Sugar And Spice And Polly
	found on: Salon written by Charly Z, edited by Tim (Plastic) [ read unedited ] posted Tue 2 Jul 6:58am
		"The secret identity of Polly Esther has gone and kicked some superheroine ass, laying the smack down on Cartoon Network's superstars, the Powerpuff Girls, and the current trend of feisty, strong and cute women: 'the more salient question for budding feminists may not be whether it's acceptable to be powerful and pretty at the same time, but whether being powerful without being pretty is even an option'." Charly Z writes, "Ouch! Right when the premiere of the Powerpuff Girls movie is just around the corner... So once again, the day is saved, thanks to Ms. Heather Havrilesky."

[ more plastic... ]    

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1.  hmmm   by alaffin       at Tue 2 Jul 7:24am score of 4.5 astute     Is it just me or does this writeup take the one negative point in the entire article and spin it as it that was the main thrust? Yes, the point is made that we like our heros to be attractive but, well, it's not like Superman looks like Eugene Levy or anything. Heros are attractive. Villians aren't. That's not a gender thing, that's an overall society thing. It seemed to me that the article raised the more interesting point that this cartoon avoids the issue of gender to a surprising degree and that this might be a very good thing. The idea of girls operating from an assumption of equality is a pretty damn powerfull one. satire   [ ...reply just to this | comment on the story... | next new ]

12.  Re: hmmm   by Ajax       at Tue 2 Jul 9:09am score of 3 helpful   in reply to comment 1     ..it's not like Superman looks like Eugene Levy or anything. Heros are attractive. Villians aren't. That's not a gender thing, that's an overall society thing. Close -- it's actually a TV/video thing. In real life, heroes and villains both come in all shapes and sizes. Not that you'll ever learn that just by watching TV and the movies. Mostly, you'll learn that both heroes and villains are fabulously beautiful, just like everyone else in the world except you. "Coca-ColaŽ and ArmageddonŽ / We like it, like it, yes we do!" -- Clutch.   [ ...reply just to this | comment on the story... | next new ]   43.  Re: hmmm   by dylanr       at Wed 3 Jul 1:43pm score of 1   in reply to comment 12     In real life, heroes and villains both come in all shapes and sizes In real life, people are also unable to fly, don't leave color-coordinated contrails behind them, and lack cool superhero perks like X-ray vision. There are also no evil genius talking monkeys. In theory there should be no difference between theory and practice. In practice, there usually is.   [ ...reply just to this | comment on the story... | next new ]   14.  Re: hmmm   by mischief       at Tue 2 Jul 9:21am score of 1   in reply to comment 1     does this writeup take the one negative point I had to choose whether to wait (how long?) for a better writeup, or give you guys the link ASAP. Since Heather is more than capable of speaking for herself, I chose the latter. "And then... and then... and then...", and then the man who stuttered died, his last words an echo of his life   [ ...reply just to this | comment on the story... | next new ]   41.  Re: hmmm   by jes5199       at Wed 3 Jul 7:24am score of 1   in reply to comment 1     took the words right out of my mouth. powerpuffs friggin rule   [ ...reply just to this | comment on the story... | next new ]

2.  Thank God for the Abundance of Ugly Men!   by perrin       at Tue 2 Jul 7:29am score of 3 astute     From the article: Still, with the rise of the sexy heroine in movies like "Tomb Raider" and "Enough" and TV shows like "Alias," "Dark Angel" and "She Spies," the more salient question for budding feminists may not be whether it's acceptable to be powerful and pretty at the same time, but whether being powerful without being pretty is even an option. Hey, another area where men have it easier. Look at the recent male action heroes in the movies: Tobey Maguire, Hugh Jackman, Jackie Chan, George Clooney, Matt Damon, Viggo Mortenson, Jet Li, Bruce Willis, Ben Affleck, Chow Yun Fat, Tom Cruise... Oh, hell, they're all attractive, too. My mistake. Not that there aren't any ugly male protagonists: Spawn is unattractive, for example. But I think that if Ms. Havrilesky is going to claim that society believes that women need to be pretty to be powerful, then she needs to provide proof of a significantly different ratio of deliberately unattractive men as heroes. Or, you know, at least bring the issue up in her article. "How very strange that would feel, to be so well understood."   [ ...reply just to this | comment on the story... | next new ]

