Pulling up my GIANTCUSHION, and some gender-spiked musings (with a side of literary archetypes)

[Julie aka Viola]

No: HPFGUIDX 33159

--- In HPforGrownups at y..., "Tabouli" <tabouli at u...>
wrote:
> Admittedly I subscribe a little to the "needs a more
oomph and maturity to win Harry" arguments, but I
agree that she's copping a lot more flack than she
deserves.  She's a kind, loyal, discreet kid, and hey,
she's 13.  13 year old girls *do* have unrequited
crushes and *are* young... we can't all be strong and
assertive and mature like Hermione <<snippage>>
 
> G.I.A.N.T.C.U.S.H.I.O.N. (Ginny Isn't A Naive,
Trivial Child Unworthy of Securing Harry's Interest:
Object Now!)

*laughs* Sign me up for GIANTCUSHION. Hell, sign me up
for any group that supports the ignored female
characters in this series.


--- In HPforGrownups at y..., "serenadust" <jmmears at p...>
wrote:
> Why do so many people seem a bit hostile to Ginny.
It doesn't seem to 
> me that we've seen her do anything distasteful.  The
only crying she 
> seems to do is in COS, when she has been taken to
the chamber to die.
> In contrast, Hermione has cried a fair bit, and has
never been in any 
> real personal danger except in POA (and not really
very much even 
> there), but nobody seems to think that this shows
weakness on her 
> part.

Pre-fandom, I had very little feeling about Hermione
or Ginny -- one way or the other. I didnt dislike
either, didnt love either. (Though I did think Ginny
was a character to watch post-CoS.) Now, I still like
Hermione in canon, and Im very intrigued by where
Ginnys character is going to go. But, I have big
problems with the fanon perceptions of both.

After spending some time in the fandom, Ive come to
the conclusion that the most damning point against
Ginny (or Fleur, or Cho, et al) is that she is Not
Hermione. People are extremely protective of Hermione
because an overwhelmingly large number of fans seem to
identify very strongly with her. There isnt anything
wrong with that, but I do think it affects the way
other female characters are perceived.

Hermione is great, but we (women) arent all going to
be just like her. I find it really disturbing that
almost _all_ the other young female characters in the
series are disliked (often vehemently - see also,
Cho, Fleur, Lavender, Parvarti, etc.) by fans. Some of
the culpability for this belongs at JKRs door,
honestly. Her female characters are quite possibly the
series weakest point, something that leaves my
feminist sensibilities absolutely _howling_.

Hermione is herself a literary stereotype. Shes the
brainy, socially awkward girl that were supposed to
root for. Grab a young adult book targeted at young
women off almost any shelf, and youll find Hermione.
Though, admittedly, usually without the magic. ^_- But
the flip side to this stereotype is the implication
that _other_ girls, the ones who arent Hermiones are
bad - shallow, silly, weak, insecure and probably
plotting to dump pigs blood on someone at the prom.

Now I know H/G gets a lot of bad press in the fandom
for a variety of reasons I wont touch without a gas
mask and a maxim gun, but... in my opinion, the fanon
incarnations of Hermione can be as little like her as
those of Ginny. In both cases, their flaws are
ignored, and their perceived strengths played up,
usually toward a romantic end. Hermione _is_ strong
and assertive and mature as Tabouli said. ^_^ But
shes also obsessive, neurotic and bossy. This stuff
gets left out _a lot_. My point here is not to put
down Hermione, but to point out that she has her
flaws. Just like Ginny does. If I looked at Hermione
through the same lens some people seem to look at
Ginny through, I could come up with an equally
unattractive picture.

And Im not saying this because _I_ identify with
Ginny. I dont. As a teenager I was nothing like her
(what weve seen of her) at all. If I had to pick
someone from the Potterverse who best represents my
teenage self, its probably Fleur. ^_^; Hey, at least
I admit it. The point is that we all grow up and
change - whether were Hermione, Ginny or Fleur when
were young. (Though I have occasional
Fleur!flashbacks. Visiting my family over the
holidays, my brother said to me, Uh, Julie? Youre
Cordelia-ing again. ^_^;; But anyway...)


--- In HPforGrownups at y..., Zorb17 at a... wrote:
> I completely agree.  Frankly, I find Ginny a weak
and boring character.  She 
> doesn't seem to *do* anything besides hang around
and play the victim's role. 
>  Other HP bit players, Dean and Seamus for example,
have more personality 
> than this girl, who played rather an important role
in CoS.  We *know* things 
> about Dean and Seamus: Dean's a football fan and a
talented artist, while 
> Seamus is the half-and-half Irish boy who adores
Quidditch.  Ginny is...Ron's 
> younger sister who has a crush on Harry.  She has
nothing personally 
> distinguishing about her.

Ive got to point out here - Dean and Seamus are
_boys_. Do we know anything more about Lavender or
Parvati? Most of the other female Gryffindors dont
even have _names_. There had to be girls in Percy and
Olivers year, but we certainly didnt hear anything
about them. We dont even know what year the Chasers
(Katie, Alicia, et al) are supposed to be in or what
they look like. We know practically everything to know
about James Potter, but next to nothing about Lily
Evans. (Actually Fanon!Lily and Fanon!Ginny seem to
get squashed into the same characterizations 
feisty!girl or nuturing!girl  quite an awful lot.
Hmm.) We know Colin and Dennis Creevey, but have we
ever heard anything about the girls in their
respective years? (Discounting Ginny, of course.)

I do agree, though, that OBHWF gives me the itchies.
But its not really an argument against the pairing if
done right. The problem with it, to my mind, is in the
execution. (I am, btw, a very dedicated non-shipper.
So dont mind me playing devils advocate over here.
^_^) And its a very weak argument in favor of the
ship  theres nothing wrong with the idea, imo, but
its not evidence in support, either.

-Julie (Who still holds _her_ mums hand occasionally,
and bets that Fleur does, too. ^_-)


=====

Jack: Hi. I'm a jobless, card-playing drifter who likes to draw naked girls. Would you like to sleep with me?

Rose: Are you _kidding_? I'm a rich, socialite virgin who's engaged to be married... Of _course_ I will!

-- Switchblade Kittens, "My Heart Will Go On"


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