My hatred is once again justified!! (aka Sexism sucks)

[brendala]

So, a few little birdies told me that Mystery Incorporated improved in season two and I should give it another chance (despite all my VERY COMPELLING REASONS to avoid it like leprosy). So I tuned into today's new episode because I had nothing better to do this morning.

Today's episode featured a Puritan ghost who attacks teenagers on Lovers Lane for acting "impure". Specifically, he likes to target the teenage girls for dressing like harlots. When the gang first meets the ghost, the ghost chastises one random girl for her low neckline, chastises Daphne for her short skirt, and when he gets to Velma.....he remarks that he wont attack her because she is "plain, wholesome, and completely un-tempting to the male gaze". No, really. I AM NOT EXAGGERATING! THE SHOW REALLY DID THIS AGAIN!!!!

Apparently, despite the fact that Velma's skirt is shorter than Daphne's, even sexually repressed Pilgrims are so repulsed by her hideous, fat, masculine body that it doesn't bother their orthodox sensibilities to see her traipsing about with her legs exposed (because religious rules about modesty only apply to hot chicks).

Believe it or not, it gets worse...

--The episode shows a couple of teenage boys cheering the ghost on as he tells Velma that she's not hot enough to be attacked for immodesty. Her "friends" are right there as this happens; but none of them say or do anything to defend her. Presumably, it's because they agree with the ghost.

--There's a scene at Fred's house where Shaggy AND Scooby tease Velma by saying "What's wrong? Are you upset that you're not 'tempting' enough to get onto the ghost's hit list?"
Again, I am not exaggerating! This happens! These two are back to behaving like total assholes toward her for no goddam reason!!

--Later in the episode, Velma is sitting in the back of the van fiddling on her laptop while the gang sets traps. Scooby gets into the van, smiles, and snuggles up next to her. At first I thought this show might be attempting a cute Scooby/Velma friendship scene. But, surprise surprise, when Velma asked, "Why are you sitting so close to me?", Scooby replied, "Since the ghost doesn't want you, you're the safest place to be right now!".
Well, at least he's not trying to bite off her face or calling her a slut like he was for half of season one. I guess calling her ugly is somewhat of an improvement. -_-

--At the end of the episode, it turns out the ghost was a pair of teenage boys who teamed up and staged the attacks so they could rescue the "hot" girls and gain their affections. The boys went out of their way to avoid attacking/rescuing Velma because EEEEW! WHAT MAN IN HIS RIGHT MIND WOULD WANT TO DATE A FATTIE, AM I RITE?!?!?? I MEAN, JUST LOOK AT THIS MONSTROUS HAM-BEAST!!!!



YOU CAN'T EVEN TELL IT'S A GIRL UNDER THAT FRUMPY TIGHT SWEATER AND MINI-SKIRT!!!!!!



CLEARLY, DAPHNE IS THE ONLY "REAL WOMAN" IN THIS PICTURE!! VELMA'S BODY HAS ICKY BIG BOOBIES AND HIPS AND A BUTT!!! WHAT TEENAGE BOY IN HIS RIGHT MIND WANTS A WOMAN WITH BIG BOOBIES AND HIPS AND A SHAPELY ASS!?!?!? NONE, THAT'S HOW MANY!!!!!
[/end angry bra-burning sarcasm]


**sigh**
I tried to give the-show-that-shall-not-be-named another chance because I heard that one of the other season two episodes was focused on Scooby and Velma trying to become BFFs again. I'm pretty sure that whatever good things happened in that episode were just erased when Scooby teamed up with her douchebag ex-boyfriend to remind her how fat, ugly, and unappealing she is.

This shit has no place in a children's show! It's cruel, inappropriate, insulting to the franchise & characters, and just plain wrong. And a vindictive part of me hopes that the reason this show got shafted with long hiatuses and bad scheduling and whatnot is because some executive realized what a mistake this show was and is doing all s/he can to help it die a quiet death.



I should have known better than to do this again.

FUCK THIS SEXIST FUCKING SHOW AND THE CREEPY MISOGYNIST DOG IT RODE IN ON!!!!!

Comments

[dj-rocca.livejournal.com]

Yeah todays episode was one of the worst ones they've had this season actually. But it also endorses the jock sterotype when not finding Velma attractive. *shakes head*

The one where there IS friendship is the gloom something or other a couple episodes ago. Daphne is utterly useless in that episode, truly. Velma is the main focal point and even Mr. E flat calls her out as the best on the team.

I don't want to say too much given I don't know how many you've actually seen but the ending of the last episode was great as well. And with the way things are going, someone's going to die and its going to be Cassidy.

EDIT:

Thankfully I am built like Velma and my fiance loves it. He loves my curves. I just shake my head but I'm glad.

