The Lucas Legacy

Many moons ago, in a galaxy far far away - a teenage girl named Squid went to see STAR WARS. She was so enthralled that she went to see the film 6 more times before summer's end. That fall, when back in school, she even wrote an essay for an English class assignment on Darth Vader. No kidding.

That same squidly girl would avidly await each of the subsequent 2 sequels. Decades later, as a squidly woman, she would stand in line for tickets to see the three original films - re-released onto the big screen - one more time. However, she did not watch her beloved films with the same eyes as she did as a teenaged girl. As STAR WARS played out before her eyes this time she began to think - wait a minute - how come every humanoid except Princess Leia is a white male? Can't people of color or even women! drive fighter jets? Or, at least, operate the controls back at headquarters? What do you mean, G. Lucas, that your awesome fantastical world is no more enlightened than mine?! I do not remember it so. I was once thrilled by Leia - the very concept of Leia. She was one of the first strong, do-it-yourself type of female characters I had ever seen (sadly) by the time I was a teenager. She was inspiring! She was AWESOME!!!! Now she seems, well, token-like in a sea of white men.

As does black Lando Calrissian, now, of THE EMPIRE STRIKES BACK.

Sigh

It's hard to go back onest one eyes have been opened.

As I watched the 3 films of old unfold before my eyes on the big screen, I willfully tried to silence the complaints of my enlightened, feminist mind, to fully engage the film, to recapture myself of old. It only half worked. Maybe. The experience of seeing these films again on the big screen was fun - but the magic was gone.

To his credit - in the face of such complaints from "special interest" groups - Lucas did present a somewhat more "enlightened" view of humanoids in the subsequent 3 installments (parts 1, 2, & 3).

So what's brought on all of this Squidly angst? My child, with light saber at the ready, is currently engaged in combat with evil droids in our living room. As I type this post, its familiar sabery sounds fill the air, conjuring up memories of Obi Wan Kenobi in my mind. Six installments later, G. Lucas' CLONE WARS has now captured the imagination of my child's generation. I asked my child recently - are there any female characters in the CWs? Used to the question by now, said child responded - oh yeah, there are some. Some? mmmmm

I'm so suspicious, jaded even, on the whole subject these days.

In time, said child will no doubt see the original 3 films (parts 4, 5, & 6). Part of me looks forward to introducing my child to a wonderful part of my imaginative past, though part of me hopes the earlier films do not re-inscribe my child with certain narrow views of humankind. It's the same problem with children's books of old . . .

So G. Lucas' wonderful - I mean that sincerely - world of Star Wars lives on in my home. Trying to change with the times, G. Lucas is now capturing the imaginations of another generation of children - I hope - I fervently hope, anyway, that girls are as captured by the mythic world of Lucas' mind as are boys. I HOPE parents do not convey to them that such stuff is just for boys. Though I have my doubts. I actually think the gender coding of toys, movies, etc. has gotten worse, not better. Even my child is aware of it without prompting from me. Another post for another day . . .

So as I depart to go & assess the droid carnage in my living room I will imagine myself as Princess Leia - patiently picking up the pieces of the chaos wrought by men (Luke & Han). She had a great line in STAR WAS as she grabbed a weapon from one of them quipping - "This is some rescue. Either of you have a real plan for getting us out of here?!"

Ha! I will forever have a forgiving feminist heart for Lucas because of that line! Oh so sarcastically delivered by Carrie Fisher.

Two posts on gay marriage

As both are really, really long -- I don't know what it is that compels me, sometimes -- I'll just leave the links, rather than hogging the whole front page.

Wingnuts & Moonbats: My thoughts on Homosexual Marriage

Wingnuts & Moonbats: Is there a right to marry whomever one wishes?


Sorry I've been remiss in not posting, here. Nothin' lately seemed worthy...

HIGH HEELS FOR BABY GIRLS

Calling all parents of little girls - BABY girls! Did you know that your little girls no longer have to wait until they are adult women - or even young women - to wear high heeled shoes? Isn't that great! Two women have come up with the notion of manufacturing & marketing cushy, squishy high heels for baby girls! Must be legit because I saw them interviewed on CNN yesterday. As to their critics, pointed out by the interviewer, they respond that their inspiration was Sex & The City. I'm NOT kidding.

Let's back up a bit.

Parents raise their children based on the premise that their experiences of their early years will effect their later years. We discipline our children when they are young so that they will learn certain boundaries, parameters of socially accepted behavior. In other words, we teach them how to play nicely with others as children in the hopes that they will play nicely with adults later in life. When our children experience trauma in their young life we worry about how this will effect them when they grow up. Will they always be fearful of such & so? Will there be any lasting emotional scars, etc.? We send them to kindergarten because they need skills that will help them maneuver 1st, & then onto second grade etc.

In other words - we acknowledge the theory of "cause & effect." With respect to all these sorts of things we accept the notion that what our very young children are exposed to will inform how they grow & mature year after year after year and on into adult-hood. This is accepted thought - right?

Well NOT when it comes to gender-coded toys & clothing & books & movies/tv. With respect to these two issues, many parents turn a blind eye. Willfully. Mind-numbingly so. Whenever I voice fears or concerns on the subject I am often met with the attitude that I am making too much of it. And this from people who also believe that what is learned in first grade effects second grade etc. We accept the notion of learned behavior except when it comes to gender coding. It is as if we believe that with respect to this issue somehow our children's senses will be turned off & unaffected. Oh please! That's ridiculous.

It seems to me that this blind eye to gender coding is due to a denial of how we - the adults - have ourselves been so effected. We don't want to acknowledge our own gender-coded-ness or the very real, still pervasive gender coding of our world.

Back to high heels for baby girls - the fact that the one woman interviewed actually thought Sex & The City was a logical source of inspiration for an idea associated with baby girls says it all about willful blindness. I can not help but think - again, using cause & effect reasoning - that parents who would put high heels on their baby girls will then, as these girls continue to grow, not monitor the clothing that their daughters wear, clothing that sends a message not just to boys (& some men, sadly) but also to the girls themselves.

I once saw a little girl wearing a t-shirt that said "I'm expensive."

Oh my. Parenting at its worst.