Joss=Now

Joss (is my new master) Whedon (creator of Buffy/Angel, Firefly/Serenity, writer of X-men comic books Wonder Woman comic books, and will direct the upcoming Wonder Woman movie) was recently honored by the human rights group Equality Now. At the event he talks, riffing on the overused, misguided question, "Why do you write these strond women characters?" He takes on male pride, near-sighted, clueless of its own existence misogyny that is at the core (presupposition) of the reporters' question.

My favorite response is when he says that these strong women allow men to consider aspects of themselves they probably didn't consider. I know this is true of myself and my identification with River. The girl is tortured so she can turned into a weapon. With male characters in SF, ala Ender of Ender's Game (thanks, Swoosh!) are not allowed to break down, and allow their weaknesses to be bared, but because River is not a man, she is allowed to be weak, so others can care for her. This caretaking of the weak is something we need to realize is an universal demand, 'cause when we take care of those weaker then ourselves, than those we were once weak will be able to save us from being devoured by Reavers. So, this is totally important. (No, I'm not mocking Joss; I'm being a geek, proudly).

Watch it. If someone doesn't get it... then that's sad...but likely coming in an age where Jessica Simpson in Daisy Dukes is a movie's star attraction, but a film that features the roust characters of Innara, Kaylee, River and Zoe can't find an audience. Currently, we've got media-invented vampires (you know their names) while the purity and strength of actresses like Gloria Swanson, Katherine Hepburn, Greta Garbo, Marlene Dietrech, and Louise Brooks are exiled from public thought. (Thanks Marilyn male fantasy floosy bimbo so mindless she married Joe DiMaggio Monroe). He's introduced by Meryl Streep who is strong actress deserving to be mentioned in the same breath, in the same list of the other actresses.

By the way, he totally reminds me of Wash.