Star Trek, Stephen Moffat, and Women in Sci-Fi

Sometimes, being a nerd girl is stressful.  Yesterday, I saw Star Trek: Into Darkness and there was so much I loved.  I wanted to write a stellar review of it and post it here, but something was stopping me.  In writing down my notes, I realized that there was also a lot that was upsetting me about the movie.  As you may have noticed, when I get upset, I dwell.  I research.  This time, it took me from Star Trek to Sherlock via Benedict Cumberbatch, and from there to Doctor Who, via Stephen Moffat.  What do these fun and fantastic things all have in common besides my love?  Unfortunately, a horrifying treatment of women and prime examples of a misogynist male gaze in tv/film.

If you haven’t seen STID, Doctor Who, or Sherlock, be aware that this entire article contains SPOILERS.

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Breasts: They’re Not Our Own Anymore

Hello nerdlings!  I am so sorry that this took forever to write.  This month has been really intense.  Lately, I have had so many articles about breasts showing up in my newsfeeds that it almost feels like the summer of the Superbowl Nip Slip again.  Once again, it all boils down to the idea that women’s bodies are not their own.  They belong to the public, to be consumed as society sees fit.

If any of you are friends with young mothers, you probably see a lot of articles about breast-feeding.  For it, against it, for it in public, against it in public, etc.  For whatever reasons, people have a lot to say about how women feed their babies and everyone seems to have an opinion on it.  Formula feed?  You’re lazy and your baby is going to die without your immunities!  Breast feed?  Better not do that in public, it’s pornographic!  Feed your baby well into toddlerhood?  You’re going to raise a pervert!  There’s really no way for a woman to win, but at least these arguments stay somewhat around the topic of what breasts are actually for.  Breasts exist to supply nutrition.  We are one of the only mammalian species to have “swollen” breasts when not pregnant or nursing (some scientists think it’s to encourage reproduction by basically making a butt on our chests!) but the point is, breasts are primarily for food.  Their function for pleasure is secondary. Continue reading

In the Meantime…

Hello Nerdlings!

I just wanted to let you know that your trusty AngryNerdGirl hasn’t abandoned you.  There has been a LOT going on the past few weeks regarding agency, women’s rights over their own bodies, and feminism in general.  I have so much to say, but have had so little time to write!  Just a quick update: I’m currently a little over halfway through training to be a medical advocate at Rape Victim Advocates (check them out, they’re amazing.)  Also, I’ve been recapping Scandal over at tvgasm and took a little trip out of town.  I have been a very busy lady!  Hopefully, I will get my thoughts out in a coherent order tomorrow and post something brilliant for you all.  In the meantime, however, I’ve been reading a lot about Disney’s newest feminist scandal regarding fellow curly-haired feminist Merida.  Being who I am, after getting over my initial outrage, I started to realize that Merida is extremely similar to another pop-culture hero.  Then I made pictures to prove it.  Guess who?  Nope, not Katniss Everdeen!

Hint: They share a love of badassery and a hatred of fancy dresses. Continue reading

The Fashion Industry: So You Want to Be a Model?

Ok, kittens.  Let’s talk Fashion.

I’ve wanted to write about the harmful effects of the fashion industry for some time now, but it seemed so obvious.  What is there to write about that people don’t already know?  Well, I sat down and made a list of seriously messed up things that I wanted to address, and it was long.  I hope you’re sitting somewhere comfortable, because there’s going to be a lot here.  Before we start, I do want to say that I love fashion.  I love the idea of expressing yourself in a fluid way through clothing, hair, makeup, and everything else.  You can dress a certain way and feel temporarily like a different person (note: Hollywood often portrays this horribly wrong, showing women needing to change in order to get the popular guy).  This is about the completely screwed up advertising complex known as the Fashion Industry. Continue reading