Fake Geek Guys: A Message to Men About Sexual Harassment

[el_bryanto]

This is a really good article about the threat of sexual violence that occurs in the comics community with shocking regularity.

But it’s not news to a lot of women I know, and to women whose work you’ve read here and around the Web. I know it’s not news to them because of the way they write about it. They describe the latest rape threat as plainly as a man like you or I might complain about a late train. It’s just a another lousy thing that happens. You know, life in the big city.

“I will find you. I will hurt you. I will physically violate you… for being wrong about Spider-Man.”

Can you imagine, gentlemen, receiving that threat from a potentially dangerous man whose identity you have no hope of discovering but who knows your name, what city you live in, what you look like and where you work?

Now imagine receiving messages like that from men so frequently that you’re no longer bothered by it.

It's quite a good read.

Bryant

[chrisstopher]

1. Very informative

There sure are a lot of Neanderthals still running around this world.
Too bad so many are in elected office.

[Kelvin Mace]

2. In a contentious post last week

I was being lectured about how divisive and unhelpful Andrea Dworkin was because of her "extreme" statements. I read things like this suddenly folks like Dworkin are not so extreme.

[seabeyond]

4. i should have gotten back in that thread. and i didnt. time elsewhere. but wowser.... wow wow

the investment some have to eliminate that womans voice.

[CrispyQ]

3. Outstanding! Thank you.

Subsequently, Janelle reported that a number of men had called her a “whiny bitch,” a “feminazi,” a “feminist bitch,” and a “bitter c*nt.” And then, the online misogynist’s finishing move, the rape threats.

All this happened because a woman didn’t like a comic book that a man liked.


more...


That guy I quoted above, the one who wrote Janelle that loathsome communiqué? He was right about one thing. Men are the cure — but we are the cancer too. It is wholly and rightfully and crucially up to men in this society and especially in this subculture to speak out and watch out. To end the cycle of bullying, harassment and violence. To recognize the grotesque irony of degrading women over matters of heroic fictions whose lessons about fairness and decency we’ve supposedly been studying since we were just little boys, and to start putting those ideas into practice as grown-ass men.



Read More: Fake Geek Guys: A Message to Men About Sexual Harassment | http://comicsalliance.com/sexual-harassment-online-rape-threats-comics-superheroes-lessons-men-geek-culture/?trackback=tsmclip

[seabeyond]

5. "to speak out and watch out." so important. it is becoming a norm in my boys teenage world.

to the extent that i think i may not be able to get it across and they will have to suffer their own repercussions or hopefully recognize how much a norm this is.

they see it. but.... being privileged they really do not see the extent it is a norm. not having lived three decades ago. seeing a different.

[starroute]

6. The article criticizing a DC cover that set this off is also worth reading

I mostly get wind of these arguments second-hand through my son and his friends -- but it's very clear that DC is pissing a lot of people off by their decision that the most cost-effective marketing strategy is to aim exclusively at 18-39 year old males and act as if the rest of the world doesn't exist. Their objectification of women is what arouses the most outrage, but as the article makes clear, they're also ignoring the kid and young adult markets that once provided the main comic book audience.

The superhero genre has never quite known how to handle female characters, but what DC has been doing goes several degrees of insensitivity and exploitation beyond any past offenses. And if the most rabid fans of presently-existing DC comics feel entitled to attack women in the way they have been, I would say the publisher itself bears a significant share of the responsibility.

http://www.comicbookresources.com/?page=article&id=52103

The cover of a publishing project is a precious thing. In the book world, each cover is agonized over, sometimes for more than a year, with input from sales, marketing, editorial and others. In magazines, everything from seasonally appropriate coloring to visibility while sitting on a newsstand is discussed. In superhero comics, well, we get covers like this.

The cover to the new "Teen Titans" #1, released earlier this week, is not just a terrible comics cover, it's a prime example of how even the most corporate comic book companies can make basic mistakes regarding the potential audience for a book. It's embarrassing that anyone, in particular a company as large and full of intelligent people as DC Comics (I swear! I used to work there -- many of those people are wonderful), could produce something this non-functional. Covers are important, but their job is also very basic. . . .

You know who loves Teen Titans? People who enjoyed the early 2000s "Teen Titans" animated show, many of whom are female and many of whom are teenagers or young 20-somethings today. Market research could and does back this up. Graphic Policy's Brett Schenker pulled together the Facebook stats for me for fans of the original "Teen Titans" animated series. Currently in the United States, there are 500,000 self-professed fans of the show on Facebook. 260,000 of those are women. Yes, that's right -- more than half. The majority of male and female fans are ages 15-23 with the bulk being 17. This is just a quick review of the potential market for these comics. Say a quarter of those fans actually tried a Teen Titans comic aimed at their demographic -- you're going to have a significantly higher number than the 26,000 copies "Teen Titans" is estimated to have sold in March.

.

[el_bryanto]

7. Yes - DC has a real backwords looking strategy right now

Marvel makes errors too - regularly - but they are also promoting Black Widow, Captain Marvel (Carol Danvers), She Hulk, and the new Ms. Marvel, among others. The new Ms. Marvel in particular is a treat, being Kamala Khan, a teenage Muslim Girl from Jersey City who idolizes Captain Marvel (formally Ms. Marvel), and then gets powers of her own.



Only three issues in, so it could turn to crap, but so far it's very good.

Bryant

[ismnotwasm]

8. Nice!

Thank you