Quake, Fanboys, Quake

I mentioned in a previous post that I haven't blogged about the Mary Jane statue because I really didn't care about it. It's not to my taste and I wouldn't buy it, and ultimately that would be the end of it. But I'm fascinated by the reactions to the reactions to it.

A lot of my reaction coincides with Ragnell's post Reveille, which, by the way, I totally named. I also named When Fangirls Attack. I believe I'm entitled to bragging rights here. But I digress.

There is one reaction that will never stop making me laugh in genuine full-throated amusement. This reaction can be summed up as (paraphrased of course):

"You're damaging your cause! You all look like insane militant freaks! No one will ever take you seriously!" I'm sure you've seen it.

Do you know why this is so funny to me? Because I am a feminist.

Come on, guys, do you seriously think the image of feminists as militant, psychotic man-haters is NEW? That caricature dates back at least to the seventies, with Betty Friedan, Gloria Steinem and Roe v. Wade.

Hell, go back further and see the kind of shit they used to say about Susan B. Anthony or Elizabeth Cady Stanton and the suffragettes.

It's the same old story. Men and women who don't understand what feminists are fighting for embracing a terrified mental picture of ogreish man-women praying to the bible of Valerie Solanas's SCUM Manifesto every night while plotting the mass-castration of all of the men on the planet.

It's why you get people saying things like "I believe in equal rights, but...", "I'm an 'equalist' not a 'feminist'." "I believe in equality not feminist supremacy."

And guess what? That didn't stop us. Feminists, both male and female, have made countless strides toward the goal of equal rights and fair treatment, of choice and freedom for both sexes despite the dismissal, fear, and mocking from people who don't understand.

This kerfluffle over the MJ statue is hardly going to change that.

In fact, as a feminist who doesn't give a single jack shit about this stupid statue, I think that this whole mess is a fantastic opportunity!

The publicity is enormous! And not just in the blogosphere! (Though the hits for When Fangirls Attack have been going through the roof!) This thing has made the news! People who don't know a damn thing about comics are hearing about this issue!

And you know what this means?

Sure there are people out there looking at all this and shaking their heads, "What are those crazy feminists going on about now?!" Sure, there's yet again another way for feminists to be spun into militant lunatics frothing their mouths over a cause that doesn't matter.

But this time, these frothing militant feminist lunatics are being linked to SUPERHERO COMIC BOOKS.

That pervasive and insulting outsider stereotype of comic book readers as white, middle-aged, virgin men living in their parents' basement has been invaded. Guess who else is reading superhero comics? Crazy, militant, psychotic man-hating feminists!

This is living breathing proof to both the comic book industry and the outside world that women are reading comics.

And yes, this has given that stupid statue more publicity than it has ever deserved, and yes, this will probably make further sales go through the roof. But that's not the point!

The point is now, amidst all the money they're probably making from all this commotion, someone may figure out that, hey, if they make a new statue of She-Hulk lifting a car or just a Kirsten Dunst-style Mary Jane who ISN'T presenting her tits and ass, people would buy those too.

It's funny, because I honestly think that if the opposing side reacted with a simple "I'm sorry it offends you, but I really think it's nice," this would have blown over a long time ago. Instead, they poured gasoline on an open flame. This isn't about Mary Jane anymore. This is about the fact that there are women and men out there who read and like superhero comics but still want a more fair and balanced treatment of the sexes. Who like Mary Jane, Lois Lane, Carol Ferris or Vicki Vale for more than just their ability to flaunt their tits and ass. Who believe that there is a need for change and are finally making their voices heard.

So to a certain group of superhero comic fans: go ahead. Keep using your equivocations, excuses, patronization, disapproval, offended anger, outraged exclamations and personal attacks to mask your thinly veiled fear and dismay. It doesn't change anything.

We. Are. Winning.