[HPforGrownups] Re: Gender balance/strong women Madam Pomfrey in particular

[Jen Faulkner]

No: HPFGUIDX 15011

On Fri, 23 Mar 2001, Doreen wrote:

> ********************************
> I stongly disagree with this interpretation of Madam Pomfrey's role. She is
> a nurse and as such, has a very important part in the health & welfare of
> the students and staff. She does a bit more than merely "clean up."
> Doreen

I wasn't trying to say that her role is unimportant; she clearly is
vital to the Hogwarts community.  Their health and well-being depend on
her.  Nonetheless, her role is portrayed as a reactive, rather than
proactive, one.  She never initiates action, but merely responds to
others' actions.  She is a caretaker, the quintessentially feminine
role.  And in CoS, she can't do a thing to help the petrified students,
but simply has to wait until the mandrakes are grown up enough to be
used.  No society can get along without women, obviously, but it *can*
get along without viewing them as leaders.

--jen :)

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