Valkyrie is more “equal” to Thor than Foster was? She was an astrophysicist who did mind-boggling science. Her different skill set was one of the reasons they worked so well together on-screen. Equating “punching things as hard as a male character” with equality is reductive—also because it presents them as existing only in contrast to each other and within their relationship to Thor. It’s disappointing because there is no reason that Marvel needed to explain it this way.
KUDOS TO THIS ARTICLE’S AUTHOR FOR BEING THE ONLY ONE I’VE SEEN
CALLING OUT MARVEL’S “REASONS” FOR ERASING JANE, DEFENDING BOTH JANE AND VALKYRIE, AND ARGUING AGAINST PITTING THEM AGAINST EACH OTHER AND DEFINING THEM THROUGH THEIR RELATIONSHIPS WITH THOR
But, it’s not just Marvel’s way of “explaining” it that’s the problem, it’s their sexist mindset.
KUDOS TO THIS ARTICLE’S AUTHOR FOR BEING THE ONLY ONE I’VE SEEN
CALLING OUT MARVEL’S “REASONS” FOR ERASING JANE, DEFENDING BOTH JANE AND VALKYRIE, AND ARGUING AGAINST PITTING THEM AGAINST EACH OTHER AND DEFINING THEM THROUGH THEIR RELATIONSHIPS WITH THOR
But, it’s not just Marvel’s way of “explaining” it that’s the problem, it’s their sexist mindset.
Fuck all the people perpetuating that “Portman and Paltrow didn’t want to come back, wah wah contracts, ect.”
Not only is it a LIE, it’s a bullshit misogynist lie. Is it not up to Marvel to keep Robert Downey Jr. interested in Iron Man and subsequent Avenger’s movies? Is he not making an unethical amount of money so they can keep him? Why the fuck exactly wouldn’t the burden fall to Marvel to keep the other actors in this franchise?
Stop pretending like the MCU has the right to casually steamroll its employees. If they were wanted in MCU, if they were treated like they deserve, you can BET they would still be there.
This is a really good point and one that everyone absolutely needs to be clear on.
Writing women out of these franchises–especially ones who don’t wield swords or know martial arts—is a f—ing problem. It’s a form of misogyny. Period. I’m thrilled there are some great new actors joining these franchises but do not kid yourself that the treatment of Pepper Potts and Jane Foster by the MCU was not a product of casual misogyny because it was.
And, by the way, the fact that Paltrow was literally Marvel’s only romantic partner over 40 (still paired with a man almost a decade older) and Portman is 35 now makes this even worse.
But notice that all the male costars from phase one are still around, even the one that literally died in his movie. And Loki of course. Nice (and by nice I mean fucking awful).
It’s also important to note that a female CEO of a massive corporation and a female astrophysicist were deemed “unimportant” to the world the MCU is building. And are often called “boring” by large parts of the audiences.
Largely, there’s no place for older women, for women with dedicated lifelong careers, in the MCU, and that should give you pause.
let’s say that last bit again, because as a women past 30, this is GLARINGLY obvious to me and the fact that people write it off as nothing is very upsetting.
THERE’S NO PLACE FOR OLDER WOMEN, FOR WOMEN WITH DEDICATED LIFELONG CAREERS IN THE MCU.
let that soak in. Especially if you’re under 25 and a marvel fan. Realize that these men think you have an expiry date.
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