HGTG - don't take offense

[Schlobin at aol.com]

No: HPFGUIDX 11726

--- In HPforGrownups at y..., morine10 at a... wrote:
> 
> > I always felt mildly offended by the reference to Hermione 
as "the girl". 
> > Frankly, I feel almost as irritated by reference to Ron as "the 
sidekick" 
> > and even to Harry 
> > as "the hero." IMHO, this strips down JKR's lovely complex 
characters 
> > into overly simplistic stereotypes. 
> > 
> 
> First, I want to say that HGTG is not meant to degrade or belittle 
Hermione 
> in any way.  We all know that Hermione is anything but a 
typical 'girl'.  We 
> also know that Harry, Ron, and the rest of JKR's wonderful 
characters are 
> anything but 'simple.'  Of course, I don't think for the purpose of 
> discussion that referring to them in those terms is in anyway 
offensive.  Of 
> course that is just my opinion. :)
> 
> HGTG was a way (for me anyway) to understand the H/H stance.  I 
really 
> thought of it quite some time ago when I only knew one other adult 
that had 
> read the books and the only H/H-ers I knew were preadolescent 
readers.  (How 
> wrong was I?)  I was under the impression that they were simply not 
old 
> enough to catch JKR's subtle hints at the budding R/H romance.  It 
was my 
> assumption that they were oversimplifying and thought that since 
Harry was 
> the hero he should obviously be paired with the girl.  Since 
Hermione is the 
> only strong, well-developed female character that is Harry's age, 
of course 
> she is the obvious choice.  HGTG was born.  Since I'm not easily 
offended 
> (and having just turned 30 I don't mind if anyone calls me *girl* 
<VBG>) I 
> simplified.  Perhaps Hero Gets The Heroine (HGTH) is a better, more 
> politically correct phrase.  Either way, don't read so much into 
it.  I mean 
> really, you could say the same about FITD and whoever is dubbed the 
*cheese*! 
> Never was it meant to become so *controversial*, really! :)
> 
> 
> -Mo
> Peace, Love, Harry Potter ~8^)
> 



What's the problem being called a girl? Being called "the girl"
means there is only one significant girl in the book..that's a 
problem.

What's wrong with being a typical girl? This perpetuates the
idea that most girls are silly, giggly, stupid creatures and that
Hermione is the exception.

This is quite misogynistic. 

Girls are all kinds of humans these days, and so are boys.

Can we be a little less 20th century please?

(Susan who was heartened by her friend, a retired cop, Republican, 
white male, religious right, homeschools, talking about how he kisses 
and cuddles his boys, and will always do so)