Post by Ripley on Jul 18, 2017 6:29:52 GMT -5
Salon.com
"...Whittaker’s assumption of the role is historic, and it also breaks a sci-fi boundary in the larger sense that the Doctor is a creature of intelligence first and above all. In science fiction and fantasy, women can have brains or brawn, but rarely both in the same package. Female logicians and scientists are usually protected by male characters. When women are endowed with physical power, it’s either explained as being part of a supernatural force or technological upgrade. Think River Tam of “Firefly” or Wonder Woman (though, for a time, Diana of Themyscira served as the Justice League’s secretary.)
When female characters are the muscle, their gender tends to be neutered. Vasquez or Ellen Ripley of “Aliens” are examples of this. The beauty of the Doctor, and Whittaker as the Doctor, is that she gets to embody supreme intelligence, gutsiness and brawn all at once and still (presumably) be female.
The Doctor is a sleuth, a bold, brave, powerful being who can only be shaken by the Universe’s greatest evils, and she — she! — does battle with little more than her wits and a sonic screwdriver. The fights for balance in the universe because she has offended the concept of cosmic equilibrium many, many times. She has a lot to clean up.
People are free to wonder aloud whether awarding the role to a woman is reactive as opposed to creative. But in doing so they should also realize that they are questioning Whittaker’s skill and ability. In positing that her gender matters more than her appropriateness for a role, they are playing into the idea that a part that has been played by different actors since 1963, each bringing unique personality traits to the role, can only be played by a man..."
www.salon.com/2017/07/17/new-doctor-who-woman/
"...Whittaker’s assumption of the role is historic, and it also breaks a sci-fi boundary in the larger sense that the Doctor is a creature of intelligence first and above all. In science fiction and fantasy, women can have brains or brawn, but rarely both in the same package. Female logicians and scientists are usually protected by male characters. When women are endowed with physical power, it’s either explained as being part of a supernatural force or technological upgrade. Think River Tam of “Firefly” or Wonder Woman (though, for a time, Diana of Themyscira served as the Justice League’s secretary.)
When female characters are the muscle, their gender tends to be neutered. Vasquez or Ellen Ripley of “Aliens” are examples of this. The beauty of the Doctor, and Whittaker as the Doctor, is that she gets to embody supreme intelligence, gutsiness and brawn all at once and still (presumably) be female.
The Doctor is a sleuth, a bold, brave, powerful being who can only be shaken by the Universe’s greatest evils, and she — she! — does battle with little more than her wits and a sonic screwdriver. The fights for balance in the universe because she has offended the concept of cosmic equilibrium many, many times. She has a lot to clean up.
People are free to wonder aloud whether awarding the role to a woman is reactive as opposed to creative. But in doing so they should also realize that they are questioning Whittaker’s skill and ability. In positing that her gender matters more than her appropriateness for a role, they are playing into the idea that a part that has been played by different actors since 1963, each bringing unique personality traits to the role, can only be played by a man..."
www.salon.com/2017/07/17/new-doctor-who-woman/