[earthstar-moon.livejournal.com]

I have to be admit, I've been wondering of watching the second season because I've heard how Velma gets closer to Hot Dog water Girl as a friend (I know she has a name, but it escapes me.) I've seen some fanart and gifs of them as a couple. ( Take a look at this one: http://itswalky.tumblr.com/post/28870904024/i-have-just-discovered-that-my-hard-drive ) It looks like, is Velma finally getting someone that cares about her? She's getting some respect in the show.

However, SERIOUSLY, they seriously went that route? Were there no female writers/staff members that could have pointed out why exactly this plot was a bad idea? *growls* News flash guys, plenty of guys love women with curves like Velma. *Sigh* This show can hurt my head.

[jordan179.livejournal.com]

I've never understood the assumption that Velma's repulsive -- she's cute, smart, kind and curvy -- basically a check-list of everything I like in a woman. And I felt that way about her even as a small boy, even when I wasn't sure exactly why I liked girls.

[sarajayechan.livejournal.com]

WHAT?!

That had to be a parody of some kind. If the writers honestly thought this was acceptable in this day and age, they should be fired. And then bound and gagged and given to the SJW crowd.

Seriously, did Velma kill someone's mother or something for the writers to keep shitting all over her like this? I hope this shit gets cancelled.

[secondlina.livejournal.com]

What the FUCK?

What is this, the fucking fifties? Jeez.

[rezo-eris.livejournal.com]

Okay, hold on. I can see where you're coming from with all this due to the show's past history with this sexist stuff, but the only thing I can honestly justify being mad at was Shaggy and Scooby's teasing Velma for her getting put down. Because that wasn't even friendly teasing, that was just mean spirited and making a bad situation worse. Shame on them both.

HOWEVER, you're also complaining about sexism coming from the freaking BAD GUY(S)! Seeing as the "sexually repressed pilgrim ghost" was actually two horny, shallow Jerk Jock teenage fratboys whose obsession with girls like Daphne based on "hotness" was shown to be a BAD thing and the reason they were commiting these crimes, and that they avoided Velma due to them not finding her hot showed how bad and unpleasent they were.

And again, you and I wish that there was at least SOMEBODY in the episode who would stick up for Velma rather than act the way Shaggy and Scooby did. Like Fred and/or Daphne telling them off for it. But alas, Victor Cook must think the show's gone this far with crapping on Velma and they're only SLIGHTLY going to ease up now.

The part with Scooby's "safest place to be right now" just struck me as your typical "backfired compliment" that you see in cartoons so far. One character isn't saying something to be mean, but it only makes the other character feel bad and he/she sarcastically goes "well gee, thanks alot". No big deal and nothing really offensive like the "abusive Scooby" from the first half of the show. And I'll admit, I DID kind of laugh when Velma stuck it to the sexist fratboys when she caught them and was all "IN YOUR FACE!" and Scooby goes "Velma, you're scaring me!" Ah, if only Velma could "scare" people more often (And by really taking charge, not by being a bitter harpy. XD)

[rezo-eris.livejournal.com]

OK, JUST got done seeing this episode again, and I can defenitely argue against all your points here.

"Apparently, despite the fact that Velma's skirt is shorter than Daphne's, even sexually repressed Pilgrims are so repulsed by her hideous, fat, masculine body that it doesn't bother their orthodox sensibilities to see her traipsing about with her legs exposed (because religious rules about modesty only apply to hot chicks)."

All that means is that he wasn't REALLY a sexually repressed pilgrim, but a shallow, horny teen jock who was too much of a coward to play the part the whole way.

"The episode shows a couple of teenage boys cheering the ghost on as he tells Velma that she's not hot enough to be attacked for immodesty. Her "friends" are right there as this happens; but none of them say or do anything to defend her. Presumably, it's because they agree with the ghost."

It was only one teenage boy, and the ghost IMMEDIATELY attacked him and his girlfriend afterwards, so her friends didn't have the time to defend her! The implication that they agree with the ghost wasn't there at all.

"There's a scene at Fred's house where Shaggy AND Scooby tease Velma by saying "What's wrong? Are you upset that you're not 'tempting' enough to get onto the ghost's hit list?" Again, I am not exaggerating! This happens! These two are back to behaving like total assholes toward her for no goddam reason!!"

Seeing that scene again, I'm convinced that it was meant to be them teasing Velma like teenage friends do sometimes. However, I can see why this one backfired because the show made Velma out to have self image issues before, so this very well could've been hurtful towards her rather than just all in good fun like the characters (and writers) were intending.

I already explained Scooby's backfired compliment, as well as how Ethan and Gary's mindset about "desirable" women was meant to be despised. And I'm pretty sure we were even supposed to feel good for Velma when she got to rub it in their faces how she caught them. I'm sorry, but the more I think about it, the more this entry seems like insane feminist rambling about percieved sexism that wasn't really there. Especially when it gets to the swearing and Moral Guardian claims of how "no kid should watch this!!!" at the end there.

HOWEVER, tommorow is the "Shaggy date rape" episode. I don't think I can defend that one.