Can I Be Wonder Woman?

I am currently researching on Masculinity and the Indian Superhero in comic books for my dissertation. In this, I am supposed to look at the way women have been portrayed as well as to see how female superheroes have been etched out. Many scholars and critcs have said that comics promote sexualisation in young children, stereotypes regarding race, gender, sexuality, appearance, language, region, personalities etc., violence through graphic representations of brutal fights, and are not intelligent pieces of writing. 

However, comics have become only more popular since the 19th century branching out into TV serials, cartoon series, blockbuster movies, apart from various versions of one character itself. For example, Spiderman is not just plain Spiderman anymore, there's Ultimate Spiderman, varios artists who work on many more versions as well as the Indian dhoti wearing Spiderman. Even his TV series are varied like Spiderman and Friends, Manga Spiderman etc.

What I often wonder is the way women have been portrayed throughout history. Superhero moves to town, fancies a girl, girl is the target of superhero's arch nemesis episode after episode (cartoons, serials etc.) or issue after issue (comics, comic strips etc.). The girl is forever in need of help beacuse as it turns out, she's a big magnet for trouble with a neon sign on top of her head too. After many fatal encounters with death of the girl and superhero, they still manage to sneak a few pecks here and there and go back home safely under the arms of the superhero or by swinging from building to building.

The few women superheroes that exist are criticised for not being given much clothes to wear. They have unimaginable busts, very thin waist lines and asses that beat JLo's 39-0! Most of the female superheroes also have "daddy issues" which means that they more often than not need male superheroes to be taken seriously by the evil doers. I mean, imagine, travelling in a DTC bus in Delhi wearing Wonder Woman's corset mini dress... or Elektra's tight leather pants and blouse... or SpiderGirl's head-to-toe body hugging, spiderweb squirting suit... or Super Girl's mini skirt and cape...

It would as easy as day to get raped in the above attires, after all, our ministers--men and women--have confirmed that the girls and women who get raped are because they have "loose character" and "wear western clothes"! It is out of this world for me to think that I'd be safe in a mini skirt anywhere in this city, forget those costumes. Female superheroes would therefore, never be safe in Delhi themselves, forget about them wearing skimpy clothes and fighting crime. (Incidentally, Raj Comics has 'Shakti' who is a receptionist at AIIMS, New Delhi and a crime fighter who wears leopard skin swinsuit-like costume.)

Still for once, I would like to roam in my city wearing the things I like. And when I read these comics, where these female heroes are kicking imaginary asses, I want to be like them too. I want to fight off molestors, rapists, lewd comment makers, harrasers, and strange behaving men, in general. The law and police are seldom an option and many times tend to be unhelpful. So yes, I'd like to borrow, Wonder Woman's magic lasso and use it as a whip to whack a prospective attacker. And if I have to wear a dress like her, I'd finally exclaim that I have the freedom to wear what I want!

For all the feminist critique along with the culturalists' perpectives that comics are degrading to family values, societal norms and urge children to day dream and fantasise about unreal people, I would stand up and defend comics and my superheroes till the day I die. To me, superhero world is a realisation of a world where I wish to live, where I do not have to care about having flashed my underwear in public and be embarrased about it, where I can show of as much of my beautiful body and feel guilty for having "provoked" men to come onto me.

For once and many more times, I would like to be in Wonder Woman's skin and see how it feels like to be respected and feared by men but still be an inspiration for many more men, women, transsexuals, transgenders, crossdressers and children. I want to wear leaopard print like 'Shakti' and have the feeling that nothing is impossible and no destination too unsafe to travel. I want whatever the female superheroes and so much more. But most of all I want freedom that has been guaranteed to me by being human, then a citizen, then an Indian (though I'm not a sucker for nationalism and national identities).

Are Women Better at Representing Women?

'Twilight' has been the most hugely popular vampire series since probably Bram Stoker’s ‘Dracula’ itself. With four books, an apparent spin–off book (which is still in the cans), two movies and millions of dollars, it has managed to create a hype and hysteria. One can argue that it has importantly got teens and tweens into picking up actual copies of books and not just e–versions of it or even waiting for the movie. The books have been a sold out in many places even including the pirated ones.

