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[[File:Joss_Whedon_by_Gage_Skidmore_4.jpg|thumb|Joss Whedon]]
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'''Joss Whedon''' is the creator of several popular television shows including [[Buffy the Vampire Slayer]], [[Angel: The Series]], [[Firefly]], [[Dr Horrible's Sing-Along Blog]], and [[Dollhouse]].
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'''Joss Whedon''' is the creator of several popular television shows including ''[[Buffy the Vampire Slayer]]'', Buffy spin-off ''Angel'', ''[[Firefly]]'' and its followup movie [[Serenity]], ''[[Dr Horrible's Sing-Along Blog]]'', and ''[[Dollhouse]]''. He also made several movies such as ''The Cabin in the Woods'' and the movie ''The Avengers'' based on the Marvel [[Comics fandom|comics]].
   
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Many people congratulate Whedon for his kick-ass female characters, however, after more than a decade of watching his shows, many are questioning his feminist credentials.
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Many people congratulate Whedon for his kick-ass female characters, however, many also question his feminist credentials.
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== Buffy the Vampire Slayer ==
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Whedon first came to feminist attention for [[Buffy the Vampire Slayer]] which originally aired from 1997-2003, running to seven series over that period.
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"Buffy the Vampire Slayer" showed a teenage girl, Buffy Summers, as a hero. Buffy was feminine in appearance, and cared about normative teenage girl things like cheerleading and fashion, while also fighting to protect her community against supernatural threats. The show "Buffy" also had many other female characters, both good and evil, and frequently passed the [[Bechdel test]].
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"Buffy" was widely analysed and spawned a field of academic studies originally called "Buffy Studies" or "Buffyology" and later called "Whedon studies" (see below).
   
 
== On strong female characters and Whedon as a feminist writer ==
  
== On strong female characters and Whedon as a feminist writer ==
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Many of the women in Whedon's work have been called [[strong female characters]]. Buffy is the most obvious of these, though characters like Willow Rosenberg and Zoe Washburne are also given as examples.
  
Many of the women in Whedon's work have been called [[strong female characters]]. Buffy is the most obvious of these, though characters like Willow Rosenberg and Zoe Washburne are also given as examples.
   
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* Joss Whedon speech: [http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cYaczoJMRhs "Why do you write these strong female characters?"] (on YouTube)
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Joss Whedon describes this in a speech: [http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cYaczoJMRhs "Why do you write these strong female characters?"] (on YouTube)
   
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Some other writing on Whedon as a feminist includes:
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Whedon was raised by a feminist mother and, some years ago, was more often credited with feminist sensibility. However, it is difficult, in 2009 (the time of writing this page) to find websites prepared to support his feminist credentials. Here are some, however:
  
   
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* [http://whedonesque.com/comments/19548 Joss Whedon - feminist?] (Whedonesque.com, a Whedon fan site, talks about Whedon's feminism. That's about as pro-Whedon as you're likely to get, yes?)
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* [http://whedonesque.com/comments/19548 Joss Whedon - feminist?] (Whedonesque.com, a Whedon fan site, talks about Whedon's feminism)
 
* [http://movies.ign.com/articles/425/425492p2.html Interview with Joss Whedon] in which he talks about being raised as a radical feminist
  
* [http://movies.ign.com/articles/425/425492p2.html Interview with Joss Whedon] in which he talks about being raised as a radical feminist
   
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However, in more recent years there has been considerable opposition to Whedon as a feminist writer, and criticism of his work for its [[race|racism]], portrayal of [[rape culture]], [[women in refrigerators]], and other problematic tropes.
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(Please add more if you can find them.)
  
   
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== Buffy studies/Whedon studies ==
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See [http://www.slayageonline.com www.slayageonline.com] as well as numerous books by scholars such as Rhonda Wilcox, Lorna Jowett, Stacey Abbott, and Roz Kaveney.
  
   
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The academic study of Whedon's work is called "Whedon Studies" or formerly "Buffy Studies". The main centre of these studies is the [http://www.whedonstudies.tv/ Association for Whedon Studies], who have produced the journal "Slayage" has since January 2001<ref>http://slayageonline.com/Numbers/slayage1.htm</ref>.
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== Criticisms of Whedon's work ==
  
   
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The following academic authors/books examine Whedon's work from a feminist perspective or discuss gender in Buffy:
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Some people claim that Whedon's work is thinly-veiled misogyny. For instance, a frequent criticism is that many of his female characters are [[rape culture|raped]].
  
