FALSE CRIES OF SEXISM: A WOMEN’S POINT OF VIEW

By Melissa Antoinette Garza

WARNING: This article will most definitely piss off Social Justice Warriors. Please forward your concerns to your friends at Facebook and Twitter.  Include this link so they can read it and get angry too.

I wrote about the SUICIDE SQUAD twice already.  I’m OCD and my current obsession is The Joker and Harley Quinn.  I’ve loved the character of the Joker forever.  The addition of his beautiful companion during BATMAN: THE ANIMATED SERIES just heightened my adoration for the character.

Since the SUICIDE SQUAD film was announced an old irritating cry made its way to articles, message boards, and videos alike.

The issue is that in the cartoon and in the comics, Harley Quinn was abused by The Joker.  She was tossed around like a rag doll at times.  She was thrown out, turned in and betrayed by The Joker, but her love was never-ending. Though she grew angry with him at times and even fought back, she was always loyal to him.

In the version of SUICIDE SQUAD that was released, there is very little violence.  Still, we have people yelling sexism. Like the comic and cartoon MAD LOVE, Harleen Quinzel starts off as a psychiatrist who is attempting to cure The Joker.  Instead, she falls in love with him and his manipulations.

The difference is that in the film, The Joker recognizes his love for Harley. Despite wanting to let her die in a vat of the same acid that changed his appearance, he dives in and kisses her.  From that point on, she is his Queen and will do anything to get her back.  He’ll kill anyone in his way and doesn’t care where she is or who she is with.  He just knows that she’ll come to him.

In the film, the Joker and Harley are full on partners.  As The Joker is sitting in a night club, Harley is on the floor dancing seductively.  When a mobster called Monster T is looking at Harley for a little too long and calls her a ‘bad bitch,’ The Joker calls Harley over.  He tells her that she now belongs to T as a gift.  She plays along knowing how it’s going to end.  T tries to talk his way out, but he’s a dead man.

The two leave together and laugh it up.  Harley’s whole world is the Joker and in the film, the Joker’s whole world is Harley.

When he rescues her in a copter, he tells her that he has grape soda on ice and a bear skin rug waiting for her.

Admittedly, this is not the usual relationship between the two.  I would love to see DC put out a Harley & Joker comic based on the characters in this film because seeing them as a team, a hyped-up Bonnie and Clyde of sorts, is fun.  It’s easy to root for them.

Before I move on from the film, one other criticism I want to address is the wardrobe of Harley Quinn (Margot Robbie).  I have seen so many idiotic references going as far as creating memes labeling her “Horley Quinn” because she dressed different than her original character.

I’m so sick of people crying sexism.  I’m a feminist.  I believe women have the right to do anything they want to, including dressing sexy.  She’s a grown adult.  She’s a kick ass gymnast who can fight men as easily as she fights women.  She can also play up her sexuality as a form of manipulation.  The point is she is always in control.  She even tells one of the guards that she sleeps where she wants, when she wants and with who she wants.  We’re not talking about Cinderella or a damsel-in-distress.  As foolish as people were when they were crying because the new GHOSTBUSTERS had women in it, they are just as foolish to get angry at Harley’s wardrobe.  She looked hot, wore her heart on her sleeve, but was a tough hardcore woman described in the film as more insane than the Joker.

The film not only did justice to Harley Quinn and The Joker, they created a brand new universe where Harley and the Joker were near equals.  So when the Twitterverse and “journalists” couldn’t complain about the abuse anymore, they chose to rise up and yell about Harley’s wardrobe.  You do know we are still only making $.79 on the dollar to men.  Do something about that.  Don’t tell women what to wear and hide behind enlightenment.  It’s just another form of sexism.

Now that isn’t all there is to say about the Joker and Harley.  I read the SUICIDE SQUAD novelization yesterday.  It was a lot different than the film.  The Joker was far more violent.  He used shock therapy on Harley much more, he blamed her when T hit on her in the club, and alluded it was her fault again when he picked her up in the copter.

It is well-known that the movie had some re-shots and at least one scene where the Joker hit Dr. Harleen Quinn was cut out.  She was holding a gun on him initially, but he slaps her after he gets the gun.