With all the phenomena that surrounds Twilight, there are enough discourses about its representation of women especially the protagonist Bella Swan. As a Twilight fan myself, I would definitely agree that at many times throughout the four books, Bella is too dependent on her vampire lover Edward’s approval, safety and love. You really wish that for once Bella be smart and take her own decisions. You wish she would be more like Alice or Rosalie two other prominent female leads who have independent streaks, are mean fighters and decision makers in their clan apart from being sexually active.

Feminists and pro women activists have argued much how a woman herself, author Stephanie Meyer, allow her protagonist to be so weak and in constant need of saving. Meyer has justified saying that she definitely sees herself in Bella’s shoes and it’s every woman’s fantasy apparently to be with The One Guy. So if she has written about what she believes is who she wouldn’t mind living as, should other women agree too?

Here let me take you some other women who have been in spots for representing women in pop culture. Everyone who has seen Juno praised the director as well as the writer Diablo Cody for scripting a strong character like Juno. The story in fact is about the pregnant teenager helping her boyfriend through her pregnancy. One could ask here whether Barbara Brocolli’s presence as the producer of James Bond flicks has done anything to salvage the reputation of Bond women. I could say yes.

For one thing, Bond women have been independent, ambitious, at the top of their professions and sexually active too. They do not depend on mushy romances with spy James Bond to define their roles in the movie. The women mean business and they also have fun in bed along with it. So in a pro feminism website, an author feared that since the new Twilight movie, New Moon was being directed by a guy (Chris Weitz), would Bella Swan’s low self esteem fall even lower? Twilight had been directed by a woman, Catherine Hardwicke, and Hardwicke along with actress Kristen Stewart, worked upon improving the character by a notch at the least.

Hardwicke has previously directed the skateboard movie Lords Of Dogtown. It was basically an all guy’s movies that had shades of grey, black and white. It was not just about the art or fun of skateboarding but extended out to the male characters’ emotional, familial, social and sexual struggles. They had greater range of emotions when comparing it to other popular sports based movies. The main male character took care of his druggie mother by winning in skateboarding competitions, while another wanted to win the heart of a girl and fighting cancer at the same time. In a simple story about what seemingly look like a couple of punks, the presence of a female director at the helm did change perspectives a bit.

Most women and men who read chick–lit agree that a woman’s perspective on relationships is more analytical and thought out of about than a male writer’s depiction of the same. Even the character development is different and women tend to get more personal to the readers. Not implying that male writers are in any way inferior in studying human psyche, emotions or relations, but there is just something that gives women an edge. Maybe it is centuries of being unemployed housewives, or being persons with time to mull over life and hence, able to observe their surroundings more.

But as I watch episode after episode of the popular American comedy series ‘How I Met Your Mother’, which is again directed by a woman, Pamela Fryman, I am rethinking my words. One of the main characters, Barney Stinson (Neil Patrick Harris), is a die–hard playboy who uses and disposes women. Sex for him is a list of mere numbers of women who have been conned by his outrageous claims to get them in bed. The one character who respects women and is not ashamed of admitting that he lets his wife be the ‘man of the house’, Marshall Erickson (Jason Segel), is a sissy in front of his friends. The two lead female characters however, have been etched strongly but are not immune in playing upto the stereotypes that are reestablished in the show.

Sure popular television has been instrumental in conditioning the young men and women of our society into believing in certain clichés and stereotypes. With women being involved in the same destructive representation of women that men have already been doing, are we really a progressive lot? Ekktaa Kapoor managed to get concepts like marital rape, suppression of women in patriarchies, honour killings etc. in urban and rural households at once, but did she really do all that great? Audiences remember the female villains more than the male ones just because their schemes seemed more devilish and were unbecoming of an obedient wife, sister and daughter as opposed to the lead women.

Where do we go from here? More women or better (albeit fewer) women to lead society and represent it justly apart from providing alternate voices in the mainstream? Let the audience decide!

When Will Geeks Be Cool In India?

First of all, I am only glad that Joe Jonas, of the Disney teeny bopper band, 'Jonas Brothers' is finally looking hot. I have never fancied the brothers though some of their songs were interesting to listen to ('S.O.S', 'Lovebug' and 'Burnin' Up').

