Yeah, I haven't seen this movie and probably won't, so I really can't discuss it from a particularly informed place, but I saw a post yesterday or the day before about the way the different emotions were represented and I was like: nope - nope, nope, nope.
Anger as masculine was the really glaring one to me, and not only is it one of the only emotions that men are socialized to believe is okay for them, but women are actively discouraged from expressing it. Women and girls are always supposed to smile and be nice and not hurt anyone's feelings and be likeable, etc. etc. And yes, anger as female would've been labeled as 'bitch' immediately.
I agree with you that it sounds like they just did not give any thought outside of the usual bullshit gender box to the way they personified the emotions, both in the child and the two parents.
The whole 'girls are/should be interested in reading/seeing stories about boys as well as girls, but boys are entitled to only see stories about boys and shouldn't have to read/see or be interested in anyone who is different from them' bullshit is an entire discussion in itself.
Yeah, likewise. I mean, I might see it at some point? But it's nowhere near a priority (unlike Home, for example). So I'm just critiquing anything that's clear from commercials and other hype, and the one single detail I asked the internet about (confirmation that Riley is not intersex/genderqueer/non-binary).
Yes to pretty much all of that. And I love me some Lewis Black, but seriously? Seriously, Pixar? Maybe could've come up with something different for him there, pal.
Oh? I haven't heard a lot about the behind-the-scenes stuff. And I've liked a lot of Pixar movies, but I haven't really loved many of them. A Bug's Life and Monsters, Inc are probably the ones I liked best, but they're still far from perfect. (My next Pixar rant/essay is going to be on The Incredibles. It's a much more enjoyable movie if you assume that Helen also wants to get back into saving people, but feels like she can't, and so internalizes her anger and/or redirects it to Bob when he pulls that shit, though it would be even more enjoyable if it were entirely from her POV and about that issue.)
I know, right? Unless they're triggered by the word queer, though even then, why they would include the word they're triggered by instead of talking around it is beyond me. Transphobic fuckery, blech.
Thank you! Yeah, my thoughts exactly, bleh. Pixar doesn't really have a great track record with sexism and portrayal of female characters, and this movie isn't helping it at all.
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branchandroot
no subject
Date: 2015-06-23 12:39 am (UTC)Yeah, I haven't seen this movie and probably won't, so I really can't discuss it from a particularly informed place, but I saw a post yesterday or the day before about the way the different emotions were represented and I was like: nope - nope, nope, nope.
Anger as masculine was the really glaring one to me, and not only is it one of the only emotions that men are socialized to believe is okay for them, but women are actively discouraged from expressing it. Women and girls are always supposed to smile and be nice and not hurt anyone's feelings and be likeable, etc. etc. And yes, anger as female would've been labeled as 'bitch' immediately.
I agree with you that it sounds like they just did not give any thought outside of the usual bullshit gender box to the way they personified the emotions, both in the child and the two parents.
The whole 'girls are/should be interested in reading/seeing stories about boys as well as girls, but boys are entitled to only see stories about boys and shouldn't have to read/see or be interested in anyone who is different from them' bullshit is an entire discussion in itself.
no subject
Date: 2015-06-23 02:16 am (UTC)Yes to pretty much all of that. And I love me some Lewis Black, but seriously? Seriously, Pixar? Maybe could've come up with something different for him there, pal.
no subject
Date: 2015-06-23 02:20 am (UTC)I've enjoyed some of Pixar's movies, like Brave, but there always seems to be something problematic, in the movies and/or behind the scenes.
On a side note, I saw one of the replies to your blog post. WTF with the scare quotes around genderqueer? JFC
no subject
Date: 2015-06-23 02:42 am (UTC)I know, right? Unless they're triggered by the word queer, though even then, why they would include the word they're triggered by instead of talking around it is beyond me. Transphobic fuckery, blech.
no subject
Date: 2015-06-23 02:34 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2015-06-23 02:47 am (UTC)