Blogpost 9: Kim Possible: Sexism

Action roles are usually portrayed for men. It is rare for women to get the roles reversed, and in all action flicks that made history or was ever remembered, the men has it in their plate. As a guy, who likes superhero movies and action films having encountered, Kim Possible astonished me.

The show was run of the mill where the girl beats the guy and saves the world from threats only she can stop but as the show progressed, it revealed undersides which shows that the story always favored Kim. Being a children’s show, there is the point that of course, the good guy or in this case, the good girl should always win. But in this context no one else seems to be in the know but Kim. It is bias that even though Kim always had her best friend Ron with her on her mission; Kim was and is always the hero. There was never a circumstance where Ron would swoop in and save her instead, the characters’ roles are upturned.

It didn't affect me in the way that it’s about a high school girl who was a cheerleader and student by day and an agent by night, it came as a shock that instead of having a guy sweeping in and saving the day, they gave a heroine in place didn’t affect me in the way that it’s about a high school girl who was a cheerleader and student by day and an agent by night, it came as a shock that instead of having a guy sweeping in and saving the day, they gave a heroine in place. 

Though ideal, Kim Possible is quite impossible. It gives of idea of sexism. It was not a matter of the roles reversed but how the roles were portrayed, it gives off this inkling that men in the series were weak and can always be beaten and helped by Kim. I find it uncanny that a 16 year old girl agent would be any good to have a role of that of a man and would be someone who can save the world in a minute by herself which puts the image of men through a prejudice that in this particular show, women are better.

According to the article What is Sexism? by Lea Verou, sexism is not just a female issue. Prescriptive gender stereotypes are even more oppressive for men. Kim Possible degrades the male by making their image oppressed, in which case the article explains that women who act masculine would seem superior and expandable. She also explained that by way of nature girls are told they are to act pretty and boys to be smart and brave which the show disregards as all male characters are inferior to the heroine.

Noah Berlatsky also explains in his piece When Men Experience Sexism, when men suffer from sexism, they do so in much the same way women do, rather men suffer because of the same gender role stereotypes that hurt and restrict women. In the series, Kim was always insulted by the villain in which sense; she always wins which emasculates the image of the men. Also in the story, Ron, her best friend, who’s portrayed as clumsy and a weakling always gets to be the let-down of the story line where Kim always has to be there to save him, the lord in distress. 

That being said, the representation of Kim Possible in the TV show, when view in a deeper sense, is actually degrading for men. Not only does it exudes feminist ideologies, but it portrays and conducts particular points in it's show that makes Sexism obvious. Issues of where sexism is present is a serious matter where by history has been taught as a way of life, the ladies have to feed the children and the men have to earn the money but prejudice can be avoided through equality of roles.

Blogpost 8: The Powerpuff Girls: Patriarchal Contradiction

When I was a kid, I stumbled across this unfamiliar TV show called "The Powerpuff Girls". Out of innocence and led by my curiosity, I started watching this show, and even to an extent of making it as my after-school habit on a precise daily basis. Later on, I find it weird since I was a boy and I was watching a supposedly "girly" cartoon show. Compared to my old time favorites, this show gave me a lot of apprehension towards the vague, yet distinct way of portraying a unfamiliar scenario, wherein Prof. Utonium's attempt to create perfect little girls accidentally includes "Chemical X", resulting in take-charge red-head Blossom, blonde sweety-pie Bubbles and ready-to-fight brunette Buttercup. Three flying, super-strong, karate-chopping girls with the occasional heat vision race into action to save the city of Townsville from all sorts of crimes and creatures. What can be weird or special about this TV show? If you look closer, you'll find out what it's all about and to other people's comprehension about this show, it expresses a certain idea underneath it's girl portrayals.

As I've closely contemplate upon the show, I noticed that it manifests a certain gender message- that women are better than men. The fact that a bunch of little girls possessing great amount of superpowers is uncommon. Usually, it's men who take up this kind of role, being a superhero and saving the day. But in this particular TV show, it pushes the idea of "girl power" and goes beyond rational expectations. The fact that they are just young (not even adolescent) girls already possessing that much power, being able to take over a bunch of crazy dudes and mad villains and giant creatures, is already exaggerating. It is as if the show puts so much stress on this "girl power".

Women are better than men. At least, that's what I've observed in the whole entire show. All of the other male characters, like Townsville's mayor who is a man, presented short in stature and totally inept, almost as tall as the three Powerpuff girls. This representation is totally sexist and feminist by nature. I mean, the creator can just present a mayor as a normal looking guy, but instead, the creator presented it as if they're just equal, or even inferior among the Powerpuff girls. 

Not to mention the mayor presented as somehow stubborn in handling Townsville as if he can't handle his own shit. Whenever a villain or a giant creature attacks townsville, there is no police action whatsoever presented in the show, which clearly represents that the mayor is weak with his authority, that he has to always call out the Powerpuff girls to do the necessary actions for him and for Townsville- Propagating that these girls are better than the mayor, thus, women being better than men Politically.

Every villain in Townsville is a variety of male cast that are somewhat deranged by nature. The only relevant yet contradicting nature in the show, that also depicts so much feminism, is the supposedly "biological" brother of the Powerpuff girls, created also by Prof. Utonium, who is Mojo-Jojo- an ape with a big head of brain. By his big brain, Mojo-Jojo is a manifestation of a successful man. Yet somehow, the girls always defeat him in so many levels and him always taking the beating. A common conceived idea of Feminism.

