tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3349382186889721635.post8148174372042295451..comments2024-02-06T12:29:18.715-06:00Comments on Nerdy Feminist: Louis CK takes on fatphobia X sexismA. Lynnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00404038071133506982noreply@blogger.comBlogger2125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3349382186889721635.post-27825693557494767222014-05-21T19:23:07.475-05:002014-05-21T19:23:07.475-05:00"Imagine the same episode, but with the gende..."Imagine the same episode, but with the genders reversed."<br /><br />We don't have to. It's called real life, and there's a reason that, if there was an episode like that, feminists would be up in arms. Because it's what women are subjected to every day, not only online, but in real life, popular media, music, etc.<br /><br />Thank you, though, for providing a wonderful, working example of privilege and the blinders it can put on people.<br /><br />Also, may I say that I had /tears/ during that clip, and I actually found myself saying "YES, THANK YOU VANESSA," because she was telling my life story. I was good enough to sleep with, but never good enough to date until I developed an eating disorder, dropped 50 lbs and ended up sickly, but popular. This hit home for me, and god, it feels good to have a fat character who's real and that I can relate to, instead of the same tired old "fat friend" trope. That was really a beautiful moment in TV.Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11498357939215780691noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3349382186889721635.post-61184080908290663632014-05-15T09:22:09.354-05:002014-05-15T09:22:09.354-05:00I saw this episode last night, and it was excellen...I saw this episode last night, and it was excellent for all the reasons you described. It also presents an opportunity to respond to other issues you've written about in your blog.<br /><br />Imagine the same episode, but with the genders reversed. Instead of Louie and Vanessa , it's Louise and Van. As the episode begins Van hits on Louise at work but she shows no interest. After his last day at work Louise agrees to meet him for coffee and they take a walk through Battery Park. Van describes what it's like being a guy who doesn't fit our culture's notion of what man is supposed to be like, what it's like trying to date women who prefer athletic guys with "masculine" interests. They'll have him around when furniture needs to be moved, but they don't want to be seen in public holding hands and he doesn't get to be the boyfriend. He describes this as being put in a "friendzone," when he just wants to be loved like anyone else.<br /><br />How would many feminists react to this episode? They'd call Van a creep who sexual harassed Louise by repeatedly flirting and asking her out even after it was obvious she wasn't interested. After manipulating her into meeting for coffee, Van complains that women put him in the "friendzone," which means that he feels entitled to have sex with any woman he wants and therefore endorses "rape culture." Besides, men complaining about women just makes them less attractive. <br /><br />While feminism has accomplished many great things in the past 100 years, it still has a way to in empathizing with the issues faced by men who are not in positions of power. The truth is that our culture and media promote visions of what both male and female romantic partners are supposed to be, both in terms of appearance and behavior. As a result, people who don't fit these archetypes can have a hard time finding partners. Of course, no one should be required to have sex or become romantically involved with someone they find unattractive, but anyone who has difficulty finding romantic partners should look at themselves and ask to what degree they are allowing culture and media to influence who they find attractive, just like Louie did in the episode he produced. And I know from experience that many fat girls also hold out for the athletic guy with the dreamy eyes. The fact that the opposite sex does it doesn't justify doing it ourselves. It only makes it more difficult for everyone to find suitable partners.Dancarhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17133259152021766928noreply@blogger.com