The Minimal Value of Women
The entirety of the comic book Bitch Planet seeks to belittle women and their value. The second page of the book states that women who have been placed on Bitch Planet were "cast out for their gluttony, pride, weakness and wickedness." Essentially women are the source of all problems on earth and in order to mitigate those problems women have to be sent away. Women are, "beyond correction" and are "like a cancer that must be excised from the world." Women have a "sickness," and thus need to be removed from the planet to keep the world healthy and clean.
The first case presented regarding the determination of a woman going to Bitch Planet was because she got upset after her husband cheated on her. The man was not at fault whatsoever for committing adultery, it was concern over the fact that his wife got upset about it and therefore to remove the issue she needed to be sent away. Men can do no wrong, it's exclusively women who are the problem.
Women are sent to Bitch Planet for obscene reasons such as wanton obesity, disappointment, seduction, dishonor, disrespect," and even for being a "bad mother." These reasons in our lives today would be no means for sending a woman to prison as half of them are completely subjective. Women get no say or defense for themselves as it's decided by entirely men whether or not she'll get to remain on earth or not. A catch phrase presented in the book for women states, "we get by when we comply." The best way to remain out of trouble is to follow the guidelines of men and be the type of person a man wants to be with. One can never compete with a man or challenge him in any manner as that can be considered means for them being shipped away.
The role of women on earth is to appeal to the man. There are numerous advertisements throughout the book offering products to make girls prettier or to change a woman's personality so that she can appeal more to the man. A parasite is the new big trend on earth that makes women skinnier which idealizes them for the man. No products are advertised for the benefit of the woman herself but for how a woman can make herself better for a man. Women are supposed to aspire to "be the you he likes."
Bitch Planet reduces women down to robots who are programmed to follow the lead and desire of men. It degrades a woman's value and undermines the entire female gender.
The first case presented regarding the determination of a woman going to Bitch Planet was because she got upset after her husband cheated on her. The man was not at fault whatsoever for committing adultery, it was concern over the fact that his wife got upset about it and therefore to remove the issue she needed to be sent away. Men can do no wrong, it's exclusively women who are the problem.
Women are sent to Bitch Planet for obscene reasons such as wanton obesity, disappointment, seduction, dishonor, disrespect," and even for being a "bad mother." These reasons in our lives today would be no means for sending a woman to prison as half of them are completely subjective. Women get no say or defense for themselves as it's decided by entirely men whether or not she'll get to remain on earth or not. A catch phrase presented in the book for women states, "we get by when we comply." The best way to remain out of trouble is to follow the guidelines of men and be the type of person a man wants to be with. One can never compete with a man or challenge him in any manner as that can be considered means for them being shipped away.
The role of women on earth is to appeal to the man. There are numerous advertisements throughout the book offering products to make girls prettier or to change a woman's personality so that she can appeal more to the man. A parasite is the new big trend on earth that makes women skinnier which idealizes them for the man. No products are advertised for the benefit of the woman herself but for how a woman can make herself better for a man. Women are supposed to aspire to "be the you he likes."
Bitch Planet reduces women down to robots who are programmed to follow the lead and desire of men. It degrades a woman's value and undermines the entire female gender.
I completely agree with everything you just said about this comic book degrading a women's value and undermining the entire female gender. It was really hard for me to get through reading the book to its entirety because of how uncomfortable it is to think that I could be treated a certain way because of who I am and for something that I can't change. Not only this, but it also is quite infuriating to know that things are completely unfair upon penalizing the sexes for sins that every human being commits, one way or another. When you put yourselves into the shoes of the women who have had to deal with this all their lives, it is very eye-opening.
ReplyDeleteEven though Bitch Planet is clearly exaggerated and borderline satire, there is so much underlying truth to everything that is said. Society definitely values a certain type of woman (blonde, young, skinny, complacent, etc.). These values are taken to the extreme in Bitch Planet, though. There is also the theme of pitting women against each other, that is not directly addressed, but something I picked up on, where the Non Complacent women hate the women who are complacent. We are meant to laugh and scoff at the women who do everything to impress men, instead of approaching to societal epidemic with empathy.
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