Every couple of years a new action-packed blockbuster hits the theaters that grabs the attention of viewers all across the spectrum because not only is it a storyline full of kick-ass fighting and (probably) explosions, but it also happens to star a sexy female protagonist. This (predictably) gets the attention of not only heterosexual men but also feminists as they (understandably) jump at the idea of a female protagonist in a film that isn't a rom-com and doesn't portray a woman as either a damsel in distress or a bitchy boss.
But if we look critically at these roles, we see that they're the furthest thing from feminist media. If we look critically at these roles, we see a scantily-clad superhero with her breasts out in an outfit that is not at all conducive to an evil-fighting environment.
We're looking at you, "Wonder Woman."
According to Dr. Caroline Heldman, this archetype consists of "hyper-sexualized women protagonists who are able to "kick ass" (and kill) with the best of them — and look good doing it." Some might wonder what the issue here is. Isn't it a good thing to have women in these kinds of roles? Strong and capable women who are empowered enough to show off their bodies as they please?
Heldman counters this argument by explaining that the fighting fuck toy (FFT) "appears empowered, but her very existence serves the pleasure of the heterosexual male viewer. In short, the FFT takes female agency and appropriates it for the male gaze."
And therein lies the problem. There is a double standard so intrinsic to how we view women in this society in which we shame a woman for her sexuality while at the same time exploiting it to satisfy men and ultimately make money.
The damage done by this archetype is irrefutable. When young girls and women are hyper-sexualized and objectified, it is that much easier to exploit them and to justify violence against them. It also disrupts their very sense of self and teaches the lesson from a very young age that women exist for the sole purpose of satisfying men. Physically, emotionally, and so on.
We deserve feminist media and we deserve female protagonists that represent women as the complex, badass individuals they are. Not as masturbation material for lonely men.
