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	phosfate 2004-11-23 07:46 pm UTC (link)
	Have you ever seen a kid watching Sponge Bob? It's SCARY. It's like a cult. You mean...the way any little kid watching television looks? (Reply to this)(Thread)

	adora_spintriae 2004-11-24 03:08 am UTC (link)
	I dunno. There is that pesky Church of Spongebob and all. (Reply to this)(Parent)(Thread)

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ladydisdain, 2004-11-30 05:50 pm UTC

	xero_sky 2004-11-23 07:49 pm UTC (link)
	Oh my Good Lord. Sponge Bob. Please keep that in mind. Sponge. Bob. I can't believe I'm arguing about this. happy sigh For sheer batshit wank, this is now my favorite. (Reply to this)

	xero_sky 2004-11-23 07:54 pm UTC (link)
	And because it grew while I wasn't looking... It seems clear to me that to gender a freaking sponge MALE and give it lines like "You have to be a MAN to be a MANAGER" totally marginalizes little girls. Damn that sponge and his rampaging masculinity!! Plus, damn the word MANAGER for having such a sexist first syllable! shakes fist (Reply to this)(Thread)

	big_bad_wolf 2004-11-24 02:05 am UTC (link)
	Masculinity = about the last word I would associate with that crack-addled seacreature. (Reply to this)(Parent)

restlesshands
2004-11-23 08:06 pm UTC (link)

.......Perhaps this is just me and my silly non-radical feminist mind, but I think that there are more worrisome examples of sexism than the fact that a children's cartoon movie happens to have too main characters that are boys that are trying to become men.

Oddly enough, I don't think that there are a bunch of evil cartoonists sitting back in their dank basement offices cackling about warping the minds of young girls.

But hey, that's just me and my tendency to not go out looking too be offended by the "patriarchy".

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	the_clansmen 2004-11-23 09:18 pm UTC (link)
	No, I think they're more likely to be back there smoking crack... Sorry, I just find the whole concept of a sponge as a main character as pretty odd. (Reply to this)(Parent)(Thread)

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restlesshands, 2004-11-23 09:21 pm UTC

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the_clansmen, 2004-11-23 09:26 pm UTC

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gloria_mundi, 2004-11-23 10:18 pm UTC

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livingadream, 2004-11-23 10:36 pm UTC

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gloria_mundi, 2004-11-23 10:39 pm UTC

	mistressrenet 2004-11-23 08:25 pm UTC (link)
	I can't believe they said there was no satire in SpongeBob. (Reply to this)

	llama_treats 2004-11-23 08:47 pm UTC (link)
	But...but...I thought Sponge Bob was gay. I'm so confused. (Reply to this)(Thread)

	luckdragonfujur 2004-11-23 09:48 pm UTC (link)
	Sponge Bob/Patrick OTP! (Reply to this)(Parent)(Thread)

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llama_treats, 2004-11-23 09:50 pm UTC

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bubosquared, 2004-11-24 01:27 am UTC

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llama_treats, 2004-11-24 01:34 am UTC

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bubosquared, 2004-11-24 01:36 am UTC

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iczer6, 2004-11-24 12:00 am UTC

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xero_sky, 2004-11-24 01:27 am UTC

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adora_spintriae, 2004-11-24 03:12 am UTC

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xero_sky, 2004-11-24 04:38 am UTC

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birdyexmachina, 2004-11-24 09:37 am UTC

the_clansmen
2004-11-23 09:17 pm UTC (link)

I liked the comment about feminist bizarro world.

Nevertheless, I wonder what world the person who commented that a movie won't affect a child's gender perceptions is living in. Parents might be a stronger influence, but I wouldn't count the media out so much.

Really? I broke my arm, and I also cut my leg. Guess what? I'm going to treat both. You can just slowly bleed to death, though, if you so choose.

Wait, what? What does that have to do with anything? I have entered bizarro world!

Actually, the whole Spongebob concept was pretty bizzare. Not sure what the OP expected from the movie, though. Apparently it was well thought out commentary on today's society.

