Bigotry in the Potterverse

[sartoris22]

No: HPFGUIDX 188092

Lynda:

I don't really see this. They are of course written about a male and his adventures in and out of school, his growing up, that is and are therefore going to center on him, a male. There are, however plenty of examples of women and women who are not only in traditionally female roles but women who run businesses on their own (apparently) Madame Rosmerta, women in highly dangerous occupations: Tonks, the women's quidditch team, women who choose not to marry for reasons of their own and make a life that is not traditional in that sense, and women who are extremely influential within their own spheres of influence, as in Madame Maxine, Professor Umbridge (let's face is she had a degree of influence at the ministry. . .and Professor McGonagall

sartoris 22:

I concede that women are allowed to be in "dangerous occupations." However, how many of these women do we meet? Consider Tonks. She is an auror and a member of the Order of the Phoenix. But besides Molly,
Tonks is the only female Order member that we get to know. The Order, to me, seems predominantly male, as do the Deatheaters. Thus, being in the "army" or being a "soldier" is a decidedly male affair. You make a good point that women (and men) don't have to marry or even partner, which is incredibly progressive (although the Yule Ball does put pressure on the students to mate). But if you think about it, isn't it more socially acceptable in our world for a woman to be alone than a man? I know we have more derogatory languge for an unpartnered woman than an unpartnered man, but think about how society really works. And I am not talking about a man who simply isn't married or doesn't have a steady girlfriend, I am talking about a man who has no sexual or romantic relationships with women, like Slughorn and Snape. In our world, men like that are less socially acceptable than their female counterparts. Thus, I think the uninvolved option in the books seems more liberating to men, who like Slughorn, can enjoy their crystallized pineapple, oak-matured mead, and smoking jackets alone and unencumbered. Overall, men seem to have the most power, to control traditionally male institutions such as armed forces and government. And the novels are, essentially, about a boy.