While watching Pixar's Ratatouille, I noticed something...

[HAL.9000]

In this (stupidly I might add) politically correct age we live in where people stumble over once commonly used words to describe things in life and look for less offensive ones, the topic of gender equality comes up a lot.

Yet balance is way off and I'm not talking about the plight of women. Men in television commercials for instance are portrayed as bumbling, know nothing, clueless and helpless without their female counterpart.

Apparently someone took the character of Homer Simpson and ran with it because the media (in America anyway) portrays men as generally substandard to women.

Case in point: the term "working mom" demands an air of respect, yet you never hear the term "working dad" and if you do, it's followed by crickets chirping.

What does this have to do with Pixar's 2008 film "Ratatouille?"

I enjoy the film. It's one of my favorite animations but there are a couple of scenes where the female character Colette Tatou, who is assigned to tutor Linguini, just slaps the crap out of the poor guy when she is emotionally set off.

Normally, I wouldn't give a crap about this but since we live in a female dominated society now (yes we do, admit it), I must ask:

Why is it taboo for a man to strike a woman, but it's Ok for a woman to strike a man?

Had Linguini slapped Collette there would have been public protests about the movie, mention of it in the news media and all kinds of stink about it and the message it sends to little boys and girls.

Yet it's OK for a woman to slap a man. In fact, society is so used to it that it doesn't even draw any attention. Last I checked, such action is called "assault" and the law doesn't recognize gender when it is committed.

So ladies, why such hypocrisy these days?

 

[Hound of UIster]

If we lived in a female dominated society why is it that only two out of the nine major countries have females as head of state?

 

[HAL.9000]

If we lived in a female dominated society why is it that only two out of the nine major countries have females as head of state?

Keep in mind I was referring to western society and in particular, American culture. As for heads of state, there may be more men holding those positions, but women in politics overall are thriving.

 

[Hound of UIster]

6 female governors
92 congresswomen


Not exactly thriving in a supposed female dominated society.

 

[HAL.9000]

6 female governors
92 congresswomen


Not exactly thriving in a supposed female dominated society.

You are ignoring my initial observations and question by focusing on numbers in politics. Socially, in western culture women have the upper hand..thus they rule. Can you deny that?

 

[Nowhere Man]

^ I can deny that, women still get paid less than men.(I am a man) There has never been a woman President and there are still a larger amount of women executives in business. There are plenty of facts and figures that will disrobe your theory. In most states that I have noticed If a woman slaps a guy and the police are called, she will go to jail. Have you ever watched Cops? Women are treated pretty much the same if they are the aggressor, they get the cuffs.

 

[Pingfah]

So ladies, why such hypocrisy these days?

The film was directed by 2 men, and written by a team of 3 men. I wonder why your first instinct was to ask women why such hypocrisy exists?

There's nothing more pathetic or deluded than guys whining about how gender inequality has reversed

 

[Bob The Skutter]

I think the fact you're talking about Sit-coms, comedies and advertisements when you're talking about the way men are portrayed. That's not exactly a good measure of how society treats men and women. As for Ratatouille, well that's a bad example to set either way around.

 

[Pingfah]

^ I think with Ratatouille, it's more likely to be a reflection of the male dominated writing and directing staff's attitudes, specifically that a man should be able to take a slap without getting hurt, or responding with violence.

Not a good example I agree, but also not an indication of this fanciful "female dominated society" we supposedly live in, more a reflection of the continuing macho attitudes that some men have.

 

[JoeZhang]

What is it with white dudes that they think they are oppressed and having a hard time?

 

[BlobVanDam]

I can see the OP's point, and without taking a stab at HAL9000 for sharing his opinion, realistically it's a small point compared to the inequality against women.
I have noticed that the average male in television/film is portrayed as the idiot who can't live without the smart woman, so I can definitely see where the point comes from. And while I do see this attitude occasionally transfer to people's real life opinions, it doesn't measurably put much of a dent in what is still a male dominated society overall. I'm a 25 year old male, so I know I've got it relatively good.

 

[Rowan Sjet]

^ I think with Ratatouille, it's more likely to be a reflection of the male dominated writing and directing staff's attitudes, specifically that a man should be able to take a slap without getting hurt, or responding with violence.

Not a good example I agree, but also not an indication of this fanciful "female dominated society" we supposedly live in, more a reflection of the continuing macho attitudes that some men have.

That's pretty much it. The OP is looking at it from a perspective of women being portrayed as superior to men, in that they can get away with slapping a man, but a man would be shunned for slapping a woman, when really its the case that men are being portrayed as superior to women, they can supposedly take the slap without it meaning much physically, while women are too "fragile".

 

[Nerys Myk]

it's pretty funny that the OP starts his post rattling on about living a "politically correct age" and a society "dominated by women" yet is complaining about two tropes that have been around for decades if not centuries. When did this domination begin?

I'm also pretty sure its rarely been correct (politically or otherwise) to hit someone percieved as smaller or weaker than yourself.

 

[Kegg]

it's pretty funny that the OP starts his post rattling on about living a "politically correct age" and a society "dominated by women" yet is complaining about two tropes that have been around for decades if not centuries. When did this domination begin?