7.  Re: Thank God for the Abundance of Ugly Men!   by peanutfish       at Tue 2 Jul 8:07am score of 1   in reply to comment 2     I think that's why she mentioned Janet Reno -- whether or not you think she's heroic you gotta admit she's powerful. That said, I'm not disagreeing with you. I found the comparison of Janet Reno to Britney Spears somewhat disingenuous. Is Britney Spears famous for being attractive? Duh! Most celebrities are - it's pretty much how that got that way (which was your point, I believe). Is it just me? - Ever since the new -1 disingenuous mod showed up on plastic, that word's usage in my everyday vocabulary has risen considerably. Some mistakes are too much fun to make only once.   [ ...reply just to this | comment on the story... | next new ]   18.  Toby Maguire, attractive male hero?   by zanzibar       at Tue 2 Jul 12:56pm score of 1 funny   in reply to comment 2     You've brought back horrible, horrible memories of that scene in Cider House Rules where Toby takes his shirt off. Did anyone else wonder what the heck Charlize Theron was thinking at that moment?   [ ...reply just to this | comment on the story... | next new ]   38.  Re: TG for the abundance of fantasy men.....   by bigeyes       at Wed 3 Jul 7:09am score of 1.5 interesting   in reply to comment 2     No, no....thank you for that little dose of masturbatory fantasy men! Now, if you'll excuse me, I'm gonna go take a shower with Jet Li, Chow Yun Fat, Tom Cruise and Hugh Jackman! YUMMY!       8)   [ ...reply just to this | comment on the story... | next new ]   45.  Re: Thank God for the Abundance of Ugly Men!   by hexane       at Wed 3 Jul 4:39pm score of 1.5 astute   in reply to comment 2     While many male actors are not-so-young and average in physical attractiveness it seems like chicks aren't allowed on screen unless they rate an 8 or above. While there are lots of plain men who are stars, females who are plain are a real rarity. Why? Because people for the most part don't even want to have to look at an average/plain chick - all that matters is how hot she is. Here's a few "plain Joes" offhand: Examples: Tommy Lee Jones, Jack Black, Anthony Hopkins, Jim Carrey, Martin Lawrence, Gene Hackman, Danny DeVito, Billy Bob Thornton, Kevin Spacey, Steve Martin, Bruce Willis, Joe Pesci, James Gandolfini, Woody Allen, Tom Hanks, Jeff Goldblum, Mike Myers As for not-so-hot chicks who are stars? How many can you think of?   I'm not saying that men don't have unique prejudices of their own to deal with (i.e. sizeism) but men have it easier as far as looks-prejudice goes (especially considering they can be past age 40 with little affect on their perceived level of attractiveness).   [ ...reply just to this | comment on the story... | next new ]   46.  Re: Thank God for the Abundance of Ugly Men!   by solid-one-love       at Thu 4 Jul 10:27am score of 1   in reply to comment 45     How many can you think og? Off the top of my head? Uma Thurman (who's gotten more ashen and puffy every year). Reese Witherpoon (look at the size of that forehead!). Janeane Garofalo (A 10 in my books as a natural woman, but by no means a Cosmo cover girl). Sarah Michelle Gellar and Lisa Kudrow -- two women with gigantic noses and missing chins who wouldn't turn any man's head if they weren't on TV and had the benefit of a makeup truck. These are just a few under-40 women off the top of my head. In her heyday, Shelley Duvall is another good example, as was Kathy Baker. Jessica Lange, to me, always had a disturbing, cross-eyed overbite look. There are certainly others.   [ ...reply just to this | comment on the story... | next new ]

