Latest cartoon
Posted by Yvonne Howard on 27 July 2008, at 10:34 AM | Comments (7)
Have your say
In order to keep this blog as a feminist and friendly space, comments will be subject to some rules. We do not seek to censor debate: the beauty of the internet is that anyone can set up their own blog or website to express their views.
- This blog is a safe and friendly space for feminists and feminist allies. Debate and critique are welcome where it is constructive and deepens analysis or understanding. Anti-feminist comments will not be approved. We get to decide what's anti-feminist.
- All comments must be approved by one of the bloggers. For this reason, there may be a delay before your comment appears.
- No sexist, racist, homophobic, transphobic, classist, ablist comments, comments which make personal attacks on any blogger or commenter, or comments that are otherwise deemed offensive by us will be posted.
- Trolls will be banned from commenting. We get to decide who is a troll.
- No anonymous comments - please feel free to use your real name or make one up, though.
- Be nice.
Feeds
Laura Woodhouse said:
I might be missing something here, but this seems to me little more than the same old use of gender stereotypes - ie silly old men, always forgetting the important things in our lives - for an easy laugh. Not really what I'd expect to see on a feminist website, to be honest, and it doesn't do much for the whole "feminists hate men" thing, either.
Posted on 27 July 2008 at 10:36 PM
Yvonne Howard said:
In response to Laura, I believe gender stereotyping is wrong when either it doesn't reflect the truth or it does reflect some truth, but is unhelpful .
We all know that women still do most of the cooking, housework and childcare even when both partners work full-time. Even amongst the minority of men who do their share, many still need to be asked to empty the overflowing bin, seeing themselves as "helping".
My cartoon(s) reflects this truth. Until men start to do their fair share, I don't believe " the same old use of gender stereotypes" for the same old problem is inappropriate. Okay, it might unfortunately offend the more sensitive domesticated man (I'm sure they'll survive) and might make no difference
to the non-domesticated ones. But these cartoons aren't aimed at men; they are for women to have yes "an easy laugh" about a topic which normally engenders resentment anger and frustration. That can't be too bad surely.
As for the "I hate men" brigade, the Lottie cartoon character is obviously not of that ilk. Like many of us, she is trying trying to improve her relationship and has not yet given up on her bloke.
Posted on 28 July 2008 at 1:46 PM
Adele said:
I second the comment that wonders what point the comic is supposed to be making. Also, hardly ground-breaking. John Gray's already done it.
Posted on 29 July 2008 at 4:55 AM
tracey heynes said:
I'm surprised by the negative reaction to this cartoon.Maybe the women who wrote are much younger than me,but as a woman who has lived through years of feminist discussion,protest etc. I for one often feel frustrated at how it only seems to be a minority of men that have really moved on, as far as their behaviour in relationships is concerned.
As the only comfort we seem to get from the likes of John Gray is more or less"this is how men are - just try to work your way around it",the only way I can see to stay sane seems to be to laugh at the frustrations we have to live with(and,if you work in an office,as I do,you'll know that men do exactly the same - and if you find these cartoons printed in the F Word offensive,well just ask the men to show you the kind of stuff they pass around....need I say more?)
Posted on 29 July 2008 at 1:02 PM
jude said:
In response to Laura Woodhouse's comment I don't think Lottie could 'hate' anybody? That's what I like about the character - and how many cartoons have been featured? Isn't it a bit soon to sweep them all off the table in one grand gesture. It's good that there's controversy though - it's creative - and I would say to anyone that doesn't find them funny or doesn't agree with the tone pick up a pen and draw your own take. Come on let's see it!!! Personally I'd like to see more of Ms Howard's. Think she's got a great character in Lottie.
Posted on 29 July 2008 at 2:06 PM
Laura Woodhouse said:
I didn't mean to "sweep all the cartoons off the table", I was referring to this particular cartoon in this particular context, ie in isolation from others in the series, within an explicitly feminist blog. I don't know the Lottie character (and I wasn't suggesting that she hates men) so I imagine my response could be different if I was familiar with the other cartoons.
As for the cartoon being the truth, I guess I'm just lucky that I don't spend time with any men who conform to the stereotype!
Posted on 29 July 2008 at 11:35 PM
Christine Hankinson said:
I just want to say -I am a feminist and a vegetarian and my partner - still keeps asking me whether I eat meat - says things like - you eat chicken don't you. I don't know what it's about. But it's true and therefore is funny.
Posted on 04 August 2008 at 6:24 PM