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* Rhonda Wilcox, "Sex and The Slayer: A Gender Studies Primer for the Buffy Fan" (2005)
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* Chloe Campbell, "[http://issuu.com/watercoolerjournal/docs/the_chosen_ones_-_feminism_and_gend The Chosen Ones: Feminism and Gender Studies in Buffy the Vampire Slayer]" (2014)
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* Lorna Jowett
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* Stacey Abbott
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* Roz Kaveney
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More may be found in the following links which classify Buffy Studies articles by topic:
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* [http://slayageonline.com/EBS/buffy_studies/buffy_studies_by_discipline.htm#Feminist Feminism]
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* [http://slayageonline.com/EBS/buffy_studies/buffy_studies_by_discipline.htm#Gender%20Studies Gender studies]
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* [http://slayageonline.com/EBS/buffy_studies/buffy_studies_by_discipline.htm#Queer%20Studies Queer studies]
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* [http://slayageonline.com/EBS/buffy_studies/buffy_studies_by_discipline.htm#Sex/Sexuality Sex/sexuality]
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See also:
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* [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Buffy_studies Buffy studies] on Wikipedia
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== Feminist praise for Whedon's work ==
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*[http://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLEsjBwH8it7jMvfkg4AfcyzUb_hBGA6BQ Dollhouse Is Feminist] - A video series.
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*[http://www.alternet.org/culture/150541/%27buffy%27_and_%27dollhouse%27%3A_visions_of_female_empowerment_and_disempowerment?page=entire 'Buffy' and 'Dollhouse': Visions of Female Empowerment and Disempowerment]
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* [http://www.reason.com/archives/2003/08/01/why-buffy-kicked-ass Why Buffy Kicked Ass]
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* [http://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLEsjBwH8it7j9UAsYkmwigevRYaepRxLL re: "Reconsidering the Feminism of Joss Whedon"] - A video series response to "[http://www.themarysue.com/reconsidering-the-feminism-of-joss-whedon/ Reconsidering the Feminism of Joss Whedon]"
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== Criticisms of Whedon's work ==
   
 
=== General ===
  
=== General ===
   
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* [http://thehathorlegacy.com/joss-whedon-and-feminist-cookies/ Joss Whedon and feminist cookies] at The Hathor Legacy (see also: [[Cookies]])
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* [http://thehathorlegacy.com/joss-whedon-and-feminist-cookies/ Joss Whedon and feminist cookies] at The Hathor Legacy (see also: [[Feminist cookie]])
 
* [http://naamenblog.wordpress.com/2008/09/12/critiquing-joss-whedon/ Critiquing Joss Whedon] at Naamenblog
  
* [http://naamenblog.wordpress.com/2008/09/12/critiquing-joss-whedon/ Critiquing Joss Whedon] at Naamenblog
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* [http://www.themarysue.com/reconsidering-the-feminism-of-joss-whedon/ Reconsidering the Feminism of Joss Whedon] at The M
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* [http://www.themarysue.com/reconsidering-the-feminism-of-joss-whedon/ Reconsidering the Feminism of Joss Whedon] at The Mary Sue
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* Buffy The Vampire Slayer/Angel: the Series
  
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=== Buffy The Vampire Slayer/Angel: the Series ===
   
 
* [http://feministatsea.wordpress.com/2009/02/25/why-buffy-the-vampire-slayer-is-not-a-feminist-show/ Why Buffy the Vampire Slayer is not a feminist show]
  
* [http://feministatsea.wordpress.com/2009/02/25/why-buffy-the-vampire-slayer-is-not-a-feminist-show/ Why Buffy the Vampire Slayer is not a feminist show]
 
:"Buffy on the other hand is kept almost virginal and is punished severely almost every time she has sex."
  
:"Buffy on the other hand is kept almost virginal and is punished severely almost every time she has sex."
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* http://www.reason.com/archives/2003/08/01/why-buffy-kicked-ass Why Buffy Kicked Ass
  
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*
  
 
* [http://wondercow.blogspot.com/2005/05/joss-whedon-is-misogynist-homophobe.html Joss Whedon is a misogynist homophobe]
  
* [http://wondercow.blogspot.com/2005/05/joss-whedon-is-misogynist-homophobe.html Joss Whedon is a misogynist homophobe]
 
* A series of articles:
  
* A series of articles:
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=== Firefly ===
  
=== Firefly ===
   
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* [http://geekfeminism.wikia.com/wiki/Joss_Whedon#Criticisms_of_Whedon.27s_work A Rapist's View of the World: Joss Whedon and Firefly]
 
* [http://meloukhia.net/2009/04/is_joss_whedon_a_feminist_the_women_of_fireflyserenity.html Is Joss Whedon a feminist? The women of Firefly/Serenity]
  
