AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[lirazel]

This day has been so full of fail. I cannot have a conversation online without someone failing horribly. Work has been more relaxing and soothing to my soul, and we all know how I feel about that.

Like this:

Having a conversation on whedonesque (duh), which is full of fail on other levels (like this gem: "I'm not sure to what extent critical gender theory is an ideal tool for analysing individual texts as opposed to identifying trends in the medium as a whole" embedded in a bunch of pseudo-intellectual stuff that basically boils down to, "You're wrong, and my privilege lets me say so"), and then the most faily thing ever is said:

Other person:

I haven't got as far as the glowy sex, but aren't you arguing the (in my opinion impossible to objectively define) line between seduction and rape? Sounds like she got the horn and went irrational, as anyone can. I think if she's fine with it afterwards then you have to allow her the empowered choice to be so. Even if it ruins the story.

Me:

No, we don't, fraac, though you certainly can if you want to. But we don't have to because Buffy isn't a person. We can ask why the writers needed to include it at all and say we think they should have thought about it more. Which is what we're saying.

AND THEN.

Other person:

Surely if we're talking about her rights then for sake of argument she's a person? Otherwise you could do anything to her.

I think that, in the same way freedom of speech means defending to the death your worst enemy's right to verbally attack you, the ultimate expression of feminism is to defend a woman's right to enjoy being raped. In both cases it's about accepting (i.e. loving) our fellow humans for all they are, even where their existence is at odds with our deepest fears. So it's about courage and self-awareness.

[eta]

AND THERE'S MORE!

What if the character of Buffy spoke to the writer, as (previously) well-formed characters often do, and said she enjoyed the coercive universe aspect of sex? Either she's a person or she isn't, can't have it both ways.

[eta 2]

FOR FURTHER PROOF THAT THE UNIVERSE IS FAILING AND FAILING HARD TODAY, PLEASE TO BE LOOKING AT THIS POST.

But perhaps not if you value your sanity and your faith in humanity.

Please read that last link I linked to (once again, here) and report the hell out of this guy. I know the superpowers of my awesome feminist flist can shut this guy down.

Comments

[penny-lane-42.livejournal.com]

Exactly.

The latest comics kerfluffle in two sentences: Angel has been in disguise as this evil guy Twilight for the past several years, orchestrating humanity's battle against the Slayers and making Buffy's life miserable. One day he pulls off his mask and says, "Hey! I'm really Angel!" and Buffy gets all angry and then they both turn all glowy AND THEN THEY HAVE SEX IN SPACE AND MOUNTAINS CRUMBLE AND THERE ARE TSUNAMIS AND EARTHQUAKES AND VOLCANOES AND THEN THEY ASCEND TO A HIGHER PLANE.

Yeah.

As for the other guy, I'm hoping now that a bunch of people have reported him, he'll get banned.

[penny-lane-42.livejournal.com]

I totally understand the not having time. Take care of life before you let yourself get worked up about internet fail.

[penny-lane-42.livejournal.com]

Yeah. I had ventured back because Maggie was the one who wrote the post the thread linked to, but I think I'm gonna take another break for a while.

[penny-lane-42.livejournal.com]

Achebe is awesome. I love his piece on Heart of Darkness: it is awesome and erudite.

It might not have been a super strong argument, but I like it lots.

Dana's a guy, and he is awesome and a professor in rl, I believe. I doubt he's the lj type, but he's invaluable over there.

Aw, thanks!

[penny-lane-42.livejournal.com]

I WOULD LOVE YOU FOREVER.

I had thought it was possible that they might allow sing-ups today since it's Memorial Day here, but it doesn't seem so. I'll give you a heads-up right before July 4th.

[penny-lane-42.livejournal.com]

They really, really do.

[penny-lane-42.livejournal.com]

I APPROVE OF THIS COURSE OF ACTION.

[penny-lane-42.livejournal.com]

I love that .gif. Oh, Troy. Oh, Annie. Why so awesome?

That icon is so, so useful.

[penny-lane-42.livejournal.com]

YES. That does always happen! I seem to remember you getting into a conversation (in which you were awesome) about Dr. Saunders' shoes?

[penny-lane-42.livejournal.com]

WHAT. He's an educator? Are you serious? I'm glad someone is paying attention and reporting him, though. Because I totally agree that he seems like someone who will act.

Thanks so much for joining the fight to get him banned. Together we're mighty.

[penny-lane-42.livejournal.com]

I am so, so sorry to hear that you had to go through that. I hate a world that perpetuates this sort of evil. Your comment is powerful.

Furthermore, Buffy is a fictional character(my favorite female character) but she isn't a real person. So it's not Buffy that enjoyed that kind of sex it was the writers that brought it up.

Exactly.

[ohwaluvusbab.livejournal.com]

I aim to please/blow things up :)

Much appreciated! I look forward to the day.

[moonlightrick.livejournal.com]

I just. God. That link/last guy. I just. can't. even. I am literally writing a paper on if obscenity (read: sexually violent pornography) is causally linked to sexual assault right now. The notepad and texts are right in front of me. I should probably just cut and paste the "rape is equality" post on my paper and throw one down on culture and way too frakking fail in this world for the whole thing. Good Lord. I'll just be screaming in my pillow, here.