Nonspecific TV Show Commentary (trigger warning for rape)

[donutsweeper]

In a recent episode of a current TV show our group of valiant heroes came up against a woman with the power to control people (men in particular). They were warned that it was impossible to resist and the BIGBAD would force them to do her bidding.

So, of course, HEROGUY falls under her spell. He is forced to turn on his teammates and do as she commands (they've made it clear that people under her control are aware of their actions but unable to resist) and they spend the night together. We see them kissing and then later the team (including HEROGUY's current no-strings-attached lover) sees a bed that has obvious been used.

There has been no mention anywhere I've seen that THIS IS RAPE. He wasn't capable of consent, he could not say no. The show not only didn't deal with that aspect of it, but they actually had him apologizing to the lover character only to be punched HARD IN THE FACE.

In fact, the only comments and posts I've seen are in favor of the lover character's actions and cheering her for hitting him, if not suggesting she should have done more. (Well, that and a shipwar that's apparently blowup as a result of a random comment made by the BIGBAD character, but that's neither here nor there.)

I am just so disappointed and annoyed by that reaction. Is it because the non-consenting party in this case was male? Does that make him any less violated?

Bah.

The show was Agents of SHIELD, ep 1x15 btw, if you want to make sure you skip it

Comments

[awanderingbard.livejournal.com]

I haven't watched S.H.I.E.LD since about episode five or six, I think. I lost interest. So I haven't seen this episode, either, but it reminds me of a character on Once Upon a Time who was in a relationship with the Evil Queen character, because she had his heart (literally) and was therefore able to control him.

I have to confess that it never registered as rape to me (it registered as 'not cool to be doing anything against one's will', but the rape aspect did not occur to me as a specific part of it). Also we only find out that he's not working under his own will just before he's very unexpectedly killed off, so the reaction was more 'holy shit, that just happened'. It wasn't until much later when I was reading something and it was mentioned that I realized how much it was just not dealt with at all. In fact, when questioned, the writers have mostly brushed it off. Now, I'm more aware of this...'trope' for lack of better word for it. I think sometimes I get lost in the plot and don't pick up on as much as I should.

I also think that 'dubious consent' doesn't get the same level of treatment as 'non-consent'. There seems to be some idea that 'unable to give consent' is not the same as 'actively not giving consent', which is totally is.

[donutsweeper.livejournal.com]

Oh, I actually watched that episode of OUAT- I only saw two episode, that one and the one before but that bit made me turn it off and decide to never watch it again. You're right though, it wasn't really played as rape and I only sort of registered it as such. (My understanding is that the "evil" character has been redeemed now? Somewhat? I don't think I'd ever be able to think of her without thinking about what she did to that guy)

There seems to be some idea that 'unable to give consent' is not the same as 'actively not giving consent', which is totally is.
Yes, THIS. I'm of the mind that rape is rape. If one party did not say 'yes' then the other needs to stop until they do.

In this case in SHIELD, wherein it was made clear he was under mindcontrol and forced to do what she wished, it was obviously rape. It saddens me that so much of fandom, let alone society, doesn't see that.

[awanderingbard.livejournal.com]

(My understanding is that the "evil" character has been redeemed now? Somewhat? I don't think I'd ever be able to think of her without thinking about what she did to that guy)

Redeemed is too strong a term, I think. 'Working with the good people and trying to be better' would be a more appropriate way to put it.

It's sad, because otherwise it's a very good show, and it has a lot of really strong, capable, complex female characters. It needs more POC representation, and there's only been one LGBT character, which was really only hinted at, but the plotlines are clever, and the themes of love and family and hope are really nice. It's a shame it went wrong there.

Yes, THIS. I'm of the mind that rape is rape. If one party did not say 'yes' then the other needs to stop until they do.

I remember reading a really great post on tumblr about this, where she wrote three different versions of a scene, one with consent, one with dubious consent, and one with non-consent. She wanted people to be able to warn for triggers more appropriately, because she felt that dubcon was not being tagged as well as it should be. Basically any time someone is mentally impaired, for whatever reason, it is a situation where consent is dubious, even if it is given.

[donutsweeper.livejournal.com]

I couldn't get into OUAT, but I'm glad it's fairly good overall, but yeah, too bad about it having yet not dealing with the Graham situation.

Oh, that sounds like a good post!

Things should definitely be tagged better. Heck, things should be *taught* better as well *sighs*

[awanderingbard.livejournal.com]

I couldn't get into OUAT, but I'm glad it's fairly good overall, but yeah, too bad about it having yet not dealing with the Graham situation.

Yeah, to each his own. It's cool that you couldn't get into it. I like it because it's a very positive show, and I need a bit of lightness in my week, where there's hope and love conquers everything.


Things should definitely be tagged better. Heck, things should be *taught* better as well *sighs

I learn a lot following you on tumblr, actually. You always have posts that point out things that I didn't notice before.

[donutsweeper.livejournal.com]

Oh, I am so glad to hear that. Tumblr is a great medium in a lot of ways when used properly, and I reblog a lot of things I find interesting, but it's good to know other folks find some of it interesting too!

[awanderingbard.livejournal.com]

I was lucky to grow up in a house where I was never taught any prejudice of any sort, and I think I'm not as aware of its existence as I should be. So, I don't like learning about it, necessary, because I wish it didn't exist, but I think it's good that I'm aware of it as a member of the human race.

[donutsweeper.livejournal.com]

There's a lot I hadn't really seen either. Being made aware is a GOOD thing.

I did like the article thinkprogress.org did about last night's SHIELD episode and consent, which I found after I posted this, but oh MY the comments on it. Sometimes society not only disappoints, but scares, me.

[awanderingbard.livejournal.com]

I saw and read that article, and it was really good, but totally agreed about the comments. Holy crap. I do think some of it is people being asses for the sake of it. And I absolutely understand the desire to defend something you love when it does something wrong, and some of them might be coming from that point of view. But an LJ friend of mine have discussed how you can be a fan of something and love something, but not love all parts of it, and that doesn't change that you're a fan or that you love it.

[donutsweeper.livejournal.com]

Yeah, definitely a few folks were trolling (I hope, anyway).

...you can be a fan of something and love something, but not love all parts of it, and that doesn't change that you're a fan or that you love it.

That's very true. There are a lot of shows that fit that category for me.