Sexism and the Toxicity of Nostalgia · 2:02pm Jul 13th, 2021
I can't believe I'm putting aside the fact there are people asking for the sexualization of a cartoon character aimed for kids, but putting aside that, you have to ask who is asking for it. The implication only gets stupider.
Space Jam came out on 1996, so the youngest we could put a kid watching it is around 2-4. Twenty five years later means people in their late twenties, at least. But then you have to factor in for kids to actually pay attention to Lola being a sexualized needed to be older, so, again at their youngest, that would be 12. Twenty-five years later, and that's mid thirties, again, at least.
And then, you factor in that younger audiences, this Space Jam's target audience, may know Lola from the Looney Tunes cartoon from some years ago, where she wasn't sexualized. And I'm making a guess here that those kids' parents aren't the ones asking for their children's movie to have sexualization.
So, it all comes down to Twenty-to-thirty years old guys clinging to a movie from 26 years ago trying to force their nostalgic vision of that on something that isn't even aimed at them.
Pathetic doesn't begin to describe this.
On the off-chance I indirectly called some of my readers pathetic, I have this to add: If you really want to see Lola Bunny with breasts, you have internet. There are teras over teras of graphic art exactly about that.
5554372
TBF, its likely not all of those who sexualize her are men. Also reminds me of how the creator of the snake women from XCOM totally didn't know some people were into snake women
5554372
No need to explain yourself lol. If someone cares about a cartoon bunny from their childhood looking hot in an animated movie, it's the epitome of pathetic.
5554423
I think the wider problem is how normalized is the sexualization of female characters. Specially in cases like this where not sexualizing a female character is met with backlash. I'm not saying I'm surprised, I'm just pointing out how weird, creepy and outright misogynistic it feels to me, on the grounds it doesn't allow a feminine character to not be sexualized. But all around, it's a matter of perspective, really.
5554549
Considering I got four downvotes on the comment I use as a barometer, I think I should offer an explanation at least. Not because I have to, but because being clear on what I mean and where I come from with this or that idea is my way to encourage an open debate.
On the subject at hand, I'm just weirded out at the idea of grown men asking for a movie for children to have sexualized imagery. Even the counter that it's because "that's how the original did it" falls flat when it comes down to what it asks for.
5554845
True, though arguably things have become more equal in terms of portrayals of female characters, As well as male characters also getting sexualized, particularly Dick Grayon
5554889
I don't think sexualizing in the other direction is the answer. Also, despite Dick Grayson or Steve Roger being presented a misters fanservice isn't equivalent because of how it's framed. In the "America's ass" scene, for instance, it's played for laughs and in a lightly comedic scene. And the characters acknowledge it's a fanservice comment in-story.
On the other end, when Natasha Romanoff is introduced in Iron Man 2, almost every shot of her is either suggestive or outright sexualized. Hell, in her first interaction with Tony Stark, the later borderline harasses her by constantly commenting on her looks in a sexual way. And unlike the previous scene, Tony is never called out for being so adamantly sexist because it's a naturalized attitude.
I do concede there is a push back as of now. Modern productions like Captain Marvel show it's not only possible to not sexualize a female character, but that by not doing that, there's more to do with a woman than talk about and show her looks. So that one gives me hop for modern storytelling and equal rights across the gender spectrum.
5554910
True, though Captain Marvel is FAR from an ideal female role model. Ridley was a better one. But yeah, then again, you basically have the trend of making a lot of female action heroines now like, akin to 80's action stars but female, with little signs of vulnerability, femininity, humanity, etc.
5555096
She shouldn't need to be an ideal role model. That's another point, really. Male protagonist are allowed to be anything from ideal paragons like Captain America to rash anti-heroes a la Star-Lord or even villain protagonists like Loki. So, female ones should be allowed that same range too; Black Cat, Mystique, Misty Knight.
5555177
True. On another note, how the 2016 Ghostbusters treated the Chris Evans secretary was....yeesh