Behold! I have discovered where the idea for s8 came from!

[elisi]

Via this page of Joss Whedon quotes:

It’s better to be a spy in the house of love, you know ? . . . If I made ‘Buffy the Lesbian Separatist,’ a series of lectures on PBS on why there should be feminism, no one would be coming to the party, and it would be boring. The idea of changing culture is important to me, and it can only be done in a popular medium.

On the whole, I'd greatly have preferred the lectures.

ETA: Since I'm here, this vid is very, very good at showing the problematic nature of some of Joss' work:

My Medea by yunitsa. Many thanks to rm for helping me find it again.

Comments

[elisi]

Does he think he has the answer as to why feminism is important? He really thinks he's the one in the know who can show us all? I am befuddled at that level of hubris. It doesn't even seem like he was aware of the privileged way he was speaking.
This. It's hard to pin down, but I think it's something like 'Look I'm cleverly using my privilege to put a message across, so that makes me one you, right? Cookie please!' Or maybe it's that because he labels himself 'feminist' he assumes that what he produces will automatically become feminist?

I dunno. It's giving me a headache.

It only makes the gaping misogyny in S8 more irritating. If this is Joss' version of mansplaining feminist ideals, he can take his 'Yay, Feminism!' lecture and shove it.
*nods a LOT*

That vid is haunting and sad. I wish there were more of BtVS and AtS in it - of the shadowmen chaining Buffy to the earth, of Giles controlling her power during the cruciamentum, of D'hoffryn and Anya/Halfrek, of Cordy's destruction at Skip's hands, etc.
That would be great. (And now I'm going to go and watch 'Bachelorette' I think...)

As it is, it is a chilling depiction of Whedon's yen for 'strong' yet broken girls.
It really is. Actually Dru and Fred would have fitted in better than Buffy - they have that fragile, childlike, (sometime) insanity thing going on too. Also, of course, they're brunettes...

[jnb71976.livejournal.com]

And now I'm going to go and watch 'Bachelorette' I think...

OH! I immediately thought of 'Bachelorette' when watching that vid! We are of like mind. *high fives*

Actually Dru and Fred would have fitted in better than Buffy - they have that fragile, childlike, (sometime) insanity thing going on too. Also, of course, they're brunettes... Exactly this. You are right on. They would fit perfectly with River and Echo. Dark-haired women who appear physically frail and have been tortured in some way, but are ultimately strong willed, yet get crushed anyways. What IS that with Joss' work? I mean, jeez!

[elisi]

OH! I immediately thought of 'Bachelorette' when watching that vid! We are of like mind. *high fives*
*grins* Love that vid. (And the fact that Buffy - despite all the problems - overcomes and *works* as a feminist show. Not counting the comics, obviously.)

Dark-haired women who appear physically frail and have been tortured in some way, but are ultimately strong willed, yet get crushed anyways. What IS that with Joss' work? I mean, jeez!
The man has a type. It's... quite disturbing, really.