I just hit all the buzz words, didn’t I? Well, something in this video kinda bugged me and I don’t read comments on YouTube (that’s a scary place…) I’m putting it here.

Around 1:20, the woman says that a female character cannot be progressive by assuming traditionally masculine characteristics and using The Bride from Kill Bill as an example. This bugs me for two reasons:

1. The assumption that violence is an inherently male characteristic. That just rubs me the wrong way. I don’t see the connection with owning a penis and automatic violence; as if women cannot be violent. If I were a man, I don’t think I would like it if someone thought my natural state is to be violent and as a woman, I don’t like the assumption I’m trying to be male if I say; knock out a bully or something. Any person can be violent if they are either pushed to do so or are just a fricken psychopath. You never know.
2. How in the ever-lovin’-hell is avenging your attempted murder and kidnapping of your unborn daughter a traditional masculine role? In any other species; messing with a kid is a surefire way to piss of the mom. Just look at what happens if you look at a bear cub the wrong way. Why is it more natural in Taken than in Kill Bill? What’s the difference? Kid missing, parent goes to rescue, wackiness ensues, bad guy goes buhbye, confetti is thrown. HUZZAH!

Maybe it’s just me but I think it’s sexist to assign violence to a gender. If a man can be violent, so can a woman and she’s not ‘acting like a man.’ Same as if a man chooses not to fight and appeal to emotion, he is not ‘acting like a woman.’ That line just rubbed me the wrong way. If “feminism is the radical notion that women are people” (Marie Shear) then people can be bad or good regardless of gender.

That’s where I’m coming from, I guess. Now, I suppose, the internet will explode with rage.