Jacqueline Hentzen

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By Jacqueline Hentzen • 10 years ago

Why Daenerys is NOT Laura Bush.

First, allow me a cheap shot and a nitpick at the post that was included in the Weekly Feminist Reader: Daenerys being like a liberal white woman, but being compared to Laura Bush? Um… are we thinking the same Laura Bush? Wife of least-popular-president George W Bush, very conservative, THAT Laura Bush? Calling her a liberal white woman? But… whatever — nitpick.

Now, the meat of the bone I have to pick with this parallel — the argument is that Daenerys’ character is racist with very typical ‘white woman bringing civilization to the savage brown people’. The proof supposedly comes from how she changes the cultures and civilizations of the Dothraki, particularly in regards to their treatment of women (because, y’know, rape). But, because she’s white, she automatically must know better and she’s the only one who could have possibly civilized the savage barbarians.

Problem with this argument: The Dothraki are NOT the only ones who do this. The article I’m arguing against in particular compares the Dothraki as being like the Klingons of Game Of Thrones. Well… No. EVERY culture does this, with select few, sympathetic characters not being completely dyed black in misogyny. The Lannisters, the Starks, the Tullys, virtually every house in the mainland treats their women — victims of war, child brides sold as parts of bribes for loyalty between houses — the same way the Dothraki do. The only difference is how the mainland knights and nobles dress it up ...

By Jacqueline Hentzen • 11 years ago

Wretched Hives of Scum and Villany

If you ever need proof that the internet is a hotbed of disgusting misogyny, just look at the comments section on most any social media. Facebook, twitter, youtube videos, the comments section of NYT articles, Slate articles — even some of the wonderful feminist articles advertised and posted here at Feministing.com, ourselves, have the nastiest, most hateful, comments that I’ve seen anywhere. I’ve seen internet memes of cute baby bunnies have comments the devolve into angry screaming matches about abortion and women’s rights and the bible.

It’s ridiculous.

But I reached my breaking point when I read the comments section on an article that was recently featured on Feministing. The comment that made me lose my shit?

MARCDONATO6 hours ago You know what ...

By Jacqueline Hentzen • 11 years ago

Les Miserables d’les Feministe

Guess what movie I just got back from seeing? Seeing as we had an earlier blog post about Anne Hathaway’s interview regarding her role (and the asshole sexist response to that and how she handled it — Fuck Yeah!) and I’ve already done a review/analysis of another book by Victor Hugo, I only find it appropriate to dissect the popular musical sensation adapted from a similarly brilliant novel.

For starters, let’s look at Hugo’s intentions — at the time of writing, the average life expectancy of children of French working class parents was two years (! — Two years? Just… !!!!!!) Apparently, 1830’s France had Tea Party assholes, too, who said it was the fault of the parents… or that it ...

By Jacqueline Hentzen • 11 years ago

Modern Pride, Modern Prejudices

I’m going to start this blog with a little gushing. Bare with me — it does have a purpose for this feminist blog.

One of my fascinations in media and storytelling is when people try to adapt old, usually outdated, classic stories into modern settings. There are plenty of movies and books which are different reiterations of Shakespeare’s works in today’s society, Disney did an animated version of “Oliver Twist” in modern New York, and plenty of modern adaptions of fairy tales. Why do people feel the need to do this? Is it because they’re interested in the creative challenge it would be, or is it just a cash grab?

Of course, this means I fall prey to it, myself. My favorite ...

I’m going to start this blog with a little gushing. Bare with me — it does have a purpose for this feminist blog.

One of my fascinations in media and storytelling is when people try to adapt old, ...

By Jacqueline Hentzen • 11 years ago

Todd Akin’s Justice

I know — I can hear the groans of ‘Not ANOTHER post about Todd Akin’s quote’ from here. And, honestly, I agree — I’ve heard plenty of griping and yelling and bitching and moaning about this enormous douchebag’s infamous quote, already, along with some particularly brilliant retorts to his idiocy. But, I hadn’t heard the entire quote in full until I picked up a Wisconsin Gazette today — my city’s local LGBT newspaper — and it was printed, in full, for my riffing pleasure.

But rather than focus on the stupidity of the first half of his quote, like everyone else on this site and elsewhere has done, I’m going to focus on the second half that has received shamefully little ...

By Jacqueline Hentzen • 11 years ago

Digimon: Feminist monsters

Well, Mitt Romney announced a nasty S.O.B. to be his running mate, there are anti-choice laws being passed country wide, the Olympics just finished up with a whopper of sexist reporting…

Let’s lighten the mood with an analysis of a kid’s TV show from the 90’s and the impact it had on my views as a feminist and the lessons it taught me about growing up. That’s right, we’re examining Digimon: Digital Monsters.

Now, right off the bat, I’ll admit that, offhand, Digimon is actually not a terribly great show in terms of gender equality — there are fewer female leads, they usually get shafted with character development compared to the male characters, they’re given very girly roles and powers and their ...

Well, Mitt Romney announced a nasty S.O.B. to be his running mate, there are anti-choice laws being passed country wide, the Olympics just finished up with a whopper of sexist reporting…

Let’s lighten the mood with an analysis ...

By Jacqueline Hentzen • 11 years ago

Equal rights vs. Equal ability

Let me get this out there right now: I’m a nerd. I’m a big, fat, fucking geek, so much so that I write fanfiction for Star Wars, and then put so much effort into THAT that I do research into the fictional world AND into Earth history to find appropriate parallels to incorporate. And in my research, I looked up a great deal of quotes from the philosophy of Viktor Frankl, especially on Man’s Search for Meaning. One such quote was his philosophy about control:

“Forces beyond your control can take away everything you possess except one thing, your freedom to choose how you will respond to the situation.”

Let me get this out there right now: I’m a nerd. I’m a big, fat, fucking geek, so much so that I write fanfiction for Star Wars, and then put so much effort into THAT that I ...

By Jacqueline Hentzen • 11 years ago

The Feminist of Notre Dame

“So, here is a riddle to guess if you can/ Sing the bells of Notre Dame/ What makes a monster and what makes a man?/ Sing the bells, bells, bells, bells, bells of Notre Dame.” — Disney’s ‘The Hunchback of Notre Dame’, 1996.

Well, with an intro like that, I’ll bet you’re all wondering what brought THIS on. So, I shall share with you — with a great deal of talk that happened over the last two weeks or so about a certain someone whom is not funny even though that’s supposedly his job and shall remain nameless (But, I’m sure you can figure it out), I got to thinking about victim-blaming and men’s role in women’s rights throughout history.

And, oddly ...

“So, here is a riddle to guess if you can/ Sing the bells of Notre Dame/ What makes a monster and what makes a man?/ Sing the bells, bells, bells, bells, bells of Notre Dame.” — Disney’s ...