Avengers: Infinity War is arguably the movie event of the year. For many female fans like myself, this movie has been especially long awaited. This 19th franchise installment features the largest cast of female characters in a Marvel film to date. But, backed by an all-male team of directors and writers, one can’t help but wonder how it’s going to serve the women both on screen and in the audience.
For Men, By Men
If we’re being totally honest, Marvel’s Phase One women rarely feel as though they were written with female audiences in mind. That’s probably because those movies were almost wholly written, produced and directed by men. In fact, in the entirety of Phase One (that’s six films, by the way), there’s only one woman credited in any of those three roles: Gale Anne Hurd, a co-producer for 2008’s The Incredible Hulk. I’m not saying that men shouldn’t make movies with female characters––quite the opposite. But if the team in charge is entirely male, then it’s important to be careful how they portray their leading ladies.
Disposable scientists Betty Ross (of The Incredible Hulk) and Jane Foster (of Thor), for example, are cleverly disguised as good female characters because they’re smart as well as pretty.
So nice of the writers to acknowledge that women can have at least two traits. But, in the end, they’re still relegated to the sidelines while the boys save the day. They’re not really there for girls to look up to. That’s not to say you’re wrong for admiring them. But honestly? You deserve better representation. In reality, these characters are there to make the men appear more admirable. Because hey, they managed to get a girl to fancy them.
Even talented Pepper Potts and fierce Peggy Carter function largely as sounding boards for their leading man’s inner turmoil. Plus, their writers have them get childishly jealous when either Tony Stark or Steve Rogers interact with other women. Remember when Tony slept with that journalist and Pepper literally called her trash? To her face? This isn’t a character trait written for women to enjoy. The “girls are catty and don’t get along with each other” attitude is so 2008. I’m glad that Marvel’s left that one in the past where it belongs.
Sexy vs. Sexualized
Sadly, Thanos’ global invasion isn’t the biggest problem that Marvel’s heroines have had to deal with in the course of the franchise.
Hyper-sexualization has been an issue since day one. And a certain Natasha Romanoff has suffered the brunt of it.
When women’s only representation is curated by male writers, we often become overly critical of those characters without realizing it. While Natasha is certainly smart and skilled, I disliked her early appearances in the franchise. She lacked emotional depth, and the male-gaze directing left us in no doubt that she was on screen for the men in the audience. (Another lingering shot of her ass as she walks away, anyone?) Now, there’s absolutely nothing wrong with women owning their sexiness. But, there’s a difference between being sexy and being sexualized. When you only see it from a man’s perspective, it comes across more like male fantasy than female empowerment.
Flash forward to 2017:
Thor: Ragnarok offers a more positive example of this type of character. Hela, the Asgardian goddess of death, also wears a skin-tight catsuit and killer heels. Like early portrayals of Natasha, Hela’s aware of how she looks, and she doesn’t hold back from flaunting it. But Thor’s sister shares the film with the feisty Valkyrie, who’s far more concerned about where her next drink’s coming from than what she looks like. (Although Tessa Thompson is undeniably a knockout.) Providing a contrast in female characters like this implies that the way they’re presented to the audience is their choice, rather than a blanket decision by the director. This helps female viewers to feel as though these characters were written with a more inclusive audience in mind.
Girls, Girls, Girls
Indeed, the last couple of years have seen Marvel doing a lot better when it comes to its ladies. Although male writers and directors still abound, an effort is clearly being made to consider female fans. In the decade since Iron Man first landed on our screens, the girls have gone from glorified damsels in distress and stoic cardboard cutouts to empowered warriors and relatable human beings with agency and emotional vulnerability. (You know, like women in real life.)
This year’s Black Panther is an excellent example, providing us with a rich cast of women in the Marvel Cinematic Universe––like quippy, brainy Shuri and passionate, brave Nakia.
This kind of variety is usually reserved for the men in ensemble casts. It’s so refreshing to see this realistic distribution of personality traits, especially when it’s pulled off by a male writer/director. Black Panther is full of powerful visuals. As a woman, one of the most impactful for me was seeing an all-female fighting force like the Dora Milaje in action. This image is a direct contrast to that 00’s trope of pitting women against one another, or the idea that one woman on a team full of men was sufficient representation. If this is the future of the MCU, then sign me up for another ten years.
With Infinity War, I am beyond excited to have so many women on screen to look up to.
Right from the beginning, men have had a wealth of characters to relate to, to hate, to root for. Originally, women had one (one and a half if we were lucky) per movie. If we didn’t like them then that was just too bad.
Last year, DC’s Wonder Woman demonstrated that female superheroes can command the big screen just as successfully as their male counterparts and that they absolutely have an audience out there. My hope for Infinity War is that Marvel has taken note. I want to see the heroines of the MCU occupying as much time and space as the boys, definitely. Nut more than that, I want to see them do so as they stand shoulder to shoulder with their fellow women.
Male writers, if you haven’t heard: girls supporting one another is so 2018.
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