Without question, it was a dysfunctional relationship in the book.  Still, it’s fiction.  Just like the cartoon and the comic, it’s fiction.  As long as they still ended up together at the end, I’d be happy.

I know the comics went the route of having her and Deadshot hook-up.  I really hope the films stay away from that plotline.  Harley was created in the Joker’s image.  Especially in film universe and certain comic universes when she ended up in the same vat of chemicals as the Joker.  She does belong to him and with him.

Personally, I prefer the relationship in the movie more than in the book.  Harley is much stronger in the film.  The only downside was that the Joker was in the book far more than in the film.  Oddly, the novel doesn’t really delve into Dr. Harleen Quinn’s relationship with The Joker as much as the film – and the film only gave it about 2 minutes.

The world we are in today hinders creativity and the imaginative mind.  One should not have to worry about Social Justice Warriors when creating fiction.  I am not insulted nor do I feel the need to be in an abusive relationship simply because I read a comic book where a bad guy pushes around his gal.

Any man who watches or reads some sort of entertainment where abuse is involved and says, “oh so that’s romantic…” is a nut-job to begin with.

I am married to the most loving, trusting, sincere, soft spoken gentleman that I’ve ever met.  I went through some bad apples before meeting my Mr. LoveLove, and it was no accident that I married a man with those qualities. I would never ever let a man hit me or hurt me in any way.  That said, I love dysfunctional and villainous relationships on TV and in books.  They always have more chemistry together and they are more entertaining.

Everyone complains when Rhett forcefully kisses Scarlet in GONE WITH THE WIND.  It’s implied that he raped her and she enjoyed it.  It’s not shown of course.  This was 1939!  Still, the kiss was extremely hot.  The reason the movie was so well-received was because of the chemistry between the very handsome Clark Gable and the one-of-a-kind, gorgeous Vivien Leigh.  What I wouldn’t give to have her looks!  Did I mention she was beautiful?!

Now, in the controversial scene, had Rhett gone up to Scarlett and said, “may I kiss you?”  and she said “yes” and they kissed, it would be BORING!  Something can make a film amazing, yet be absolutely criminal in real life.

There is a reason that Luke (Anthony Geary) and Laura (Genie Francis) are the most popular couple in the history of soap operas.  It isn’t necessarily because he raped her on the disco floor, which he did.  No, it’s the chemistry they had when they were fighting or Luke was manipulating a situation to get Laura to admit her love.

I don’t understand why sexual acts that are despicable in real life are looked at differently than murder or violence.  As I’ve said many times, I am an incest survivor.  That said, the world doesn’t revolve around me.  Unless, I prepared myself, I would not watch a movie regarding the sexual abuse of a child.  It would be a trigger for me.  That said, those stories need to be told.  I’ve never seen HARD CANDY.  I heard it was phenomenal and I love the actors, but I know myself enough to say, “nope not for me.”

I don’t expect writers to stop creating because my father was a dick.  They don’t have to pay for his crimes.

In the end, people need to put their grown-up pants on.  The public cries when movies are too glossy and not gritty like they were in the 70s, but the moment something goes over the top, all the SJW groups come out ready to fight.  Give it a rest!  Stop being a crybaby!  If you don’t want to see something don’t see it.  If you don’t want to support something, don’t buy a ticket, but for the love of God, don’t speak for me.

I’m a woman.  I am a strong, independent, kickass chick with an amazing husband who stands right by my side.  When I go to ROCKY HORROR PICTURE SHOW performances, I dress the part.  My hair is nearly always bright red and I rock out like a motherfucker at concerts.

I don’t need a man or another woman coming up and telling me what feminism means and how the entertainment industry is holding me back or portraying me in a negative light.

I know what feminism means and I would fight to the death for equal rights and I would also fight to the death for a writer to portray a character any way they want.

To end on a good note, if you haven’t seen SUICIDE SQUAD yet, go see it.  Jared Leto is gorgeous.  I knew he was inspired by David Bowie.  I posted about it weeks ago and just 3 days prior to me writing this, he confirmed it.  I knew there was a reason he was the sexiest Joker.  David Bowie was one of the sexiest men who ever lived.  GORGEOUS – inside and out.