I realize that this series is slowly becoming the Harry Potter of our childhood - there are huge masses of people with their eyes on the screens at least, even if they can't get themselves to read the books.
Thus, when I logged in today to see an on-going battle about the sexism in the series, I was curiously giddy.
Of course here is where I have to mention t hat the topic was started by a man who only recently started to watch the show (and from what I deducted from his rant, he didn't read it; I wonder if these guys even read my blog, and do they feel like I'm betraying their trust put in the possible anonymity of their opinions on the internet... Pftt, who am I kidding, this is the internet.).
Anyways, he expressed that while he enjoyed it, he found it a little bit disgusting how it generally portrays women.
Now, this topic is once again in front of the visors (or should we say, STILL) of people. Not sure why, but I keep stumbling into it all over the place, and I feel that we are starting to fall down the other side of the proverbial horse.
So what is the big issue here, then?
This guy that I won't mention by internet nickname is clearly bothered by the fact that according to what he saw until now the only time a woman seems to do anything important is when she either gives birth, or when some random male approves it.
I think that he is either not paying too much attention to the story, or he is having some general issues that he is projecting onto this series.
Now, I'm not saying that the series is totally devoid of any sexism - of course it isn't, why would it be, when it is clearly portraying an age similar to our Middle Ages, when women didn't really have any power?
There are a whole bunch of mentions of whores and harlots... but then, for those who read the series, they already know that women are not the only ones who are sold of the slave market. Not the only ones who are raped. And definitely not the only ones who may feel powerless.
Look at Tyrion, or Jon, or Sam, or Jorah, or Theon, or Varys ... or even Jaime. All men, all in possible places of power- though it's not exactly what it is. All of them are tortured one way or another.
So what's the difference here?
That women shouldn't be tortured, because... because they are women? And what? Men SHOULD be tortured then? Because they are men and they are supposed to go to war and stuff? Isn't that just as sexist?
To tell you the truth, even in these books, I sometimes feel that it's exactly the opposite when it comes to sexism against women.
Check out Brienne, or the Red Witch, or Arya, or Cersei, or Margaery, or Dany. Tell me, then, looking at these women, who seems to be more in charge - the men or the women?
NONE.
The answer is that there is no battle of the sexes.
Not the way some people imagine it.
Every single one of these characters tries to do what's best for them, according to the circumstances. They are all survivors of one form of torture or another - ridicule about their looks, ridicule about their upbringing, ridicule when it comes to love, ridicule about their feeling; they are tortured and some of them even lose their sexual identity (Theon and Varys)... Some of them are even raped (Dany, and Cersei, and Brienne with one or two close encounters).
So what do you guys think? Should we be enraged about this, or should we take it like it was meant to be written as an accurate middle-age style fiction?
Also, do you guys think that those who actually enjoy this series are mostly misogynistic and sexist?
