Women- Can't Live With 'Em....
By Jonathan "Underfaker" Lindsey
I decided to write this editorial over something about
DBZ villians and responding to my viewer mail because
of some things I saw on the internet about the traditional
anime taboo. And that of course, is women that watch
anime. I think i'll need another shot of Jack before
I start off.
During this, i'll use my sister as a general model because
she is highly intelligent, witty and a very open person.
I'll also use her for a scapegoat, har har.
Throughout the anime world, there seems to be a sort
of hymen against women and anime. Women are constantly
viewed as not enjoying anime and should not watch it.
Is this true? As in all things, there is usually a gray
area. This certainly falls into it. Not to blow my own
horn, but I have had many woman friends over the years.
And they all shared the same sentiment about
cartoons- They are for kids. Granted, anime is not the
same thing as cartoons. But since I like playing the
role of devil's advocate, comparing cartoons to anime
with non-knowing people is like comparing Ford to Chevrolet.
They both do the same thing. They both have four wheels
and move. But to the knowing fan, anime is so much farther
away than cartoons in the same respect that Ford mounts
the starter soilenoid on the firewall, while everyone
elses is on the starter. Confused? GOOD.
My sister loves cartoons. She hates some anime. My sister
is 26 years old. Problem? I've tried to change my sister
to enjoy anime. She has watched anime with me, from
Dragonball Z to Vampire Hunter D to Fist of the Northstar
to Tekken to Kodomo No Omocha (Child's Toy) to Rurouni
Kenshin. And everytime she watches it she tells me the
same thing. Its either too disgusting (Fist Of the Northstar)
or too silly (Child's Toy). So I showed her the "happy
medium" of DBZ and Kenshin. Then she debuts "its
too silly at times". Bear with me, this will have
relevance soon. And yet, she will watch Tom & Jerry
with me for hours and laugh at almost every episode.
Now to tie this all together, take my sister, multiply
her by a few million, and you have about 98% of the
woman population.
Ask almost any woman if they watch cartoons or anime.
They look at you like you fell off the moon. This is
why, you 2% of the woman population, that most men think
that only guys watch anime or develop sites about them.
Nothing against women, of course, its just a stereotyped
view of things that EVERY person has experienced. And
don't you DARE say that you have never
stereotyped something before. Everyone is guilty. I
know that every woman has stereotyped men for at least
one thing, whether it be driving, our "toys",
immaturity, infiedlity or any number of things. Men,
in retaliation, think that whatever most women don't
like means that ALL women don't like.
Lets see a show of hands- How many men here have watched
anime or cartoons and had a woman criticize them because
of it? Lots of hands! Now, How many women have watched
anime or cartoons and been criticize about it? Equal
amount, I see. I have always loved anime and cartoons
for their sheer ability to unify men and women under
the same banner. Video games we grow out of, vehicles
never have a common bond, but cartoons and anime...whoo.
Now why do most guys think that women hate anime &
cartoons? Its because its all we have ever heard, except
on VERY rare occasions. Its the same percentage that
women like to work on vehicles. My mom is nearly a full-pledged
mechanic and makes time for her soap operas. Bizarre,
no? When I laugh outrageously at Child's Toy my sister
looks confused. Why? Simple answer.
Its because we don't know any better. And that is the
reason that the woman/anime stigmata continues. And
maybe we can all do our part to fix that problem and
make the world a little better for everybody. And this
is a shout-out to woman webmasters for ANY page- Keep
up the good work. Thanks to those of you who don't blast
men in our infinite ignorance (stereotype!). Thanks
very much for your honesty to us and the gumption to
stay in the internet business. And please, if you get
another letter not believeing you are a guy...laugh
out loud, 'cause you see, when my mom walks into an
auto parts store, they STILL call her sir. So don't
feel like the Lone Ranger.
From Texas with love,
Jonathan "Underfaker" Lindsey
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