3.  cute women?   by eidilon       at Tue 2 Jul 7:35am score of 2 funny     On television? In the media? No way! This is definitely a new trend. We all remember how Linda Carter was way ugly. Oh and Lindsay Wagner, too. Charlie's Angels didn't kick any butt and were fairly homely. I guess you've gotta put food on the table and find something to write about every week. Never mind that the show's creator insists that the whole point is that the show is gender blind, which is probably why boys make up the majority of the audience despite the raging hard-on so many feminists seem to have for the show.   [ ...reply just to this | comment on the story... | next new ]

4.  Overdoing it   by asthmaticeog       at Tue 2 Jul 7:42am score of 2.5 clever     First of all, ditto alaffin. Right on. Second, I'd say that media representations of young females who think, actively work to improve the world, and kick ass (all of which were, until recently, considered strictly masculine essences in our culture) are a damn shot better that glassy-eyed, passivity-coded Barbie dolls any day, especially when such representations reach the widespread popularity of the Powerpuff Girls. The billion dollars (no shit) in merch licensing that cartoon franchise has spawned indicates that a LOT of people - most of them little kids - are receiving that message on some level, whether it's intentional or not. It bugs me when people complain about genuine progress just because they didn't get everything they wanted all at once. BTW, I saw a test screening of the PPG Movie - it's pretty damn good. Perfect is the enemy of good.   [ ...reply just to this | comment on the story... | next new ]

31.  Re: Overdoing it   by TargetDemographic       at Tue 2 Jul 7:15pm score of 1   in reply to comment 4     I'd say that media representations of young females who think, actively work to improve the world, and kick ass (all of which were, until recently, considered strictly masculine essences in our culture) are a damn shot better that glassy-eyed, passivity-coded Barbie dolls any day This brings to mind that part at the end of Pee-Wee's Big Adventure when Pee Wee is at a screening of the movie based on his Big Adventure in which wimpy he's being portrayed by a huge masculine actor with a beard. Casting in Hollywood isn't going to change anytime soon unless people somehow suddenly get bored of sex appeal. The most you can hope is that the writing will improve and the characters portrayed by genetically-blessed actors and actresses will become more three-dimensional. ...Mr. Herman, there's a phone call for you at the front desk...   [ ...reply just to this | comment on the story... | next new ]   39.  Re: Overdoing it   by bigeyes       at Wed 3 Jul 7:21am score of 2 intriguing   in reply to comment 4     I've always considered myself a feminist, but some of my younger friends tell me I'm more of an equalist. I don't quite know how to define feminism anymore, it seems to have split into sects, much like Christianity. All I know is, when I first heard of the PPG's, I thought Great. We finally get some female superheroes, and they're idiotic. Then I watched them a few times....and they grew on me. The tooth fairy episode slays me. And I never grow tired of asking my son what's that monkey's name? just to hear him say it. Dunno why that amuses me so.... And, anyway, is it Mojo Jojo or Momo Jojo? Doesn't matter that much, I still dig the toon.   8)   [ ...reply just to this | comment on the story... | next new ]

8.  Eh...?   by landonair       at Tue 2 Jul 8:21am score of 1     You'd have to have a pretty freaky cartoon fetish to consider the Powerpuff girls 'attractive'. Pretty much any cartoon character with eyes bigger then their stomachs is going to look 'cute'. And though I can't say I've watched a lot of PP girls, I don't think they ever worry about their looks, aren't they too busy flying around everywhere and kicking ass? "It's so easy to say things that are so idealistic without reasoning and thinking them out in the big picture"   [ ...reply just to this | comment on the story... | next new ]

