Tuesday, September 30, 2014

Is A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum Sexist?

Generally when we say something is sexist we are referring to it's portrayal of women as inferior or as weak.  And A Funny Thing is no exception but it also portrays men in a less then favorable light.  Neither sex is shown as completely without faults or problems.  It is true that women are far more stereotypical but that is nothing new.  But the men are mainly portrayed as either tricksters, sex crazed older men, or as dolts.  Neither gender comes out of the movie with a pristine reputation.   While the men are portrayed as stupid or selfish the women are either prostitutes or old nasty women.  While both sexes are mocked, the women are still treated as less then the men, women are treated as property something that can't really be said about the men (even through some of them are slaves).  So despite what seems equal mockery of the sexes the movie still leaves us with the feeling that men are better than women.  And despite the ever growing movement for full equality between the sexes it is still a problem today.

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