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iczer6, 2004-11-24 12:02 am UTC

	luckdragonfujur 2004-11-23 09:30 pm UTC (link)
	The whole becoming men part of the story didn't seem to be perpetuating the idea that only men can do adventurous things. They're boys, so it's not like they're going to grow up to be women. That was a good one! XD And I'd like to add: Spongebob/Patrick OTP! (Reply to this)

	sarajayechan 2004-11-23 09:33 pm UTC (link)
	So a movie starring guys = sexist and mean to women? I'd hate to see what this person would say about Moby Dick, which has NO active female characters OMGWTF. (Reply to this)(Thread)

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llama_treats, 2004-11-23 09:35 pm UTC

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sarajayechan, 2004-11-23 09:39 pm UTC

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marlo, 2004-11-23 10:14 pm UTC

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marlo, 2004-11-23 10:20 pm UTC

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alpheratz, 2004-11-24 03:12 am UTC

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marlo, 2004-11-24 06:10 am UTC

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sarajayechan, 2004-11-25 04:12 am UTC

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teratologist, 2004-11-24 01:48 am UTC

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	blackjackrocket 2004-11-23 09:39 pm UTC (link)
	I remember Hothead from the infamous Milk Wank. We really shouldn't be surprised. (Reply to this)

	carlanime 2004-11-23 10:14 pm UTC (link)
	Is the phrase "humourless freak" gender-inclusive? Just checking, 'cuz I'd hate to offend one. (Reply to this)(Thread)

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llama_treats, 2004-11-23 10:22 pm UTC

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blackjackrocket, 2004-11-24 12:15 am UTC

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sepiamagpie, 2004-11-24 02:42 am UTC

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mistressrenet, 2004-11-24 04:12 am UTC

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carlanime, 2004-11-24 01:06 am UTC

	Stop Being On My Side, You're Making My Side Look Stupid. wolfie_thu 2004-11-23 10:32 pm UTC (link)
	cries (Reply to this)(Thread)

Re: Stop Being On My Side, You're Making My Side Look Stupid. -

adora_spintriae, 2004-11-24 03:14 am UTC

Re: Stop Being On My Side, You're Making My Side Look Stupid. -

marginalsanity, 2004-11-24 09:05 am UTC

Re: Stop Being On My Side, You're Making My Side Look Stupid. -

bitca, 2004-11-24 04:42 pm UTC

Re: Stop Being On My Side, You're Making My Side Look Stupid. - wolfie_thu, 2004-11-25 07:25 am UTC

sarajayechan
2004-11-23 11:47 pm UTC (link)

princessmerbear: There are many more blatant sexist things I see everyday. Most television commercials, for instance. Look at ALL comercials for laundry detergent, household cleaning supplies, and food that's being fed to children (mama's got the power of clorox, choosy moms chose Jif), and it's always the mother who is responsible for housework, laundry, and children. If there's a man in the commercial at all he is indifferent or incompetent (JC Penney runs commercials with children running wild at home with dad while the mother is out shopping).

She's looking at it from the wrong angle! They're not implying that housework, laundry and children are women's work-they're implying that men are useless when it comes to that stuff!

...Or maybe they're just stupid commercials for stuff that don't mean anything. Yeah, that works.

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virago, 2004-11-24 12:44 am UTC

(no subject) - meshou, 2004-11-24 07:42 am UTC

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teratologist, 2004-11-24 01:51 am UTC

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hellespont, 2004-11-24 07:07 am UTC

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tekanji, 2004-11-24 07:40 pm UTC

	annabelle_lee 2004-11-24 12:02 am UTC (link)
	SpongeBob Squarepants. I would have figured the first wank about that would be someone pointing out how much it sucks and having the teenies descend from above to bash them. [sighs] I suppose truth is not as strange as fiction anymore. (Reply to this)(Thread)

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sarajayechan, 2004-11-24 12:27 am UTC

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annabelle_lee, 2004-11-24 05:21 am UTC

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sarajayechan, 2004-11-24 06:25 am UTC

puipui
2004-11-24 01:07 am UTC (link)

i'm glad i'm not the only one who thought it was weird to gender a sponge anyway.