22.  Re: Eh...?   by mrjeff3000       at Tue 2 Jul 1:58pm score of 1   in reply to comment 8     And do they even have fingers and toes? They seem to merely have pink pseudopods, although that might just be the way they're drawn. Maybe that's for the lucrative amputation fetish market.   [ ...reply just to this | comment on the story... | next new ]   25.  They are certainly NOT hands   by elforman       at Tue 2 Jul 3:23pm score of 3.5 informative   in reply to comment 22     I've got a five year old daughter, so I think I can speak authoritatively on this subject: Whatever they are, they are not hands. I believe this was proven in the episode in which Professor Utonium's experiment goes awry and all of the inhabitants of Townsville switch bodies with each other. Finding herself in the Professor's body, Buttercup tries to answer the phone. But her attempt to pick up the phone does not work because she seemingly has no concept of how to operate fingers. She merely swipes the hand down near the phone and expects it to somehow cling to her hand. Therefore they are not hands but some kind of appendage with either suction or adhesive properties. I'm just glad there's something I can watch with my daughter that doesn't make me want to retch.   [ ...reply just to this | comment on the story... | next new ]

9.  All Clear.   by petiex       at Tue 2 Jul 8:32am score of 1     Yaggh! That writeup had me worried that writing for Salon had somehow sucked the humor, playful cynicism, and common sense out of our beloved Polly. Could it be, I postulated, that this floundering online publication could have hardened her heart and softened her brain like some heart-hardening, brain-softening world-domination ray devised by the unspeakably naughty Mojo Jojo? Nope. Turns out she's down with PPG. False alarm. "Astute and Helpful Bear." - Owl   [ ...reply just to this | comment on the story... | next new ]

10.  Solving Our Problems, One Beating At A Time   by cloudofdust       at Tue 2 Jul 8:33am score of 1 obnoxious     Too bad Powerpuff Girls makes the same mistake that all the "boy" superheroes make. Okay, great, girls can solve their problems by beating the crap out of people just like the boys. Now we're all equal. Now we're all down in the dirt beating the crap out of each other. Hoorah for us! Blah. I'd rather watch SpongeBob Squarepants.   [ ...reply just to this | comment on the story... | next new ]

13.  Feminine Power   by Eppy       at Tue 2 Jul 9:14am score of 4 nuanced     Shitty writeup aside--man, what a good article. Makes you miss...well, you know... I think the bit about today's modern women recognizing the power inherent in beauty is a very astute one. One of the problems of second-wave feminists is that they saw only the negative qualities of beauty, and viewed it as a purely masculine construct. It's not; it is, in fact, one of the most potent and long-lasting sources of female power in patriarchal societies, if you'll forgive me whipping out the p-word. That third wave feminism seeks to utilize this source of power rather than repress it out of shame is probably a useful thing, but also an ambiguous one, as Heather acknowledges. Being pretty, if you're smart too, can help get you where you want to go. But as much as she clearly enjoys the Powerpuff Girls--as well she should--she's not entirely comfortable with burying ideology in consumerism, viz: Firmly held beliefs are naturally rife with stigmas, awkward internal contradictions, and ideological pitfalls. But in a branded universe, such beliefs are reduced to unspoken preferences, revealed only when the light is shining directly on them -- and even then, they sparkle as subtly as body glitter. Why take on a political label when you can wear a cool-looking T-shirt that says the same thing, but without any of the negative associations? Is she a feminist? Oh, no! She just loves those Powerpuff Girls! Yeah, there's just a little snarkiness in there. And she's got a point. Being straightforwardly political is a difficult thing, a hard choice that does carry certain "stigmas," but the fact that it's not the easy choice points to the fact that it's often the more effective choice. Whether first-world third-wave feminists need to be more effective is, of course, a bone of contention, but we can all list causes where it would be nice if people took the leanings expressed in their economic and cultural choices and made them a little more politically active. The whole idea of "unspoken preferences" veers a little too close to the cultural studies idea of "subversion" in mass culture--that, sure, it might be produced and broadcast by a huge corporation, sandwiched in between commercials for sugary cereals and cheap plastic toys, and used to move massive quantities of merchandise, but there's that little germ of feminism in there, and by gum we sure bet that people are "getting" that, even if they don't "know" they're "getting" it! Maybe yes, maybe no; we really don't have any data on that, although we might if cultural studies folks stopped blindly assuming that the effect was present and starting doing studies and building statistical models to find out if it actually is. Mojo Jojo rocks. "ninja, fuck, baby, special olympics"   [ ...reply just to this | comment on the story... | next new ]

