I think what it comes down to, for me, is the fact that it's entirely possible for a well-meaning but ignorant person to say things that are racist, homophobic, anti-semitic, misogynistic and/or all those other nasty things without being a bigot. On the other side of it -- the fact that X character/person might not be a bigot doesn't free them from having to deal with the consequences of having said a bigoted thing. In terms of SPN fandom...
Well, honestly, *that* means that people who interrogate the text and bring up the very real problematic aspects of Dean's vocabulary have every right to do so and are not, necessarily, passing judgment on what we're supposed to view as being Dean's class as a whole. They're passing judgment on the deeply problematic vocabulary, and on the ways the show chooses to have Dean use it. The fact that he doesn't show misogynistic behavior in other ways (I'm assuming, as I've yet to hear differently) does not let him off the hook for speaking like a misogynist.
The fact that you have difficulty expressing the subtleties of why you feel that's not so... well, honestly, if it's all that subtle -- and all sorts of fans of different races, classes, ethnicities, levels of education, political focus, etc., etc., etc. just aren't seeing it -- then maybe the writers ought to think more deeply about the choices they make for Dean's dialogue.
It sucks to feel like you have to go on the defensive, it really does. But what, exactly, are you defending?
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Date: 2008-02-27 08:14 am (UTC)Well, honestly, *that* means that people who interrogate the text and bring up the very real problematic aspects of Dean's vocabulary have every right to do so and are not, necessarily, passing judgment on what we're supposed to view as being Dean's class as a whole. They're passing judgment on the deeply problematic vocabulary, and on the ways the show chooses to have Dean use it. The fact that he doesn't show misogynistic behavior in other ways (I'm assuming, as I've yet to hear differently) does not let him off the hook for speaking like a misogynist.
The fact that you have difficulty expressing the subtleties of why you feel that's not so... well, honestly, if it's all that subtle -- and all sorts of fans of different races, classes, ethnicities, levels of education, political focus, etc., etc., etc. just aren't seeing it -- then maybe the writers ought to think more deeply about the choices they make for Dean's dialogue.
It sucks to feel like you have to go on the defensive, it really does. But what, exactly, are you defending?