Sexism in Movie Previews

[CynicMom]

I took DS (age 5) to see Arrietty today. Maybe it's because I haven't been to movies in a long time but I was shocked at the level of violence and sexism in the previews. I tried to remember as much as I can. It wasn't until I had a little kid next to me flinching every time someone was mean to someone else that I really noticed. It was just one thing after another. Some of these - like Madagascar 3 - just appeared to be a series of violent and sexist jokes strung one after another. Sorry if this is incoherent but I am BOTHERED.

 

The Lab Rats (Disney XD Show) - I don't remember the specifics although it was overall very dumb

Brave - "A LADY enjoys elegant pursuits"

The Lorax - Person 1: "You wouldn't hit a woman!" Lorax: "That was a woman?" [cue laughter]

Mirror Mirror - Various set pieces involving the importance of beauty - "Those aren't wrinkles!" "The prince will marry whoever is fairest" etc.

Madagascar 3 - Scene 1: "You pillow fight like a bunch of little girls!" Scene 2: "I don't trust lion. He is too big and glossy. He is not lion. He is lioness." [cue laughter]

 

Madagascar 3 also featured a scene where one character violently slaps another in the face over and over. Pretty much the only preview that wasn't totally offensive was the Chimpanzee documentary. Brave gets a bit of a pass since it appears to be a movie about overcoming sexist traditions - but that wasn't apparent to a 5 yr old. He just saw sexism. Ugh.

 

Arrietty otoh was totally sweet. Highly recommended.

[bananacat]

I saw Beauty and the Best in 3D for the nostalgia, so I also saw many of these previews. I think the whole idea of Brave is subverting the sexism, because she's told to stay home because she's a girl but she defies that. However, I was really pissed off at the the Lorax preview for the same reason as you. Women who don't look conventionally pretty aren't men, aren't evil, and deserve to be treated with the same level of respect regardless of their looks. I agree with the others too.