminists are like this. I remember when I was little I asked someone what a feminist was and they told me that they were "crazy ladies who don't shave their armpits". It's probably because of this that so many people I know claim that homophobia against lesbians doesn't exist.

[JossArden]

*claps* Thanks so much for posting this. I don't think the length of this video is a problem since you're presenting something so important.

[fabulosityeternal]

So good. I appreciate how you use current, contemporary media to support your point, since so many critiques of the media ring false to me because I don't see them in everyday life or in the media I watch. I'm not a sci-fi or comic book fan, so I can't relate to those analyses, but I enjoy popular media and I find the Internet surprisingly lacking in critiques of what's very widely viewed. You deliver that. So yeah, keep on rocking ;)

[MizuTakishima3]

Did you have to insert the part about conservative/religious news? Can't it just be news?

I'm religious and a proud feminist, but I feel more and more alienated by these videos because my beliefs are often demonized :( It's really depressing.

Other than that though, I agreed with everything. I just wish you didn't hate my kind so much. (religious female feminist)

[feministfrequency]

@MizuTakishima3 Conservative and religious news media is overwhelming anti-feminists, and frankly misogynist, I'm not implying that all religious beliefs or groups perpetuate this trope. I'm sorry if you are insulted by the inclusion of this in my video but I think it's an important part of the analysis.

[TFYFWYA]

@feministfrequency

You are 100% right and you should NOT apologize for offending their delicate sensibilities! Fundies, the religious, and conservatives need to learn that their foul views are NOT immune from criticism!!

[rebelliouspixels]

@MizuTakishima3 - FemFreq was talking specifically about the conservative and religious media outlets and groups that attack and target feminism and feminists regularly. She was not referring to all religious groups but just the majority that are sadly still deeply patriarchal.

[SaramisKismet]

@MizuTakishima3 criticizing a component of what a religious culture propogates is not an attack on the belief system itself; these criticisms are going after specific behaviors, not the groups as an inherent whole.

[Kaldary]

When I first saw the PPG episode with Feminist Fatale, I was so hoping that she wasn't really a feminist and just using it to manipulate the girls so they would let her do as she pleased. Then at the end real feminist would come in and set them straight, and tell them what feminism really was. Sadly that never happened. Why don't we ever see Susan B Anthony or Sacejewa coins? (Which most people I think they are Pocahontas coins *facepalm*)

[PiKalolz]

This video is interesting but I still don't know what the trope has to do with "straw"

[feministfrequency]

@PiKalolz It's based off of the logical fallacy called the Straw Man

[sushimonsterosity]

Love these videos :)

[CRNACindy]

I would also like to see this series continued! And the clips you cut out of this as well.

I was introduced to your channel when you put up episode 3, and I feel like I learned a lot. Thank you so much for doing this. :)

[razieldumas]

The Powderpuff Girls character brought up a good point about Supergirl and Batgirl, actually. While the characters are usually pretty strong and well crafted in their own right, they're still extensions of Superman and Batman. While nerds like myself can name quite a few heroines who aren't derived from men (Black Canary, Starfire and Katana, to name a few), most people could only name one: Wonder Woman.

[mozizlak]

So gald your back

[invisigoth841]

I kind of have a lot of thoughts and feelings about Y: The Last Man. Honestly, the amount of trans hatred, cissexism, and biological essentialism I encounter in feminist spaces and when reading actual feminist works makes me want to vom. So yeah, the straw feminists are awful and damaging. But it's hard to give a fuck about trans hating feminists being vilified and made to seem ridiculous.

[Kuritorisuu]

Your best yet! Any chance you could upload the whole vid sometime?

[feministfrequency]

@Kuritorisuu The whole video doesn't actually exist since I slowly cut out different sections at a time. Sorry about that.

[invisigoth841]

Is Willow's mother in Buffy straw feminist? I feel like her beliefs are exaggerated in a way that's supposed to be funny sometimes, but not really like most of the examples you showed.

[JohnZ117]

You make some thought-provoking points in this video, as usual. However, you seem to be denying that the Feminist movement would, like most movements, have its own extremist element.

[SickMouth]

@JohnZ117 She never said ANYWHERE in this video that feminism doesn't have an extremist faction. Every group has its assholes --and Anita did not deny that anywhere in her argument.

[balletslippers91]

This is a great vid, and I feel very informed. Do you think you could continue this series?

Also, I was wondering about your opinion on anime. You frequently comment on comics and cartoons, but not so much on this genre. Specifically, what do you think of Sailor Moon? I've met some pro-equal rights women who support it and others who think it's nothing more than a damsel in distress kind of a thing.

[Snipwhiz]

Great video as always.