An article about Feminism entitled How Feminism Hurt Men, by Micah Murray, states that feminism elevates women at the expense of men, that its agenda to validate women emasculates us guys. For men, the rise of feminism has relegated us to second-class status. Inequality and discrimination have become part of our everyday lives. That being said, it's true how Feminism directly attacks the Patriarchal stands of men in general.

Patriarchy. A form of social organization in which the father is the supreme authority in the family, clan, or tribe and descent is reckoned in the male line, with the children belonging to the father's clan. It seems that this show does so much to prove that woman are indeed better than men.This social organization is present, as is observed. The retaliation of women, or at least the TV show's creator has been out of hand

and is way too out of context to actually present it to younger audiences. As they gain the notion of women being better than men. Presented by the existing physical combats between the Powerpuff girls against an all male set of villains, eventually these girls becoming the victors, is highly manipulative in the young minds of the children, and degrading in young male children's gender perspectives as well.

Men and Women are equal. Created equally, as the bible suggests. But there are just certain points in life wherein male are considered better, particular fields in this world where men can do better than most female. Of course, women can also outshine men over several fields in life. But in reality, men are biologically programmed to be stronger than female. That's is why the essence of Patriarchy is present. But by giving so much stress to the issue of women out-competing men, presenting it in blunt details are just rude and degrading. The Powerpuff Girls will always be for entertaining purposes, whatever it's audience may be. But in a deeper comprehension, it's viewed as unethically improper as it expressing so much post-modern paradox, that women are becoming more powerful than men, which is just totally argumentative.

Blogpost 7: Codename: Kids Next Door - Attack Mechanism

Codename: Kids Next Door follows the escapades of five eager, yet unskillful, ten-year-olds as they join forces in fighting against adults  to fight for the right to enjoy all the fun things in life, like the right to stay up late or to eat whatever they want. These adults seem to be a hindrance to their juvenile phase of life as these adults prevent them from having fun and all. But when taking a stand seems not enough, they proposed a top secret mission, recruiting other kinds in the their block to join forces with them, in fighting for their rights and defeating the evil adults who seem to be a great factor in their lives, the lives of the youth. For me, this show expresses the rebellion and retaliation of kids towards the antagonistic ways of adults. The stressing of this kind of attitude towards rebellion, and as presented before young audience, is somewhat inappropriate as it enhances the likelihood of children to rebel more against their folks. But what can be a rational view to this attitude? How can this show be seen in a psychological view?

Obviously, the remarkable tactics and strategies proposed by these children are impressive. To think that with their young minds, they can embark on such missions against adults. These principled kids tackle the really important issues facing their peers.  Like any good team, the agents in Codename: Kids Next Door each have their own distinct identities, skills and personalities. Numbuh One is Nigel Uno, the British-accented leader of the group. Hoagie P. Gilliam, a mechanical genius and expert pilot, is known as Numbuh Two. Diversionary tactics are the specialty of Kiki Sanban, also known as Numbuh Three. Brash and impulsive Numbuh Four (Wallabee Beatles) is a master of hand to hand combat. And Numbuh Five, alias Abigail "Abby" Lincoln, is the quiet one with the most common sense.

In a psychological view, this type of rebellion came from a certain depression or anxiety the draws these kids to act out and fight for themselves. For them to cope up with their depression, they develop a certain kind of coping mechanism that is particularly called Attack Mechanism. According to the website Changingminds on the article about Attack Mechanisms, it suggests that this mechanism pulls out your own anxious ways to push discomfort onto others. We cope with difficulties in various ways. Some are more positive than others. Perhaps the worst kind is where we may attack others. Arguably, all attacks on others are forms of coping with our own internal troubles.

Particularly, the certain attack mechanism this show presents is the Fight-or-Flight Reaction. It is when we perceive a significant threat to us, then our bodies get ready either for a fight to the death or a desperate flight from certain defeat by a clearly superior adversary.

On the show's case, the children finds a great discomfort and anxiety from the adults that they tend to retaliate as their way of coping up for heir depression. When they are retaliating, they are not thinking straight and can be manipulated. They are provoked to have this kind of reaction as the adults suppress their ways and limit their wants or even act as a hindrance to these children's ability to enjoy life. They also may become aggressive and unpredictable, that's why they tend to think of ways on getting back on them.

In the articles about Teenagers: Why do they Rebel?, written by Brunilda Nazario, M.D., he says that, "All teens go through similar phases -- the need for independence, a separate identity, testing authority. It's part of growing up; it's also linked to developmental changes in the brain that will eventually help them become analytical adults." It's true. we all need this at some point in our lives, and it's rather healthy at some parts, but to certain extent, it is harmful, as it may cause aggression and later be a part of the person's personality in life.

Rebellion is just a perfectly normal mindset incorporated in our early childhood. It's a normal process children and teenagers undergo. Remember when you were a child, your mother used to tell you stories about how you do your tantrums? It's a normal phase in life and we are bound to be rebellious about things. Yet it is a myth that all teenagers are big risk-takers. To some extent, rebellion can be somewhat be dangerous to our psychological health. Codename: Kids Next Door is a show that provides a cleat view of rebellion against adults because of failure of acquire their wants. It's evident that this is just a natural and psychological coping mechanism in life. And yet it is the most dangerous type of coping mechanism. I say, rebellion can be healthy, but as long as you don't harm anyone, you are expressing yourself. But if you cause damage to people's lives, you are breaking yourself.