As with the recent "Feminism" thread, I can't help but reference phenomena in popular media here as well, since this now plays such a pivotal role in shaping our culture's consciousness, values, and ideas. Has anyone noticed how many "woman warriors" or "[img]https://the-highway.com/Smileys/censored.gif[/img]-kicking babes" are on TV and in the movies these days? Sure, there used to be a few (e.g., Wonder Woman and the Bionic Woman), but today they're everywhere, and they're stronger and "sexier" than ever. There's Alias, Xena Warrior Princess, Buffy the Vampire Slayer, Charlie's Angels*, Tomb Raider, Kill Bill, La Femme Nikitas, and of course the more "realistic" G.I. Jane, just to name a few. Even though many of these are "fantasy" characters, I wonder if they are not contributing to unrealistic perceptions and expectations about what most women are physically capable of. You can see the same thing in cartoons and comics as well, and in virtually any movie these days where there's hand to hand combat, women not only fight as well as men, but more often than not they prevail.


Men Are From Mars, Women Are From Mars



* Yes, I know there was a television show called Charlie's Angels that was on back before I was born, but the movies are unlike it in many respects, not least the anabolic "super powers" the gals now possess.


Brad