It's always been there. Just as today's society is female dominated and yet preponderantly has men in positions of power, earlier societies were also female dominated by having men preponderantly in positions of power.

Hell, the Homer Simpson analogy can be revealing if you turn it on its head. By and large, the female leads of the Simspons - Marge and Lisa - don't get as much comic fodder as the males - Homer and Bart. Lisa gets to be the smartest Simpson, but that doesn't mean she has the show's limelight... just as Rataouille is a movie about a male rat, a male cook, a male food critic, and then over here there's the female character because we need a love interest.

Yep. These days of matriarchy are trying indeed.

 

[FPAlpha]

I fail to see how our society is female dominated.. almost all powerfull positions be it in politics, economy and other endeavours are controlled by men.

Men still earn more money for the same job and are promoted faster usually.

The position of women has improved tremendously over the past century and women have it far easier today just because they've emancipated themselves through education (thus being able to provide for themselves rather than having a man earning the money and they taking care of the family) but they still hit a ceiling when they dare to breach the boy's club.

While we like to think we've evolved we still make (unconscious) decisions based on gender. When we, as a man, meet another man we act differently than with a women. If we are raised "properly" we'll hold the door for women and let them pass but why? Can't modern women open doors form themselves? But if we don't and people noticed the notion that we don't have manners immediately enters the mind.

The same with slaps.. a woman can slap a man for whatever reason but if he dares and slaps back with equal force (not a full blown strike that may take her head off) we are instantly marked as an uncivilised brute.. no one would think twice if a guy hits another guy and then ends up on the floor when the answer came.

So no.. we don't live in a matriarchal society.. a few quota women in high positions do not change a whole society.

 

[HAL.9000]

If we are raised "properly" we'll hold the door for women and let them pass but why? Can't modern women open doors form themselves? But if we don't and people noticed the notion that we don't have manners immediately enters the mind.

I gave up gentlemanly conduct when women gave up being ladies.

They can open their own doors, pay their own way and take life like a man. They want equality? I will give it to them. You cant have your cake and eat it too.

 

[Nerys Myk]

If we are raised "properly" we'll hold the door for women and let them pass but why? Can't modern women open doors form themselves? But if we don't and people noticed the notion that we don't have manners immediately enters the mind.

I gave up gentlemanly conduct when women gave up being ladies.

They can open their own doors, pay their own way and take life like a man. They want equality? I will give it to them. You cant have your cake and eat it too.

Define "Lady". Me, I hold doors open for everyone, regardless of gender.

 

[HAL.9000]

If we are raised "properly" we'll hold the door for women and let them pass but why? Can't modern women open doors form themselves? But if we don't and people noticed the notion that we don't have manners immediately enters the mind.

I gave up gentlemanly conduct when women gave up being ladies.

They can open their own doors, pay their own way and take life like a man. They want equality? I will give it to them. You cant have your cake and eat it too.

Define "Lady". Me, I hold doors open for everyone, regardless of gender.

A "lady" is a female secure in her own femininity without thinking it's a liability or substandard to men. This whole equality jazz is a joke for the simple reason that we are different. Men have strengths and weaknesses women dont have and vice versa. Instead of celebrating these differences, women look down at them as a cancer of sorts.

Being a guy does not make you equal, it just makes you appear butch...and that is where being a lady ends.

 

[Nerys Myk]

I gave up gentlemanly conduct when women gave up being ladies.

They can open their own doors, pay their own way and take life like a man. They want equality? I will give it to them. You cant have your cake and eat it too.

Define "Lady". Me, I hold doors open for everyone, regardless of gender.

A "lady" is a female secure in her own femininity without thinking it's a liability or substandard to men. This whole equality jazz is a joke for the simple reason that we are different. Men have strengths and weaknesses women dont have and vice versa. Instead of celebrating these differences, women look down at them as a cancer of sorts.

Being a guy does not make you equal, it just makes you appear butch...and that is where being a lady ends.

WHUT???

Women dont want to be men. They just want to have equal pay and equal respect for doing the same thing. If a woman want to do physical labor or wear jeans and her hair short because its comfortable that doesn't make her any less a lady.

 

[HAL.9000]

Define "Lady". Me, I hold doors open for everyone, regardless of gender.

A "lady" is a female secure in her own femininity without thinking it's a liability or substandard to men. This whole equality jazz is a joke for the simple reason that we are different. Men have strengths and weaknesses women dont have and vice versa. Instead of celebrating these differences, women look down at them as a cancer of sorts.

Being a guy does not make you equal, it just makes you appear butch...and that is where being a lady ends.

WHUT???

Women dont want to be men. They just want to have equal pay and equal respect for doing the same thing. If a woman want to do physical labor or wear jeans and her hair short because its comfortable that doesn't make her any less a lady.

By your logic if I want to wear miniskirts, makeup and a ponytail, it doesn't make me any less of a man...right?

Look the work/pay issue is not what I am talking about. It is the expectation of one gender to to be the same as another gender in all aspects...not just work. It just doesn't work that way.