Is Pepper Potts No Longer the "Damsel in Distress" in 'Iron Man 3'?

“Men bestow power upon Pepper. Any power she appears to exert stems from men. Now some superheroes (Spiderman, Wolverine) have their powers given to them by others, either by accident or against their will. But once they have their powers, they decide what to do with them. They decide through their intelligence or cunning how best to utilize their powers. But Tony and Killian make all the decisions for Pepper. She doesn’t make any for herself…Even though she has a brief romp with superpowers and briefly kicks ass, Pepper somehow remains less empowered…Men decide her fate…

“Sure, it’s nice to see Pepper kicking ass. But let’s be clear here. Just because a female character wields a sword, shoots a gun or uses her fists on a villain, doesn’t automatically make her emotionally strong or empowered.”

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It’s all about feminism. Feminism simply means equal social and political status for men and women. There’s nothing radical about it or about using that word or having that as a goal. We’re simply trying to elevate the status of the female characters to equal. We take up half the space in the world so it would be great to see roughly half of characters be female.
Geena Davis via Ms. Magazine when asked what role feminism plays in closing the gender gap in media representations
btchflcks: Women and Gender in Musicals Week: The Roundup “Accidental Feminism in Mary Poppins” by Megan Kearns Interestingly, this bastion of film feminism occurred accidentally. Glynis Johns thought she was the one getting the role of Mary Poppins, not Julie Andrews. In order to assuage her potential furor over this fuck-up, Walt Disney told Johns that she had a phenomenal solo. To cover his ass, Disney called up songwriters Robert B. and Richard M. Sherman and said (while Johns was in earshot) that she couldn’t wait to hear the song. The Sherman Brothers quickly researched women’s movements in 1910 England, and wrote “Sister Suffragette” so Johns could hear the song after her lunch with Disney.  [click here to read more reviews]
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btchflcks:

Women and Gender in Musicals Week: The Roundup

“Accidental Feminism in Mary Poppins” by Megan Kearns

Interestingly, this bastion of film feminism occurred accidentally. Glynis Johns thought she was the one getting the role of Mary Poppins, not Julie Andrews. In order to assuage her potential furor over this fuck-up, Walt Disney told Johns that she had a phenomenal solo. To cover his ass, Disney called up songwriters Robert B. and Richard M. Sherman and said (while Johns was in earshot) that she couldn’t wait to hear the song. The Sherman Brothers quickly researched women’s movements in 1910 England, and wrote “Sister Suffragette” so Johns could hear the song after her lunch with Disney. 

[click here to read more reviews]

Actor Emma Stone Points Out Sexist Double Standards in Media Originally published at Bitch Flicks. It’s no surprise sexism permeates the media. Women are constantly judged and praised for their beauty and appearance. Not their merit, intellect or accomplishments. This incessant importance on women’s appearances over their talent reduces us to objects. As I perused my Pinterest feed last week, I came across a picture courtesy of Upworthy of Emma Stone calling out sexism. Could it be? Is Stone a secret feminist?? I had to investigate. In its August 2012 issue, Teen Vogue conducted a joint interview with Emma Stone and Andrew Garfield to promote The Amazing Spider-Man (Sidebar, do we really need a Spider-Man reboot?? How about a Wonder Woman or Catwoman film first…ugh). After the interviewer inquired, “Emma, I have to ask about your hair color,” Stone talked about how she preferred being a blonde because it’s the hair color she possessed as a child. But then here’s where things get awesome. Emma Stone: But people do always ask that. They ask who is my style icon, what’s the one thing that I can’t leave my house without. I’m always like, “My clothes!” I can pretty much leave without anything.It’s fine as long as I’m not naked.  Andrew Garfield: I don’t get asked that—  Emma Stone:You get asked interesting, poignant questions because you are a boy. Teen Vogue: It’s sexism.  Emma Stone: It is sexism.  Women and men getting asked different questions strictly based on their gender? Yep, it sure is sexism. Read more -> shared via WordPress.com
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Actor Emma Stone Points Out Sexist Double Standards in Media

Originally published at Bitch Flicks.

It’s no surprise sexism permeates the media. Women are constantly judged and praised for their beauty and appearance. Not their merit, intellect or accomplishments. This incessant importance on women’s appearances over their talent reduces us to objects.

As I perused my Pinterest feed last week, I came across a picture courtesy of Upworthy of Emma Stone calling out sexism. Could it be? Is Stone a secret feminist?? I had to investigate.

In its August 2012 issue, Teen Vogue conducted a joint interview with Emma Stone and Andrew Garfield to promote The Amazing Spider-Man (Sidebar, do we really need a Spider-Man reboot?? How about a Wonder Woman or Catwoman film first…ugh). After the interviewer inquired, “Emma, I have to ask about your hair color,” Stone talked about how she preferred being a blonde because it’s the hair color she possessed as a child. But then here’s where things get awesome.