15.  Show me the monkey!   by Akio       at Tue 2 Jul 9:53am score of 3.5 clever     So, if we're meant to extrapolate that the Powerpuff Girls represent the triumph of feminist ideals of bonding and self reliance, what does Mojo Jojo represent? Is chauvinism an evil green macrocephalic monkey who sounds like Toshiro Mifune? And as for the idea of solving your problems by beating the crap out of them, this is a basic theme of heroic literature. The hero/heroine lives in a world out of balance. Only by confronting his/her enemies and triumphing over them physically/intellectually can the good/evil status quo be restored. It's the same whether it's the Odyssey, the Illiad, the Bible, Ulysses, Star Wars, or the Powerpuff Movie, the idea is the same. I can't imagine any of those stories ending with some sort of mutually beneficial, nurturing compromise between the two primary antagonists. What's the point of having an angry monkey if you're not going to fight it? monkeyrotica.com: "It's like when they opened the Ark of the Covenant. Except with monkeys."   [ ...reply just to this | comment on the story... | next new ]

16.  Re: Show me the monkey!   by nmiguy       at Tue 2 Jul 10:28am score of 1   in reply to comment 15     What's the point of having an angry monkey if you're not going to fight it? That would make a great sig. I won't steal it, but that's a good line.   [ ...reply just to this | comment on the story... | next new ]   17.  Re: Show me the monkey!   by YCDK       at Tue 2 Jul 11:23am score of 1   in reply to comment 15     What's the point of having an angry monkey if you're not going to fight it? Guard duty, my friend, guard duty. Smarter than a Rottweiler, gets paid in bananas, and if you get really bored you can teach it to smoke. The can knows who to whoop.   [ ...reply just to this | comment on the story... | next new ]   20.  Mojo   by PerryStroika       at Tue 2 Jul 1:13pm score of 3 clever   in reply to comment 15     Mojo, with his hyper developed brain, represents the hubris of Western patriarchal rationalism that has embarked on a sterile campaign for domination of nature. His "monkeyness" is a sign of his primitive destructive instincts, which are poorly integrated with (or even "grafted on") his brain's higher functions. In his whole form he is the pathology of the mind/body schism... As for why he sounds like Toshiro Mifune (more like Toshiro Mifune after he's been force fed a kilo of cocaine), I have no idea. This is the best term-paper spiel I could come up with on such short notice. Mouthpiece   [ ...reply just to this | comment on the story... | next new ]

19.  Death By Analysis   by Greg_Ace       at Tue 2 Jul 1:02pm score of 1.5 succinct     Although McCracken, the creator of PPG, says more than once that this was just kinda a cool idea for a cartoon, that doesn't stop the rest of the world from parsing it into wafer-thin pieces. And coming up with about as many interpretations as there are analysts. But...maybe it really is just kinda a cool cartoon idea, after all? Maybe the reason so many people enjoy it so much is precisely because it isn't laden with ponderous sociopolitical Meaning? Then again, if I was such a big fan of non-analysis I wouldn't be reading Plastic.... Reason notwithstanding, the universe continued unabated.   [ ...reply just to this | comment on the story... | next new ]

