Stereotypical Sexism (was Re: Stereotypes, Sexism & Masterful Writing Reviewed)

[justcarol67]

No: HPFGUIDX 88346

 Laurence wrote:
<snip>
> I have nothing against stay at home Mum, but to free completely JKR 
> from the accusation of "inconscient sexism", that I probably should 
> call "stereotypical sexism", I would like for Harry to meet the 
> husband of Tonks and her children (Yes I know she's too young, but 
> you get my meaning).
<snip>
My point of view is that the space given for 
> women in JKR's world is not better, and I would even say a little 
> bit worse for what we have seen, than a European (or American) 
> western country that I personally consider sexist.
> 
Carol:
There may be elements of sexism in the WW, but that doesn't make JKR
herself an "inconscient" (unconscious?) sexist. It only means that the
WW is flawed by modern politically correct standards. These people
have House Elves as slaves, some of whom are badly mistreated. Their
world is not our world, despite certain familiar elements such as the
conventions of English boarding schools). They have no knowledge of
(and possibly no use for) modern science. (I wonder if they even know
or care that most diseases are spread by bacteria or viruses.) Their
values are not necessarily her values any more than their lack of
scientific knowledge means that she is equally unaware of scientific
discoveries. She openly condemns some of their values, such as
prejudice against werewolves and brutality toward House Elves, not to
mention the Slytherin bias against Muggle-borns. If she wrote a novel
about the 1950s, a time when women were much more restricted than they
are today, would she be "an inconscient sexist" for creating
characters who reflected the values of that time? Surely not.

Carol