Subject: Re: Is Twin Peaks anti-woman? Are Twin Peaks fans?
From: shippert@nntp-server.caltech.edu (Tim Shippert)
Date: 1990-11-14, 15:03
Newsgroups: alt.tv.twin-peaks

eboneste@BBN.COM (Liz Bonesteel) writes:
> >I'm glad, because I wasn't.  Truth be told, there are lots of
> >helpless, frustrating people out there.  Lots of them are women.  But
> >a lot of the women I know are strong, self-reliant people, and I just
> >don't see them well represented on this show.  (And yes, I know it's
> >unrealistic to really expect it; but I *like* this show, and I expect
> >unusual things from this show.  I'd like it better if I found the
> >women to be as representative of the general population as the men
> >are.)

I don't think you are being fair to the women on the show.  Who do
you consider a "weak, dependant" (to invert your phrase) female?  Shelley,
perhaps, but she is a battered wife and therefore has an excuse.  Maybe the
peripheral women, such as Laura's mom, Bobby's mom, Donna's mom... are you
beginning to see the pattern there?  The women who play the roles of
"traditional family valued" women may be dependant, perhaps even weak, but
that's almost part of their job description as old-fashioned mothers.

Audrey, Donna, Norma, even Laura can certainly be considered
"strong".   Conversely, Bobby, Mike, Leo, and Andy are all "weak".

> >Perhaps the problem here is that the attitude expressed is one of my
> >personal pet peeves: men who claim that women are incomprehensible.
> >There are a lot of them.  They piss me off.  

The problem is that a lot of women really are incomprehensible to a
lot of men.  In our society, at least, women have a different set of
background experiences and expectations.  Physical differences drive some
of these cultural differences, and there is even a whole different set of
chemicals inside a woman than in a man.  Put all that together, and it
seems unreasonable to say that everything a given woman does and feels is
going to be as easy to understand if you are male as if you are female.
The reverse should logically be true, of course.

I don't mean to piss you off.  I think its a weak excuse, myself.
I'm simply claiming that men are at a disadvantage when trying to figure
out what women feel, and visa versa.  This in no way justifies dismissing
women as hopelessly silly just because you don't "get" them.  On the other
hand, I think its understandable why some men choose to just give up and
not try very hard to be fair.  That reaction is an indication of a personal
flaw, but not an uncommon or outrageous one.

> >Perhaps my reaction was
> >an overreaction because of that; but I don't really see any change or
> >clarification of this attitude in subsequent episodes.  Take Lucy, for
> >example.  To those of us who know what's going on in her life, her
> >behavior makes perfect sense.  But this gang doesn't even *try* to
> >understand; they just shrug their shoulders and say "Women!"

I am not convinced its merely a dismissal of Lucy As Woman; I think
its at least partially a dismissal of Lucy As A Somewhat Flighty Person.
At least that's how she appears a lot of the time.  That may not be the
real Lucy, but then why does she act that way?  Why didn't she just tell
Andy she was pregnant before being coerced into it?  Maybe there is a good
explanation, but it may not be easily recognizable by the men.  Another
indication of the problem in inter-sex communication.

>> >>It doesn't take spine to go undercover as a hooker or
>> >>to come up with the plan to swipe the diary from a man who might
>> >>be crazy?  Come on, Liz.
> >
> >And every single time they've tried to do something daring they've
> >been RESCUED.  Just once, I'd like to see a female character
> >(anywhere!) get herself out of a jam.

Two words: Catherine Martel.

Besides, even Truman and Cooper had to be rescued by Hawk.
-- Tim Shippert shippert@tybalt.caltech.edu Q: What is the difference between "The Twilight Zone" and "Silver Spoons"? A: "The Twilight Zone" only _occasionally_ featured the adventures of hideous mutants. -D. Letterman