21.  Deconstructing Modern Cartoons   by Zi       at Tue 2 Jul 1:36pm score of 2 witty     Since the Power Puff Girls 'obviously' are "a trio of the littlest third-wave feminists," I thought I'd try to deconstruct some other cartoons. SpongeBob SquarePants An understated, but powerful representation of being gay in the small community of Bikini Bottom. Although Patrick and SpongeBob aren't open about, the community as a whole knows (nudge, nudge, wink, wink). They use humor and pluckiness to overcome the disapproval of the business establishment (Mr. Krabbs), political system (Plankton), closeted gay homophobes (Squidward), and the education establishment (that blowfish teacher thingy), with the help of family (Gary), and friends (including the lesbian, Sandy Squirrel). RugRats The kids (Bolsheviks) chafe under the strain of the somewhat benevolent, but ultimately domineering and corrupt parents (Czarists). Tommy is Lenin, Chuckie is Trotsky, Phil and Lil are the workers united, Angelica is the failed capitalist reformers, and Dill is the future Socialist generation. Samurai Jack Samurai Jack is an Objectivist tract, furthering Ayn Rand philosophical concepts of self determinism and inherent corruption in bureaucracy. Jack is Ayn Rands "everyman," battling Aku, who is a representation of the government's desire to to suppress individuality and self-reliance. Rocket Power Reggie Rocket is the real focus of this ultra feminist treatise. She is an all-powerful heroine, who not only can keep up with her "brother" Otto, who represents patriarchal oppressiveness, but can outsmart Sam, who represents the establishment intelligentsia, and even stay a step ahead of Twister, who represents the modern all-consuming media corporate hegemony. This is kinda fun. I guess the moral is you kind find just about anything if you're looking for it. So it goes. - Kurt Vonnegut   [ ...reply just to this | comment on the story... | next new ]

23.  answering the question herself   by dreamcloak       at Tue 2 Jul 2:49pm score of 2 clever     Being powerful without being pretty an option? Well, seems like we're all (rightly) reduced to quivering masses of right-on admiration every time Ms. Havrilesky puts finger to keyboard, and I'd like to know -- does any of you have the foggiest idea what she looks like? Last I checked, Google Images wouldn't tell me...   [ ...reply just to this | comment on the story... | next new ]

26.  Re: answering the question herself   by maml       at Tue 2 Jul 3:54pm score of 1   in reply to comment 23     She looks like a rabbit. Actually, Suck used to have a link to an article about her in some online rag (can't remember which). There was a picture of her there. I recall thinking she was cute, but my memory is hazy on details. She didn't look like the Suck cartoons. I've blocked AI. I'm happier now.   [ ...reply just to this | comment on the story... | next new ]   40.  Re: answering the question herself   by Richard Banks       at Wed 3 Jul 7:23am score of 1.5 informative   in reply to comment 23     There is a series of (tiny) artsified images of Heather Havrilesky inside the the jewel box liner of her band's first or second cd. Offhand, I don't remember which. I am aware of an Online Journalism Review feature on her work at Suck.com, but if there was a picture of her on that page, then it was taken down before I ever saw the piece. There are also rumored to be some pictures of her posted on somebody's blog at some party or other in LA. Awhile back she posted a letter from one of her fans referring to these pics. Her response to this fan (which I believe has since been expunged from her blog) indicated that she doesn't want her online writings to be influenced by readers' mental images of her physical appearance. By all accounts she is pretty: she is referred to by bloggers who know her as "statuesque". Also, she has an ex-boyfriend who produced a movie called Haiku Tunnel, for which Ms. Havrilesky was, evidently, the inspiration. The character who plays "Helen, the ex-girlfriend" was an actress named Jennifer Laske. I once asked her if she is, in fact, Jennifer Laske and had played herself in the movie. She never admitted or denied playing the role, but it is interesting that there are no other credits for this "Jennifer Laske" person in the IMDB. "I'm Against This War. But I'm not with These Other People."   [ ...reply just to this | comment on the story... | next new ]

24.  someone clue me in, please   by hoodeenee       at Tue 2 Jul 3:11pm score of 2 funny     Perhaps somebody could let me know, just for my own education, which wave of feminism we're currently on. I'm really sorry to have to go semantic here, but what's with this naming convention? Who decided when the first wave petered out and the next one rolled in? I'm only asking because I didn't get the newsletter. (damn change of address forms) And who decided to call it a wave? Why not "second string feminists" or "second wind" or "second generation"? Is a wave more hep? Heppest? The article says a lot about the times. Deconstructing the Powerpuff grrls is the deepest analysis of current events we can get. On Salon. Talk about puff! [grumble] karma is for sissies   [ ...reply just to this | comment on the story... | next new ]