It's been a trend in Hollywood that the macho is being replaced by the geek, thus, bringing in more goof ups, humour, laughter as well as bucks. George Clooney, Johnny Depp, Paul Newman and Hugh Jackman types are a thing of the Stone Age now. (OK, so Clooney and Depp still manage to 'burn' everytime.) The hunk is in the bin and the skinny/fatso geek is reigning supreme.

I do not know exactly what started this trend. Bill Murray, Dustin Hoffman, Billy Crystal... who were the funny guys who brought the anti-typical hero image to the fore? Whoever, it was, may the Force bless you.

Back to the present times. Among the geeks, I must say I quite dig Jack Black (School of Rock, Kung Fu Panda, Shallow Hal, nacho Libre, Be Kind Rewind, Tropic Thunder... GOD! I won't stop!), Jesse Eisenberg (Adventureland, Zombieland), David Henrie (Wizards Of Waverly Place), Rupert Grint (Harry Potter, Driving Lessons), Seth Rogen, (Pineapple Express, Knocked Up, Observe & Report), and the most wealthy of them all, Shia LaBeouf (Transformer 1&2, Disturbia).

Among the girl geeks are a couple of my favourites. There's  Anna Faris on the top of the list. Man, this female rocks out comedy like anything! She has been hilarious in all the 'Scary Movie' franchises, played a Play Boy Bunny to the T in 'The House Bunny' as well others comic parts in couple of movies. Then there's Zooey Deschanel whom I loved in 'Yes, Man' as well as 'Bridge To Terabithia'. Her eyes are mesmerising enough to stop at that.

Drew Barrymore has kept up the funny factor along with another comic wonder Cameron Diaz, and managed to play super spies 'Charlie's Angels'. Though the movies weren't exceptional, Barrymore did some good stuff in 'Music & Lyrics', 'Riding In Cars With Boys' apart from 'E.T.'. (Ok, she was a baby, literally in that!) Cameron Diaz scores with guys and gals. She a surfer chick and an avid fashionista - an interesting mix.

The thing, I like geeks because I can relate to them. I was thankful to god that excellent actors like Kate Winslet existed to tell people that curves are an important part of your body--be it male or female. We need such people to balance out the Keira Knightelys and kate Moss' who famously declared "Nothing tastes as good as skinny feels".

Part of this is also because I am doing a dissertation on masculinity and images of superheroes in comics. Academics aside, I would like to look at it as a fashion sense. Achieving perfection through expensive clothes and skinniness is not what I aim at. I like to wear my sweatshirts and loose T-shirts more often than figure hugging clothes. I wear glasses and had braces. And maybe I do not fit the 'Girly Girl' image by even one bit but that's OK.

That is why I am glad to see more and more people accept the fact that a Jack Black is better than candy boys Robert Pattinson or Daniel Radcliffe any day. And Joe Jonas stands up for being quirly-but-comfortable-in-my-skin. That's one Disney convert. I only wish for more. After all, normal people do exist in this world too!

Anita

Finding the Right

Hi all,

This is my very first post as a blogger. I feel that I should only just talk about things in general. The specifics can always come later. I haven't found my specific yet then how can I be specific here?

Life has been great and I always wish it could be more greater. Who doesn't, right? This is not a movie and I am not an actor to say that I have been through lot. I have had my share of things and the journey has been an adventure. It is like those rides that go too fast. When you're on the gournd, and you feel courageous, you just want to get on it and ride it till the end of the world. When you are finally on, the starting kicks give you the most amazing highs ever. And you resolve, you are gonna ride this baby once again!

It is in the middle, when the throat has had enough from the howling and 'Yeah'ing when you see the faces of people around you and the kicks only come when the ride is on its highest speed/height. Everyone on the ride with you has experienced whatever the ride had to offer. Meanwhile the people on the ground are either scared to their wits, or are resolved to get onto the ride after you.

Life has been like that and more. There has been so much I wish that had blown away with the wind and never come back. But if those memories and moments were gone, I can I judge which ones were the best? I have great times with my friends throughout the years. I haven't obviously done living my life and I look forward to each day like a child waiting for candy. So what if sometimes I get ear wax flavoured Jelly beans, somewhere deep inside, or just lying aside it, is the mango flavoured sweet or raspberry. There you go, I told you my two favourite fruits there.

More to come each time

Anita