To most feminists, Jeri/Seven is the beauty ideal that all women are forced to aspire to, and her figure causes anorexia in young women and girls, so she must be opposed. Kind of like the way that lesbians who look like the standard image of a woman are considered 'lipstick lesbians'.
How does it come to pass that Seven Of Nine's catsuit is sexist and demeaning? Also, how does it come to pass that her character is sexist and demeaning?
Because its not real. The Producers of Star trek wanted young boys to touch themselves and stop thinking so that that they won't even notice that the star ships had vanished and the advertising for long distance call plans, baggy jeans and new Chrissler's had began. Seven of Nine was a masturbation aid narcotic designed by Berman to make money from idiots who accept sex in socially directed prepackages, when in all honest the real thing is difficult, messy and surprising. but you can say that about any character on TV. These producers are using as many devices as they can jigger to insure that the people tuning in this week will be tuning in next week. Sex, action, comedy, romance, mystery, fantasy... The whole nine yards. Even waving the femisinsm flag is just sucking up to the feminsts to get their money and attention while the people who are raining money on these Producers are advertising new cars and kibble. Suspending disbelief is such a joy when you know everything is a lie.
And you know that how? Did you interview all/most feminists? Even more puzzlingly, how and why would anyone ever come to the idea that anorexia gives you big boobs and ass?
Actually, I'm sure that it had more to do with the idea that Seven was brought in because the 3 women that were already there were not considered good enough. Thus some big boobed barbie doll was brought in and given all of the attention. More importantly, Seven did represent an unattainable beauty standard because Jerri Ryan, despite being a knockout in her own right, did not really look like that. It says quite a bit that Jerri, as beautiful as she was, was forced to wear uncomfortable body distorting corsets and undergarments in order to play Seven.
And oddly, I thought she was most fetching when she was in uniform like the rest of those girls during Relativity.
So did I. Ryan looked better wearing normal clothes. I must be a freak, I think women are sexier with stuff on rather than off...
I thought Seven looked awesome in uniform. That was "Relativity," right? The uniform really matched the cool detachment of her character. With a figure like Jeri's, you don't really need "skintight" to flaunt it!
I can never understand why so many take issue with the catsuit. Madonna can finger her choocie on stage and it's called groundbreaking. Jeri wears a full body leotard that shows off nothing and people are offended.
I don't think anybody who considered Madonna "groundbreaking" (and if you assume from this remark that I'm not one of those people, you would be right ) would have any issue with the catsuit, but I could of course be wrong. Personally I never found the catsuit offensive. I think it's kind of silly (and I think the high-heeled boots are even sillier), and I think they could have found something for her to wear that was attractive and sexy (since that was clearly important to TPTB) without being so silly. But "offensive"? Nah.
..but it's Star Trek, all of it is kinda silly. I just think some put Trek on a pedistal because some of it deals with morality plays and ethics but I think we also forget it's also supposed to be just entertainment. If the catsuit was to get people to watch, then it was only for entertainment value and something so serious as some make it out to be.
I agree that it isn't that serious. It didn't stop me from watching the show or anything, nor did it prevent me from enjoying Seven as a character. And it definitely wasn't shocking - I mean, there is ample precedent in scifi for beautiful women in tight-fitting clothing. I just wish we could move past that stuff sometimes - that TPTB would treat members of the audience as thought they are capable of enjoying a show (and a beautiful woman, for those that are so inclined) without resorting to scifi staples such as Seven's Aquawoman suit. It's cliche, really. So I'm kind of tired of it. Eh, oh well.
Ryan's own take on the show was 'cheesy and a bit goofy'. I don't think anyone thought it was high drama.
Well, I have to disagree then. Some of Trek does qualify as "high drama," depending on your definition, of course. A lot doesn't but some does...although now that I think about it, I'm not sure how much of Voyager does. You can have high drama, even when your plot involves aliens and your wardrobe includes catsuits.
....if Berman was adament about the tone down of emotions in human characters then Beltran was the best actor on the set *laughs*
Trek in general is cliche though. What would "The Avengers" be without Emma Peel or "Buck Rodgers" without Wilma Dearing? The hot babe has always been a part of sci-fi. How many ugly people are on TV in general? TV itself is full of shows with pretty, in shape people.
^ I disagree, at least somewhat. It uses cliches, of course - all TV does - but it often (though not always) rises above cliche. That's one of the things I like about it. That's why it's a little disappointing to me when it goes back to the same old, same old.