27.  Re: someone clue me in, please   by dreamcloak       at Tue 2 Jul 4:49pm score of 3.5 scholarly   in reply to comment 24     As I understand it -- and I have no particular qualifications here, just someone who grew up in a feminist household -- first-wave feminism was the names that may have actually made it into your history textbooks: Elizabeth Cady Stanton, Susan B. Anthony, Lucretia Mott, et cetera, and probably those exciting folks over in Britain (eg Emma Pankhurst) as well. They did things like writing the Declaration of Sentiments at the 1848 Seneca Falls convention (calling for women's equality), campaigning for women's right to vote, staying proudly unmarried, writing feminist commentary on the Bible, and wearing pants. Think anything up to and including Rosie the Riveter. The second wave was a bunch of people you've probably heard of, but not from your high school history books -- Gloria Steinem, Betty Freidan, Bella Abzug -- and their various agemates, like my mom. They wrote books and founded magazines and campaigned for equal pay for equal work and served in Congress and wore pants but, famously, not necessarily bras. Think 1970s, plus or minus. The third wave is what comes next -- the folks too young to be second wave, but still identifying as feminist. They have (as no shortage of cultural critics will point out) no particular leadership or coherent agenda, so it's kind of hard for me to tell you what they stand for. There seems to be a concensus (though whether it has any basis in reality, I don't know) that they're edgier than the last wave, more assured of their place in the world and thus maybe not fighting for the canonical second-wave issues, and also moving away from androgyny and toward a melding of sexuality and even traditional femininity with power. I'd give you links, but that lack of recognized leadership or centralized agenda makes it kind of hard for me to determine what publications would paint a representative picture. Oh, and they wear whatever the hell they want. Anyway, to summarize: we're on the third wave; waves are defined largely by generation gaps, also by their characteristic issues, and the troughs separating them tend to be culturally conservative/backlash periods such as the 50s and 80s, though there is no distinct separation (many second-wavers are still going strong); I don't know where the term came from; and I am entirely unqualified to comment on hepness.   [ ...reply just to this | comment on the story... | next new ]   42.  Re: someone clue me in, please   by Greg_Ace       at Wed 3 Jul 10:49am score of 1   in reply to comment 24     And who decided to call it a wave? Why not "second string feminists" or "second wind" or "second generation"? Perhaps waves (water) are more feminine than strings (obvious Freudian reference), wind (wouldn't want to be thought of as a blowhard), or generations (patriarchal procreation heirarchy)? Reason notwithstanding, the universe continued unabated.   [ ...reply just to this | comment on the story... | next new ]   47.  Re: someone clue me in, please   by Field Marshall Stack       at Thu 4 Jul 10:31am score of 1.5 brilliant   in reply to comment 24     Who decided when the first wave petered out and the next one rolled in? heh, you said "peter". "Nobody ever lends money to a man with a sense of humor." -Peter Tork   [ ...reply just to this | comment on the story... | next new ]

28.  Make the girls uglyer?   by Bitter_Fish       at Tue 2 Jul 5:25pm score of 1.5 compelling     This article seems to be mostly waffle... What the hell is the writer getting at? The only complaint I can see is that the girls are cute. Despite the angry tone the rest appears to be praise or random venting. So what does she want? Ugly Power Puffs? Life sucks, Get a fucking helmet - Dennis Leary   [ ...reply just to this | comment on the story... | next new ]

37.  Re: Make the girls uglyer?   by ThePlague       at Wed 3 Jul 5:18am score of 1   in reply to comment 28     In summary: "third wave feminist" analysis of PPG, whereby it is determined they are feminist icons because they do not espouse any sort of feminist ideology. In other words, a case of the critical theory wagging the work dog. Intelligent chat: PhiloChat   [ ...reply just to this | comment on the story... | next new ]