Just wondering what you thought about using the term 'humanist' instead of 'feminist,' because I've seen people claim that because feminism is about equal rights, it should be 'humanism.'

[wanderingdreams]

That clip at the end was pretty awesome, I feel like I need to put it on my phone so I can use it all the time.

[mistaria]

This was a great one to end your tropes vs. women series on! I definitely admit that I've hesitated to call myself a feminist in the past because of the effect the straw feminist has had on society's belief of what a feminist is and believes. I think this video gives an important reminder that turning our back on each other in the face of the straw feminist only reinforces the gender inequality we still see on a daily basis.

[Give1Take2]

I love you so much for this! I saw all the shows, movies and cartoon episodes you posted here when I was younger and my sister actually grew to hate feminism. Any time I tried to call her out on it, she would talk about how "extreme feminists" were so this or so that, and use said tv characters and representations to support that hatred.

Ironically, the Powerpuff Girls episode was the first to open my eyes to feminist issues, so I never felt the same. I wish more people looked past stereotypes.

[iremythpurr]

Awesome video. To be honest I was a little nervous of how "strawfeminist" was going to be portrayed. I often feel like a "strawfeminist" because I am very angry, very militant and see sexism in nearly everything. You never disappoint though.

They portray these things as irrational because "look how equal everything is". ie the family guy episode, Peter does this sexist mimicry of what females are supposed to be throughout it, whilst his wife is still slaving away like a dumb cow.

[GoingRampant]

*Claps* Just awesome.

Yeah, I read "straw feminist" and immediately thought "Veronica Mars". Though, despite their extremely negative portrayal, I think VM was part of what got me interested in feminism. Their criticism about a rape joke made sense to me. Maybe I would have gone that way anyway, though, and Buffy definitely was more of a positive influence in that regard.

[feministfrequency]

@GoingRampant I absolutely loved Veronica Mars and think it definite *had* some feminist values in it, that is part of why the third season was absolutely devastating.

[Candypirate11]

On a teen trip that I took this summer, I often clashed with some of the guys of the group over sexism. There was a lot of gender segregation and I felt excluded. I called them on it when they were being sexist, which did not improve my popularity. One tried to argue that he wasn't a feminist BECAUSE he believed in gender equality, and he thought that it meant supporting female dominance. I think that more education needs to be given about feminism, so people understand why it is still necessary

[TheLastDorrito]

@Candypirate11 I refuse to call myself of feminist because of modern feminism. I agree for the most part with Feministfrequency. I rather call myself a humanist. I'm not saying every feminist or every feminist group should become a humanist or humanist group though. I can understand where he is coming from.

[HiAdrian]

@Candypirate11 To be fair, you cannot treat feminism as a self-evident umbrella term. There are considerably different standpoints within the feminist movement, and as in other movements, extremists at the fringes gather a lot of attention that can color the public's perception.

What would your education about feminism look like, and do you think the majority of self-proclaimed feminists would agree with it, unmodified?

[NethDugan]

I agree completely. There was even some troll on tumblr recently playing the part of a straw feminist - interactive style! Along with other straw stand ins.

I don't always agree with all the examples used on this series, though you always make me think, and in this case I've never seen any of the shows you quote. But I agree, it'd be nice to see an actual feminist not a straw feminist on TV some time.

[squirrelywrath2]

I... have nothing to argue with on this video.

I have noticed this too.

Did you see that one 1000 ways to die on Spike TV? Otherwise a hilarious show, but every once in a while they will have a lesbian feminist character lobbying for forced castration, or openly call a random female character a slut. It usually starts with pre-laughter while expecting something good, followed by and uncomfortable quiet, followed by someone (a few times me) saying "well that seemed unnecessary"

[petnogakatten]

You are the best! I love your videos.

[allylucky13]

I just wanted to tell you, I love this Tropes vs. women series! I always find that you really open my eyes up to things that I didn't even think about. So thank you so much for making videos!

[dontcare971]

I've been waiting for this! It's was worth while.As a kid who grew up with power puff girls, I love that episode. I always knew I probably would never see a girl kicking butt like Robin and Batman or The kids on Code Lyoko, especially since I'm an African American. I was so happy to see some form a girl that identifies as black like Bumble Bee from Teen Titans. The media made feminist the demons or the but of extremist jokes. Maybe because it's full of men?

As always, awesome job.

[swazzleberry]

Right on. Love this video.. Thank you so much..

[crazygreen89]

Yeyyy! New Video! :D

I have a question

I want to write a book where sexism is talked about. In the real world, earth modern day America, I point out sexism women have to face patriarchy.

