In a speech delivered at an Equality Now event in 2006, Joss Whedon asked himself (assuming the voice of the many interviewers who have posed him the same question) why he writes strong female characters. His response: “Because you’re still asking me that question.”
Beginning this blog, we have asked ourselves a similar question, a similar number of times.
Why do you write about strong female characters?
Because women are woefully under- and misrepresented in films, where they are far more likely to be a pawn in someone else’s story than to tell their own.
Why do you write about strong female characters?
Because we’re still trying to figure out what that term even means. When people use the label “Strong Female Character,” they often mean “underdeveloped love interest, but with a gun and a bad attitude,” not “actual person with her own agency, desires, and goals.” We think “strong” shouldn’t necessarily mean “masculine,” just as “female” shouldn’t mean “weak.” We want to celebrate all the different kinds of strength a woman may possess.
Why do you write about strong female characters?
Because women are awesome, and we enjoy saying so.
Why do you write about strong female characters?
Because we ourselves are female, and we want to watch and read about women we can admire and identify with. We want to see our experiences reflected, not distorted or exploited.
Why do you write about strong female characters?
Because we want to highlight positive portrayals of women and encourage media producers to create more of them.
Why do you write about strong female characters?
Because we want to offer a space where people can discuss not only their favourite characters, but the media which produced them. In essence, we wish to offer our readers a list of films, comics, books, video games, and television shows which they can enjoy feminist guilt-free.
Why do you write about strong female characters?
Because we just have a lot of feelings and we’re pretty sure we’re not the only ones.
Beginning this blog, we have asked ourselves a similar question, a similar number of times.
Why do you write about strong female characters?
Because women are woefully under- and misrepresented in films, where they are far more likely to be a pawn in someone else’s story than to tell their own.
Why do you write about strong female characters?
Because we’re still trying to figure out what that term even means. When people use the label “Strong Female Character,” they often mean “underdeveloped love interest, but with a gun and a bad attitude,” not “actual person with her own agency, desires, and goals.” We think “strong” shouldn’t necessarily mean “masculine,” just as “female” shouldn’t mean “weak.” We want to celebrate all the different kinds of strength a woman may possess.
Why do you write about strong female characters?
Because women are awesome, and we enjoy saying so.
Why do you write about strong female characters?
Because we ourselves are female, and we want to watch and read about women we can admire and identify with. We want to see our experiences reflected, not distorted or exploited.
Why do you write about strong female characters?
Because we want to highlight positive portrayals of women and encourage media producers to create more of them.
Why do you write about strong female characters?
Because we want to offer a space where people can discuss not only their favourite characters, but the media which produced them. In essence, we wish to offer our readers a list of films, comics, books, video games, and television shows which they can enjoy feminist guilt-free.
Why do you write about strong female characters?
Because we just have a lot of feelings and we’re pretty sure we’re not the only ones.
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