29.  Well, maybe that explains it.   by alumshubby       at Tue 2 Jul 5:56pm score of 1     I've always thought Velma was waaaaay cooler than Daphne. "How many light bulbs does it take to change a person?"   [ ...reply just to this | comment on the story... | next new ]

30.  Re: Well, maybe that explains it.   by Tessera       at Tue 2 Jul 6:17pm score of 1   in reply to comment 29     I have maintained for years that smart cute brunettes in glasses trump just about everything on God's green earth. Glad to know that finally someone agrees with me.   [ ...reply just to this | comment on the story... | next new ]   48.  Re: Well, maybe that explains it.   by Angelica Pickles       at Fri 5 Jul 7:16am score of 1   in reply to comment 30     I like the way you think, fella, but Velma is ugly. You dumb babies!   [ ...reply just to this | comment on the story... | next new ]

33.  Essay from a 100 level Women's Studies Class...   by UncleBeef       at Tue 2 Jul 8:13pm score of 1.5 funny     Yet, striking as these icons of girlhood may be, it could be argued that their popularity may not reflect a dramatic shift in our society's view of gender roles, but rather our inability to stomach female anger unless it's sugarcoated in cuteness and scored with a pervasively chirpy, nonthreatening tone. Zzzzzzzzz... wake me up when the squirrel says something bitchy. -UncleBeef   [ ...reply just to this | comment on the story... | next new ]

34.  Superheros   by eduardo       at Wed 3 Jul 12:19am score of 2 funny     Who cares. One of the Powerpuff girls is named Bubbles and she talks to animals or some such shit. My friend one time ate so many shrooms that he was walking about and talking to squirrels, so people started calling him Bubbles. I don't even know his name anymore. I just know him as Bubbles. One time Bubbles took acid and called the cops on himself. The cops came and took him to the hospital. Needless to say, Bubbles sobered up and escaped from the hospital. The cops came around asking if we knew the whereabouts of Michael So-and-so. We didn't even know who the fuck it was - the cops didn't know his name was Bubbles. He hid out pretty well until it blew over, anyway. He's gone now. Kicked out of school for one reason or another. There hasn't been any acid since that time, either. The point is, it doesn't matter what kind of a superheroine you are. The question is only how much you can sniff, chew, snort, drink, smoke, and inject. At some point we learn to defy gravity, break the barrier of language, and other such shit. A mere human would bleed at even the thought of rolling around on broken glass, but, hey, we're not mere humans here. Seriously, though. Think about it. And also, what's with the hairy armpits? J'ai une petite amie avec des tres, tres grandes tetons.   [ ...reply just to this | comment on the story... | next new ]

36.  Huh?   by Goliard       at Wed 3 Jul 3:26am score of 1     there are so many layers of meaning to navigate, it's sometimes impossible to tell what the real message is. Hm, Polly's bio? my question is, would her rambling, ping-pong columns be so attractive if you couldn't hear them in her uber-sexy NPR voice?   [ ...reply just to this | comment on the story... | next new ]

44.  hidden messages   by dylanr       at Wed 3 Jul 1:55pm score of 1.5 astute     Normally, I'm inclined to fawn over the divine Ms. Havrilesky, but this offering left me a bit cold. I think she missed one very important detail, something that could have changed her perspective on it all: It's just a cartoon. Go ahead and have any opinion you want about it, but don't compare it with Adrienne Rich... compare it with Scooby Doo. What PPG teaches, if anything at all, is that life is absurd and you should try to have fun anyway. There are worse notions to give children. PPG doesn't aim to change the world or signal the beginning or end of anything of any political significance. Even so, it may represent more than it's given credit for. It can be argued that the sensible endpoint of feminism is not when everything is politicized, but when political tactics have become unnecessary. PPG clearly envisions a world in which today's burning questions are settled or no longer relevant. That's bound to be a disappointment to those feminists who enjoy the conflict, but a welcome vision to those who care more about attaining feminist ends. In theory there should be no difference between theory and practice. In practice, there usually is.   [ ...reply just to this | comment on the story... | next new ]