Dr. Seuss, brilliant, prolific, and creative shows little imagination when it comes to female characters. He made up all kinds of creatures and so many words that he practically created a new language. But even the crowd scene illustrations in his books are practically all boys clubs.
Therefore, I guess it shouldn’t come as a surprise that the spectacular animation in “The Lorax” trailer (featuring a main character male and of course the Lorax himself is male) ends with a sexist joke. You can watch it here.
Why show girls that they’re going to be laughed at if they’re “ugly” or fat? Do they need to start getting trained to worry about this at age 4? Why teach boys it’s OK to laugh at girls (people) for the way they look?
And can you imagine the reverse: a female character snickering “That’s a man?” about the guy pictured above? Would that even be funny?
I guess I’m just another feminist with no sense of humor.
I agree! So does http://liarlunatic.blogspot.com/
I can not for the life of me understand people that don’t understand the problem with this!
Ughhh. No, you’re not just another feminist with no sense of humor. You’re someone who wants something so simple as equal representation. It bugs me to no end when children’s films (let’s not start with grown-up films) portray making fun of someone just because they’re female as ok. It’s not ok. Someone, everyone needs to get uptight about it if we want things to change. Love your blog. đŸ™‚
What is it that happens to people’s brains when they try to make movies of Dr Seuss? Yes, the guy took years to learn to put girls in his books, but that’s a world away from the active male supremacism in travesties like the movie version of Horton Hears a Who. This looks like more of the same. What’s this? A book that doesn’t trash women? Better fix that!
You all know Bechdel rule right?
I had exactly the same reaction. And then we watched “Puss In Boots”, whose three named female characters never interact. Those three characters are the love interest, the mother, and the villain, who is made fun of for her appearance.
Saw it with four girls under nine. Whee.
Hi Yatima,
I just posted about Puss in Boots. I loved the Kitty Softpaws character, though not perfect, I think she should have her own movie.
Good point about the female characters not interacting. I did thin it was cool that the most magical and powerful were female. What is the looks joke??
Here is the link to my post on Puss In Boots http://margotmagowan.wordpress.com/2011/11/12/give-kitty-soft-paws-her-own-movie/
It’s not even funny.
That vein of humor was old when “Uncle Miltie” was milking the last bit of traction out of mocking women’s gender presentation. “Tootsie”, “Mrs. Doubtfire”…..Hollywood never tires of recycling cliche’s.
Mj Aponte,
The recycling of cliches is the source of so many problems! And then the criticism is that we’re being PC or censoring. No, we actually are hoping for some creativity and originality!
Margot
But hey apparently they added a female character as “motivation!” Thanks, guys.