Emma Stone: But people do always ask that. They ask who is my style icon, what’s the one thing that I can’t leave my house without. I’m always like, “My clothes!” I can pretty much leave without anything.It’s fine as long as I’m not naked. 
Andrew Garfield: I don’t get asked that— 
Emma Stone:You get asked interesting, poignant questions because you are a boy.
Teen Vogue: It’s sexism. 
Emma Stone: It is sexism. 
Women and men getting asked different questions strictly based on their gender? Yep, it sure is sexism.

Read more ->

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themarysue: ajacquelineofalltrades: menshevixen: bananakarenina: villa-kulla: Reporter: I have a question to Robert and to Scarlett. Firstly to Robert, throughout Iron Man 1 and 2, Tony Stark started off as a very egotistical character but learns how to fight as a team. And so how did you approach this role, bearing in mind that kind of maturity as a human being when it comes to the Tony Stark character, and did you learn anything throughout the three movies that you made? And to Scarlett, to get into shape for Black Widow did you have anything special to do in terms of the diet, like did you have to eat any specific food, or that sort of thing? Scarlett: How come you get the really interesting existential question, and I get the like, “rabbit food” question? The respect given to you if you’re a man in the entertainment business, and the respect given to you if you’re a woman in the entertainment business: all perfectly summed up in one idiotically thought out line of questioning. You know, I always did like Scarlett Johannson. Dat side-eye. Let me just hug you forever Miss Johannson. Scarlett Johansson gives the best side-eye. 
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themarysue:

ajacquelineofalltrades:

menshevixen:

bananakarenina:

villa-kulla:

Reporter: I have a question to Robert and to Scarlett. Firstly to Robert, throughout Iron Man 1 and 2, Tony Stark started off as a very egotistical character but learns how to fight as a team. And so how did you approach this role, bearing in mind that kind of maturity as a human being when it comes to the Tony Stark character, and did you learn anything throughout the three movies that you made?

And to Scarlett, to get into shape for Black Widow did you have anything special to do in terms of the diet, like did you have to eat any specific food, or that sort of thing?

Scarlett: How come you get the really interesting existential question, and I get the like, “rabbit food” question?


The respect given to you if you’re a man in the entertainment business, and the respect given to you if you’re a woman in the entertainment business: all perfectly summed up in one idiotically thought out line of questioning.

You know, I always did like Scarlett Johannson.

Dat side-eye.

Let me just hug you forever Miss Johannson.

Scarlett Johansson gives the best side-eye. 

Source: villa-kulla

Jessica Valenti: I want to like the new "I can be...President" Barbie. But I don't.

jessicavalenti:

When I was a kid, I had an Astronaut Barbie. (I ended up cutting all of her hair off and giving her a black eye using nail polish - but that’s a story for another time.) I thought it was pretty cool that she had this space suit and all, but remember wondering how she was going to walk on the…

Appalling New Children’s Book Aimed at Girls Losing Weight Sends Wrong Message

Yesterday, I discovered something horrifying. In October, a children’s book will be released called Maggie Goes on a Diet. Yep, a diet book. For kids. Lovely. We need that like I need a hole in my head. With media swarming around us telling women and girls to be thinner, prettier and sexier, the last thing we need is a book telling girls to equate self-worth and self-esteem with losing weight.

Written by Paul M. Kramer and illustrated by Mari Kuwayama, this bullshit book is:

“…about a 14 year old girl who goes on a diet and is transformed from being extremely overweight and insecure to a normal sized girl who becomes the school soccer star. Through time, exercise and hard work, Maggie becomes more and more confident and develops a positive self image.”

If this is the kind of crap children’s authors are writing, then our society is doomed…

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The Warrior Princess and the Beast: A Look at Two Strong Female Dancers & Their Feminist Repertoire on SYTYCD

Last night, I watched the Season 8 finale of So You Think You Can Dance. After weeks of battling it out onstage, it all came down to the two best dancers of the season, Sasha and Melanie. As I previously wrote, dance can evoke feminism and female empowerment.  While the season featured many talented dancers, for me, it has been about these two phenomenal performers all season long.

The dynamically soulful Sasha Mallory, called the “Warrior Princess” for her fierce performances, channels all of her power, pain and longing into every routine.  Wringing every drop of emotion out of herself, she leaves it all on the floor.  Winner Melanie Moore, nicknamed the “Beast” by choreographer Debbie Allen because she “killed everything they threw at her,” fuses her athleticism with storytelling, bringing the audience with her on an emotional journey each time she steps on stage…

Fave Feminist Dance Routines…

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