* [http://meloukhia.net/2009/04/is_joss_whedon_a_feminist_the_women_of_fireflyserenity.html Is Joss Whedon a feminist? The women of Firefly/Serenity]
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* [http://whoretoculture.net/2009/02/21/more-than-just-a-whore-sex-work-firefly-and-audience-engagement/ More than just a whore: sex work, Firefly, and audience engagement]
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* [http://web.archive.org/web/20090323042509/http://whoretoculture.net/2009/02/21/more-than-just-a-whore-sex-work-firefly-and-audience-engagement/ More than just a whore: sex work, Firefly, and audience engagement]
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* [http://users.livejournal.com/_allecto_/34718.html A rapist's view of the world: Joss Whedon and Firefly]
  
   
 
=== Dr. Horrible ===
  
=== Dr. Horrible ===
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* [http://open.salon.com/blog/voicegal/2009/02/14/foxs_dollhouse_one_more_excuse_for_misogyny Fox's Dollhouse: one more excuse for misogyny]
  
* [http://open.salon.com/blog/voicegal/2009/02/14/foxs_dollhouse_one_more_excuse_for_misogyny Fox's Dollhouse: one more excuse for misogyny]
 
* [http://holly.mclo.net/archives/2009/04/reasons_dollhou.html Reasons "Dollhouse" is misogynist bullshit #1: The names]
  
* [http://holly.mclo.net/archives/2009/04/reasons_dollhou.html Reasons "Dollhouse" is misogynist bullshit #1: The names]
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[[Category:Praise for Whedon's work]]
  
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== Fanworks ==
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A number of notable feminist fanworks have been produced from, and/or in response to, Whedon's shows, including:
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* [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RZwM3GvaTRM Buffy vs Edward: Twilight Remixed] (youtube link)
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== References ==
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<references />
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== External Links ==
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*[http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0923736/ Joss Whedon] at the Internet Movie Database
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[[Category:Rape culture]]
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[[Category:Creators of works with issues]]

Latest revision as of 20:50, 28 January 2016

Joss Whedon by Gage Skidmore 4

Joss Whedon

Joss Whedon is the creator of several popular television shows including Buffy the Vampire Slayer, Buffy spin-off Angel, Firefly and its followup movie Serenity, Dr Horrible's Sing-Along Blog, and Dollhouse. He also made several movies such as The Cabin in the Woods and the movie The Avengers based on the Marvel comics.

Many people congratulate Whedon for his kick-ass female characters, however, many also question his feminist credentials.

Buffy the Vampire Slayer

Whedon first came to feminist attention for Buffy the Vampire Slayer which originally aired from 1997-2003, running to seven series over that period.

"Buffy the Vampire Slayer" showed a teenage girl, Buffy Summers, as a hero. Buffy was feminine in appearance, and cared about normative teenage girl things like cheerleading and fashion, while also fighting to protect her community against supernatural threats. The show "Buffy" also had many other female characters, both good and evil, and frequently passed the Bechdel test.

"Buffy" was widely analysed and spawned a field of academic studies originally called "Buffy Studies" or "Buffyology" and later called "Whedon studies" (see below).

On strong female characters and Whedon as a feminist writer

Many of the women in Whedon's work have been called strong female characters. Buffy is the most obvious of these, though characters like Willow Rosenberg and Zoe Washburne are also given as examples.

Joss Whedon describes this in a speech: "Why do you write these strong female characters?" (on YouTube)

Some other writing on Whedon as a feminist includes:

However, in more recent years there has been considerable opposition to Whedon as a feminist writer, and criticism of his work for its racism, portrayal of rape culture, women in refrigerators, and other problematic tropes.

Buffy studies/Whedon studies

The academic study of Whedon's work is called "Whedon Studies" or formerly "Buffy Studies". The main centre of these studies is the Association for Whedon Studies, who have produced the journal "Slayage" has since January 2001[1].

The following academic authors/books examine Whedon's work from a feminist perspective or discuss gender in Buffy:

More may be found in the following links which classify Buffy Studies articles by topic:

See also:

Feminist praise for Whedon's work

Criticisms of Whedon's work

General

Buffy The Vampire Slayer/Angel: the Series

"Buffy on the other hand is kept almost virginal and is punished severely almost every time she has sex."

Firefly

Dr. Horrible

Dollhouse

"Me: Have you got anything without rape? Joss Whedon: Well, there's rape, intrigue, shirtless Helo and rape, that's not got much rape in it."

Fanworks

A number of notable feminist fanworks have been produced from, and/or in response to, Whedon's shows, including:

References

  1. ↑ http://slayageonline.com/Numbers/slayage1.htm

External Links

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