Fat Wife
Thank you Alina Smith for sharing this.
Original blog post which linked to this video:Sociological Images: Satirizing the Sitcom
The form of feminism that appeals to me is really about gender equality. Men and women are equal. Men and women should both have the choice to make fulfilling decisions with their lives. And men and women should have equal access to all the tools and education to make this possible. So I really feel like I should speak up when men are treated poorly. This clip does the trick nicely.
Original blog post which linked to this video:Sociological Images: Satirizing the Sitcom
The form of feminism that appeals to me is really about gender equality. Men and women are equal. Men and women should both have the choice to make fulfilling decisions with their lives. And men and women should have equal access to all the tools and education to make this possible. So I really feel like I should speak up when men are treated poorly. This clip does the trick nicely.
posted by Amanda Shankle-Knowlton | 8:35 PM
3 Comments:
I like this clip, because I like anything that reverses gender roles and makes us think. But...
Imagine that clip in a context where women held most of the positions of power in society (in other words, a COMPLETE reversal). It really would feel different. The "humor" comes from the idea of upending expectations. The "fat man" is a clown, kind-of like Charlie Chaplin in those old movies (a man dressed in a nice suit but being a total buffoon). Perhaps Charlie Chaplin was poking fun at upper-class suit-wearers, but was he expressing disdain for the people themselves, or their privilege?
Personally, I don't find "dumb husband" humor to be very funny (mostly just uncreative), but I don't think it's contemptuous of men as much as it first appears. Keep in mind too, that women are barely involved in the creation of this trope, since most of the writers are men. (I know either gender can self-hate, but the fact that women aren't generally involved because we live in a sexist society should give some pause...)
Sorry to comment twice in a row, but I thought this was relevant to this topic (and it includes the clip in your earlier post!)
http://current.com/items/90569059_sarah-haskins-in-target-women-doofy-husbands.htm
Good points. I thought at one point the video mentioned that women were "in charge" in the reality of the video but I think I hear what you're saying.
Your comment reminded me of the time that Norm McDonald did a joke on Weekend Update that had women being bad at math as a punchline. The audience groaned. Then Norm pointed out that that joke was written by a woman (presumably Tina Fey). I thought it was funny either way - For some reason when society progresses to the level we are able to make fun of our stereotypes, it seems like the less seriously they are taken in the first place. But that's just me. Some would say that feminists should remain vigilant and fight back with every joke like that.
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