On Thu, Feb 01, 2001 at 05:13:41PM -0800, Penberriss Wendy S. wrote:
--- Mistral mistral@centurytel.net wrote:
[much snippage]
I also think it's pretty absurd to complain about Meegat, when third/fourth series Servalan is IMO the most blatantly misogynistic portrayal of a female I have ever seen in an SF series regular. She is (IMHO) an evil, sadistic, overly sexualized, emasculating bitch-queen whose sanity is questionable - a classic expression of male fantasies/fears; and to see intelligent women embracing her as a strong, admirable portrayal of womanhood - well, it's odd, to say the least.
But Servalan is not portrayed as being evil and power-seeking *because she's a woman,* she is portrayed as being evil and power-seeking because she's a megalomaniac. Nowhere in series 4 does anybody, IIRC, suggest that women in power are overly sexualised, emasculating bitches-- just that Servalan is, cause she's mad.
Excuse me? You can't have it both ways. If Meegat is a symbol of womanhood, then Servalan is too. If Servalan is an example of a power-mad villain who just happens to be a woman, then Meegat is an example of a person in need of help who just happens to be a woman.
Kathryn Andersen (wondering why she's still participating in this increasingly pointless debate) -=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=- Doctor: I feel disoriented. Sarah: This is the disorientation centre. Doctor: That makes sense.