My favorite Science Fiction blog io9.com has an insightful article discussing the roles of gender in BSG and whether or not Feminist ideals are represented. I thought it noteworthy enough to recommend here.
Mar 8, 2009
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Good stuff, and a nice look at the issue. It's a testament of how great that show is that you can really argue both sides effectively, and that you can have such a complex discussion of a topic that's not even really one of the main themes of the show (gender equality).
ReplyDeleteFor me, I think the presence and behavior of Tricia Helfer's Caprica 6 alone makes the show a bit more chauvinist than feminist, especially in the first season or two, but you could argue that strong female characters like Roslin, Cain, and Starbuck counter that (s)exploitation.
My one tiny gripe: BSG failed to break the sci fi show mold of depicting homosexual characters in a meaningful, realistic way. Yes, Gaeta and Hoshi are gay, and yes, Cain and the 6 that she tortures were lesbians, and it's nice that they're there, but: all of these characters except for Hoshi are eventually mortally corrupted, furthering the stereotypical role I see all too many homosexual characters take on in fiction (that of the manipulative, damaged, and/or sneaky villain). Cain's relationship is merely implied in the network-aired version, and Gaeta's relationship is only revealed on a webisode (and right before he turns "evil" as well). So, I feel like just like several of the Star Trek shows, Farscape, and other shows that preceded BSG, sci fi shows still have a long way to go towards effectively and maturely depicting a sexual orientation and lifestyle that one would think would be a fairly accepted, normal thing in settings like that.
Gaeta was bisexual. Those characters weren't any more or less corrupted than any other character on the show. Virtually every character has huge flaws. It could actually be argued that Gaeta was one of the "best" characters because he always tried to do what he believed to be right despite his friends and allies doing otherwise (Helo has this quality too). The original plan of Gaeta's mutiny wasn't evil. It was it's execution which spiraled out of his control - due to the truly evil manipulation of Zarek - that turned it into a bloodbath.
ReplyDeleteHave you read the Yiddish Policeman's Union by Chabon? It features a gay character in a very interesting role. The Cohen Brothers' movie should be very cool.