Gross.

[feuervogel]

Via geekfeminism_feed, a review of Retribution Falls, a book filled with creepy misogyny.

An excerpt from the review (by a man, allow me to point out):

Trinica Dracken was the daughter of a wealthy industrialist for whom Frey worked. When they were both in their late teens, they fell in love. Trinica was a lovely sweet girl with long hair who wore white dresses, Frey was much as he is now. Eventually, the relationship had gone wrong. Here is Frey's description of it:

In the early months he'd believed they'd be together forever. He told himself he'd found a woman for the rest of his life. He couldn't conceive of meeting someone more wonderful than she was, and he wasn't tempted to try.

But it was one thing to daydream such notions, and quite another to be faced with putting them into practice. When she began to talk of engagement, with a straightforwardness he'd previously found charming, he began to idolize her a little less. His patience became less. No longer could he endlessly indulge her flights of fancy. His smile became fixed as she played her girlish games with him. Her jokes all seemed to go on too long. He found himself wishing she'd just be sensible

Okay, leaving aside for the moment that Frey's analysis of what went wrong with his relationship boils down to “the bitch wouldn't keep her mouth shut” note that here his dissatisfaction with Trinica stems simultaneously from (a) the fact that he starts to see that she isn't the perfect fantasy figure he thought she was (he “idolizes her less” which in sane-person world is a good thing in a relationship) and (b) the fact that she still displays many qualities of the fantasy figure he wants her to be (her “girlish games” and her “flights of fancy”). You've got to feel sorry for the girl, because I seriously don't know how she was supposed to please this arrant cocksucker.

[I would like to point out that 'cocksucker' is an insult based in misogyny, and I do not endorse its use.]

These depictions of casual misogyny in texts are reflective of casual misogyny in society at large. These are the thousand papercuts. I can't just ignore them or laugh them off, and anyone who is against discrimination of any sort ought not to, either.

We must shed light on them. That's the first step in changing attitudes: expose casual, everyday misogyny (and racism and ableism and homophobia and cissexism and ...) for what it is. If we ignore it, it won't just go away.

Comments

[leora.livejournal.com]

What's interesting is that the only example given of what she did wrong is taking him at his word. He claims he wants to be with her forever. At first, her believing him and acting as if that is where their relationship is headed is taken positively. But as time continues, he becomes upset that she continues to view the relationship as permanent.

No indication is given that he ever informed her of his change in attitude. And, in fact, his desire to not continue being with her seems to stem entirely from his dislike of her acting as if they will continue to be together.

Her lack of sensibility is apparently trusting him and discussing, in a straightforward manner, what that implies and how to implement things.

[feuervogel]

It's a pretty gross display of misogyny, really.

[leora.livejournal.com]

The longer review actually explains it better. Apparently men have to lie to women, because otherwise women wouldn't have sex with them. However, since then it doesn't make sense to be so upset about her believing him, apparently women are evil when they don't go along with a man's lie while not believing him to let him have what he wants while accepting that her desires will be ignored.

I'm trying to come up with some other logical path that involves men want women for sex, women want relationships, and because of this men are morally allowed to lie to women to get sex, but women are bad if they hold men to their lies.

The longer review really does point to massive amounts of fail throughout the story. Impressive amounts.

[feuervogel]

I figured it would be impolite to just paste the whole thing, so I picked one of the more bizarre excerpts.

The tables at the bottom are even more pointed.

[amakarie.livejournal.com]

There's a lot of problematic misogyny in Austen's work too, like women being "reckless" until they're cured by a bump to a head or a really bad illness that cures their "fever of the brain" and they become nice placid women who settle down with a husband (i.e. Pride and Prejudice and Persuasion).

[feuervogel]

Austen, who wrote 150 years ago, has an excuse. This book? Was published within the last 12 months.

(There may also be feminist commentary within Austen's works; I don't know. I'm not an English major, and I haven't read them. Or not since high school, maybe.)

[amakarie.livejournal.com]

LOL Oh wow, I assumed that this work was something really old considering how it was written. That's really terrible.

[corpsefairy.livejournal.com]

I fully endorse the use of "cocksucker" in Deadwood. That show brought it to Shakespearean heights.

[feuervogel]

I haven't seen Deadwood, actually, though I recall the reviewer mentioned it toward the beginning of his review.