I have a daughter who loves teen dramas and guess who gets sucked into watching them at least once a weekend? That's right= this guy (points to self). And what do all of these shows have in common? Well the same thing that has infected 'adult' programming as well- the "strong woman" archetype.
"But what's wrong with strong women? Why are you incels so obsessed with this? Is your masculinity threatened by a strong woman?"
Yes, sure if that makes you happy. Now for the rest of us non simple minded, non hive minded individuals, the problem is three pronged I'd say:
1) It's misleading as all hell. My daughter parrots this "women are as strong as men and can do anything" stuff but if there's a bee, spider or even a cobweb in the vicinity she runs screaming for Daddy. So is she going to grow up feeling inadequate because she is not living up to this ideal of the "strong badass woman?" Are they actually dis-empowering females in an attempt to empower them?
2) It could be dangerous. On one show she watches a teen girl is telling her teen friend (a male) about how she is being stalked by an older ex boyfriend. She tells him she is scared and not sure what to do or where this guy may show up. She finishes talking and the male friend (a much larger, stronger person) says "okay well I am going to walk you home, alright? In case he shows up."
She looks at him with this absolutely incredulous look and then he apologizes and she says "I'll walk you home." After fighting to keep from rolling my eyes out of my head I started wondering about this idea that perhaps some girls might buy so much into this idea that they may make reckless decisions as they get older that may potentially lead them into danger. I hope not but media does shape people's perceptions (especially females who are more hive minded).
3) It's just so fucking forced. I'm not watching organic characters and organic story lines- I'm seeing a political agenda being pushed through fictional media. Propaganda basically.
There is also of course the question "if strength, aggressiveness and power (aka base masculine characteristics) is so bad and something they are trying to "teach boys out of" why are they turning around and pushing these ideals on women?" but I suppose that's a topic for another day......
