Gender Positivity

SAVORY100

Sith Lord
Joined
May 29, 2014
Messages
4,186
Location
Wiltshire
This might be a slightly controversial question/post and before I start, I post these questions more as observations and a bit devils advocate really to get a conversation going on the subject. Not especially passionate either way, but more curious if anyone had thoughts on the subject...

So, does anyone get a feeling that Lucasfilm/Disney are making a conscious decision to specifically recruit and place female leads in the key roles in the Star Wars franchise?

If so, is this driven by a true gender positive attitude or something that makes them more media friendly and that reflects the modern age?

Is it a stance that feels incongruous with the original trilogy?

Does it feel to anyone that this gender positive stance by the films makers has actually gone a step too far? I do feel personally that a female stormtrooper captain that was quite frankly a bit pants, why was Gwendoline Christie even in it, if it wasn't to add another 'female voice' to the film.

It feels a little like a backlash to an original trilogy that had so few female characters, certainly (Leia aside) none of any note or credibility.

Daisy Ridley is undoubtedly a great, young girl's role model, I'm sure that Felicity Jones will be too... but, is this at the expense of the key 'boy' market for the films and more than that is there is actually a 'boy' role model in the franchise anymore? None of the TFA males are particularly brave, pure of heart or on a journey to aspire to... Poe might be the best shot at one as Finn seemed pretty pathetic and basically a heavy breathing and panting love struck puppy for the most part. It looks like Rogue One will have a crowd of male supporting cast members, but no one chap looks like he will be the guy you'd want to inspire your son's future as Luke arguably did for us as kids.

So, Rey was the lead in TFA (and presumably Ep8 & 9). Jyn will be the lead in Rogue One... Is Han Solo (a law breaking, smuggling, thief that works with and for gangsters), going to be the first male role model in the franchise re-boot.. hardly the best message to sell to young boys, even if he is my favourite character as an adult.

Any thoughts guys?
 

Twin30mm

Jedi Knight
Joined
Jul 27, 2014
Messages
464
Location
Bristol UK
I definitely think it is a conscious decision on the part of LF/Disney to push the female roles to the forefront.
I suspect this is due in no small part, to the influence of Kathleen Kennedy.

Whilst I have no problem with this in principle, I hope it doesn't go so far the other way and devalues the male roles.
There seems to be a trend at the moment (especially in advertising), where males are shown as pathetic and weak, and females the strong go-getters.
If the roles were reversed, everybody would be crying "sexism".

Even though there were few female roles in the OT, the ones shown were always strong role models.
I remember at the time, the Princess Leia character was praised for being modern and not being the quintessential 'damsel in distress'.
Even the Leader of the Rebellion was a strong female character.

Being a cynical fellow, it's obvious to me that they're trying to tick all diversity boxes (with the new films).
Female lead roles, actors that appeal to South American and Asian markets etc, etc.
 

Mr. Tie

Jedi Knight
Joined
Jan 21, 2013
Messages
401
Twin30mm said:
I definitely think it is a conscious decision on the part of LF/Disney to push the female roles to the forefront.
I suspect this is due in no small part, to the influence of Kathleen Kennedy.

Whilst I have no problem with this in principle, I hope it doesn't go so far the other way and devalues the male roles.
There seems to be a trend at the moment (especially in advertising), where males are shown as pathetic and weak, and females the strong go-getters.
If the roles were reversed, everybody would be crying "sexism".

Even though there were few female roles in the OT, the ones shown were always strong role models.
I remember at the time, the Princess Leia character was praised for being modern and not being the quintessential 'damsel in distress'.
Even the Leader of the Rebellion was a strong female character.

Being a cynical fellow, it's obvious to me that they're trying to tick all diversity boxes (with the new films).
Female lead roles, actors that appeal to South American and Asian markets etc, etc.
It is most true that Kathleen Kennedy wanted more diversity and promoted to push female and black characters to the forefront. The next stage will be gay characters, a very true wish from the gay community. So every one can identify with the Star Wars universe. Times are changing and so the Star Wars universe will change too. In the seventies it would have been unthinkable, although Leia was a strong female character from the beginning. Times were different and as society is changing movies will too. I think that it is OK and I can't wait until the first pink lightsaber appears on the big screen 8)
 

itfciain

Grand Master
Joined
Sep 22, 2010
Messages
7,907
I just hope that the films are good. Sometimes you can look too far into things - I have no issues if the roles are taken by straight, gay, black, white, Asian, male, female, pink, blue or green as long as I can get behind the hero and the story is a good one
 
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