But, of course, having a character who's a female squirrel from Texas who lives in an airtank at the bottom of the ocean and walks around in a diving suit joining weightlifting competitions is a-ok.

Or, y'know, an ocean-dwelling snail that meows.

Personally, I don't think giving a sponge a gender is nearly so weird as having said male-gendered sponge live in a giant hollowed-out pineapple and drive an underwater boat, but apparently that may just be me. o.O

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big_bad_wolf, 2004-11-24 02:10 am UTC

tekanji
2004-11-24 02:21 am UTC (link)

I don't think there's anything wrong about debating a topic - no matter how silly it may seem to someone. Frankly, despite the relative wankiness of various posters, I think that there's nothing wrong with the OP bringing up the topic of sexism in the media (specifically the kids' movie).

Out of all the opinions expressed, I think night101owl really had something:
It's true that sexism permeates our culture, especially in the area of children's entertainment. I don't believe, as some of the commenters here do, that the sheer amount of sexism makes it futile to single anything out. You had a visceral reaction to this movie-- it makes perfect sense to articulate and communicate why this movie has a sexist message.

Although I would probably change the last sentence to read something more like "communicate why you think this movie has a sexist message."

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hellespont, 2004-11-24 07:10 am UTC

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tekanji, 2004-11-27 01:29 am UTC

	snacky 2004-11-24 02:28 am UTC (link)
	At last! My icon is on-topic! Also, I was cracking up at the poster who referred to Spongebob and Patrick as "Bob" and "Pat" (nicknames which are never used on the show). Feeling a leetle too close to the cartoons, are we? (Reply to this)(Thread)

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sesana, 2004-11-24 06:10 am UTC

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snacky, 2004-11-24 03:56 pm UTC

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snacky, 2004-11-24 03:54 pm UTC

blue_linnet
2004-11-24 02:44 am UTC (link)

Goodness, that hothead person is jumpy.

I kind of understand people's frustration, because often concerns are dismissed with 'aren't there *more important* things to worry about, like people *dying*?' Well, yeah, but you could apply that logic to about anything. I'd rather discuss whether or not the movie was sexist than about whether it deserves a discussion at all. Refuting a point would be more effective than just dismissing it, I'd think.

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meshou
2004-11-24 07:28 am UTC (link)

How dare they make a movie about little boys who want to grow up to be men! Everyone knows that real little boys want to grow up to be fishing tackle!

Am I weird in being offended that in order not to be sexist, there has to be a token Positive Rolemodel female?

Dude, not every story is about women. That because some stories are like, plot driven. And sometimes, people use this nifty skill called empathy to universalize it.

Isn't the success of feminism making themes like that universal, as opposed to "OMG, I can't watch this! It's about a man! It doesn't apply to me!"

Uhm, my eight year old sister in law knew it applied to her. I think expecting grown women to be as smart as eight year olds shouldn't be that big a thing.

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mistressrenet, 2004-11-24 04:31 pm UTC

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sarajayechan, 2004-11-25 07:37 am UTC

	marginalsanity 2004-11-24 09:10 am UTC (link)
	It's called overanalyzing. My life would be a sad one if I spent every waking moment looking for sexism, whether it exists or doesn't, in EVERYTHING. & guys? Men = adult form of boys, which Spongebob & Patrick are...boys, I mean. They want to GROW UP, not become the image of patriarchal society. Wtf. (Reply to this)(Thread)

Faux wank... - redwarrior, 2004-11-25 04:04 am UTC

	redwarrior 2004-11-25 04:03 am UTC (link)
	Brain just broke. I thought that the people who thought up Spongebob were on crack...but then I see people who are worse. ~~Sometimes I think the only way we can appease these feminists' taste in cartoons is to have one starring a whole bunch of talking lesbian vulvas.~~ (Reply to this)(Thread)

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sarajayechan, 2004-11-25 07:36 am UTC