In the fantasy world, men have to face similar sexism under matriarchy, but its not to put down feminism its actually to enforce it by showing the wrong things in our society usin men, but I dont want to cross the line of straw feminists. My characters recognize these simliarites. Wondering how i dont cross line

[laRosson]

I just thought I'd point out something that I'm pretty sure happened on Veronica Mars, but that you didn't mention (TW): the writers even went so far as to have the feminists rape one of the fraternity guys with an egg as a prank.

As far as I can recall, I think I've got that right. The reason I'm so dubious is because it's so unbelievable that they would write that into the script at all, but I do remember being really, really shocked by the writers making their "feminists" into rapists.

[feministfrequency]

@laRosson Yes, they absolutely went there! UGH! There are so many more problems with this storyline that I didn't have time for, such as framing the women as so irrational and illogical that they don't want to look at "facts", framing sexual assault as the one bad perpetrator on campus instead of as a systemic problem most often committed by acquaintances... just to name a few.

[PetiteOzma]

I've never seen that episode of Power Puff Girl's but I know at least some of the writers like the creator's wife Lauren Faust considers herself a feminist... I've also seen Straw Feminist doctorings of scripts by real feminists Gail Simone's Wonder Woman animated was doctored with what she termed bizzare second wave feminism, but She also wrote a comic about how it was better to wait for the right WW movie then just latch onto a bad one, in which Hollywood made the Amazons out as man haters.

[feministfrequency]

@PetiteOzma Interesting you bring up Lauren Faust, who identifies as a feminist (and openly defended that on Ms. Blog about My Little Pony - kind of a troubling defense tho.) because she was specifically involved in this particular episode... and this whole episode was AMAZINGLY oppressive... I just skimmed the surface of it.

[Maverynthia]

@feministfrequency It's kinda sad that they made this for children. Since it's basically showing girls watching the show "There's nothing to see here move along, and if you don't YOUR the bad guy." Pretty awful, I'd never want my nieces to see this. Considering children ARE influenced by TV they are going to stop questioning valid things.

[LowBudgetLurker]

This would probably be your best video yet. Thank you so much for putting a great positive message out there =]

[renjiai]

Thank you. It's such a relief to see this spelled out because it's something that's always bothered me.

There was so much I enjoyed about Veronica Mars. But there were so many problematic things that happened on it too.

[Razorgeist]

Thanks for the video they're always fun and informative.

[xXBarbeloXx]

i think the really disturbing part about adult cartoons is that they don't even bother to set up and utopic society where feminism is out dated. there is usually at least one misogynistic crack every other episode. they would rather imply that either women deserve what they get or that women prefer it this way and would otherwise be unhappy if we were treated as full and complete humans.

[BuddyL]

This is your best video yet.

As an heterosexual Black man who proudly identifies himself as both "Afrocentric" and "Feminist", I've always cringed at the way both are stereotyped as being hateful and militant. Whenever I identify myself as one, people think it means I'm angry. I proudly use these terms because I believe in equality, not hatred.

[TotalPerspective]

Awesome as ever, you're videos are so great I always cheer a little when you upload a new one. Thanks! <3

[briillusion]

Interesting points. I remember first learning about feminism through TV and the internet and I just assumed that all feminism was were women who just wanted to kill off men and live freely. Obviously I am still not in that mindset, but still, I catch myself saying something belittling about feminism. When a person says they are a feminist, I always find it interesting (and sad) that people judge those people right away and always say something like "Gunna burn your bra now?" *sigh.

[SkyStained]

Thanks so much for making these :) I'm studying feminism at the moment in Sociology and I've reccomended these videos to my teacher. Look forward to more!

[kyozgurl]

You are by far one of the intelligent people I have ever come across in my life. What you said is very true, I do find it quite disturbing when television shows portray "feminist characters" in a negative way. I don't like how it undermines the idea of what feminism is about. I'm so glad that you made these videos! You are great, really.

[GaEv4]

I am sad to admit that I have been guilty of belittling feminists and stating that gender politics do not exist (well what I said was battle of the sexes but that is what I meant.)

All I can do is say that I am so sorry that I promoted such horrible, degrading beliefs and seek to fight against them.

[treegraph]

I can't agree with all of your points, but I certainly have to approve your point that Season 3 of Veronica Mars sucks.

[RiverSiege]

I like the quoted part at the end, how do you research all these? Are you like a film junkie or something?

[feministfrequency]

@RiverSiege well, I watch an awful lot of TV.

[GinPrincess3931]

Thank you! I pointed out the reasons why I hated the character of Mrs Banks in Mary Poppins a few months ago (I was a bit drunk, and it was IMPORTANT) and everyone laughed at me :(

[ophy4]

THANK YOU FOR MAKING THIS!