I Can Never Ignore Buffy for Too Long

So it comes to no surprise that my first actual entry is devoted to a discussion of feminism...and of course Buffy the Vampire Slayer. With a strong female lead and a brilliant set of supporting characters, Buffy pleads the case that all hope for the modern world is not lost. And that's not just because Buffy Summers always finds a way to save the world.

A rather insightful blog that discusses Buffy and its feminist themes is this ain't livin', a site authored by s. e. smith (penname meloukia) that covers topics from health care to Harry Potter and everything in between. smith updates her blog quite often, and most of her posts are rather lengthy, but in-depth and chock full of witty wisdom and insightful social commentary.

Recently on her blog, smith has written a series of examinations into how Joss Whedon’s shows reflect his personal claims of being a feminist, and if his work stands up as a reflection of his personal beliefs, or if his beliefs are sacrificed for the sake of plot and audience size. She warns her audience numerous times that it isn't her right in any way to judge Joss's personal beliefs or to revoke his feminist card, and I think she succeeds in never judging his beliefs on their own, just the choices he makes as a key component of the show. I cannot wait to tackle this very same topic of whether or not Buffy holds up as a feminist character.

In her article on female empowerment in Buffy, smith discusses Buffy’s relationships with Angel, Riley, and Spike, and the role that Willow and Joyce play in the series. It’s an article founded on a plethora of evidence from the show, and which requires a certain amount of background Buffy-knowledge. Her article on demons and Slayers is a follow-up to her first article, and dives into the other Slayers and Slayer-potentials and the demons that are featured each week on Buffy. These articles provide a great basis for future debate about whether or not Buffy is a good example of a feminist show, or if it’s just Joss’s personal opinions and the lens through which one looks that provide the basis for any opinions one might form.These articles provide a thorough discussion of exact particulars that would support the argument for Buffy being as feminist as some may claim, but also gives the differing side of the argument, detailing in which ways Buffy fails as an exemplar of gender equality in prime time television.

Where smith fails, however, is in giving the show some deserved wiggle room. In the end, Buffy wasn’t made in a vacuum, and had to be accepted by network executives. In terms of how progressive it is, one has to look at the culture in which it was made, and the other forces that controlled the show. Though smith recognizes that “it’s hard to be consistently on message for 7 seasons”, she also berates Joss for incorporating a character like Jenny Calendar, saying that she was used simply as a plot device and that her existence in the show “is another case of a situation in which feminism had to take a back seat to storytelling”. It’s in details like this that smith’s opinion differs from my own. While it would be nice to think that the sole purpose of Buffy would be to fight the battle for feminism, it wasn’t. Buffy had to be a compelling drama, and though I recognize that the title of “compelling drama” doesn’t give a show free reign to be as anti-feminist as possible, it’s clear that a scripted show without plot or variant characters wouldn’t last terribly long on prime-time television, even if it were spouting the most honest social theory. While smith’s articles on Whedon’s work bring up many good points and backs up those assertions with ample evidence, there are many holes in the argument made.

It is those holes that I would like to dutifully fill in my upcoming posts, and I would like to just as thoroughly dissect what it is about BtVS that makes it feminist television. this ain't livin' provides solid groundwork for the upcoming debate I would like to make in favor of Buffy being a mostly gender-equal view of life, and that Whedon’s personal beliefs do, for the most part, make it through to the final cut.

Hello, World!

For a while now I've been wondering if the world has just decided "Hey, maybe it's a bad place to live, but at least we've got hot dance beats" or if I'm the only sane one left. Mostly this pondering is due to Katy Perry and her, if danceable, utterly depressing pop hits like "I Kissed a Girl" and "Hot n' Cold". I swore I was the only one in the world who saw something wrong with the way she not only condones using women (I'm of the belief school that using people, in general, is a big ole no-no, even if you're Katy Perry) but also seems to see girls kissing other girls as more a show for any and all male viewers (if you don't know what I mean, do watch the video) than an expression of her own desire. I staggered around life, depressed, hurting for the sake of the world. Or something dramatic like that.

Then, I googled. And I found voices of reason. I found sane people in what I had assumed was a world lost of all sense. I found others who shared my view.

You know that feeling when you stumble on sudden kindred-thinkers? When the world feels good and right and comprehensible? That's what happened with me.

Thus, I found it most fitting to embark on my own personal mission to, in one way or another, point out all things wrong with pop culture. Ok, so maybe that's setting myself up for failure, but to at least outline the biases and -isms apparent in today's television and media. Who hasn't found it just a tad depressing that women in horror movies are around as victims or sex symbols? Who hasn't found it odd that only after Stephen Moyer made a sexist comment did anyone realize that True Blood is an incredibly biased show? (If you answered "not me" to either of those questions, please stick around. You have much to learn.)

As for my qualifications on this topic? Well, I'm just some girl who grew up in a really socially conservative part of the U.S., who almost exploded in a fit of happiness and belongingness upon reaching L.A. for college. I'd like to say I know everything about the feminist viewpoint, but I'm still a little new at all this open-minded-good-feeling-doing-right-in-the-world stuff, so it's a learning community here. My log o' blogs is full of those same voices that I mentioned earlier, those oh-so-deliciously-sane people who may be just a tad more eloquent than yours truly, and possibly a touch more researched in the art of feminism.

I'm also a complete Buffy the Vampire Slayer fan, and will make a ridiculous number of posts and references to Buffy. I apologize in advance, and will try my hardest to keep all fantacular meltdowns expressing my utter Buffy joy to a minimum. Though I can't make any promises.

I can only hope that the next time you turn on the radio and hear Katy Perry gushing about just how much she liked it, that maybe while you're dancing you'll wonder just why most of America likes it too.