Male parts not so private

By Christopher A. Hayes, On-line Forty-Niner

April 15,1998

Sometimes a television or movie scene calls for some type of injury to be inflicted on a character such as stubbing a toe on a door. Almost always will the mishap be consigned to a male character. Why? Because a male punching bag gets more laughs than a female one.

 

One of the greatest accomplishments the United States has made in this century is acquiring social disdain for the physical mistreatment of women. While abuses continue, great strides in legislation and media attention have been implemented to assist women.

 

However, there seems to be a double standard - television and movies perpetuate the notion that violence toward men is acceptable. It goes far beyond stubbing a toe.

 

In a recent advertisement for a television program, female members of the cast slap the faces of the male members. Each of the men replies to the slap with a comedic phrase. Ergo - this is meant to be funny.

 

What if the skit called for the women to have their faces slapped? The humor would not be quite so forthcoming. Perhaps one can say that it is only a slap and the men (in real life) would not suffer any serious physical injury except for a red mark and maybe a bruise left behind on their cheeks.

 

But what about the emotional trauma suffered? To have one's face slapped, whether for a man or a woman, is a grave insult and is humiliating.

When a scene calls for some gore without too much emotional

baggage - out comes the male cannon fodder.

Another physical assault against men in television and the movies is the all-out attack on male private parts. For a man to be hit or kicked in the groin area on screen generates laughs from the audience. In real life it, is a very painful and degrading experience. How many Americans chuckled at the plight of John Wayne Bobbitt? If it is so hysterical to see a person "wracked" then why is it never a woman who suffers this type of so-called comic relief?

 

The ultimate assault against men in the media is the "killing" of male characters. Sometimes it is just plain slaughter. Sure, women are killed on screen, but usually only to emphasize what a heartless psycho the villain is or how powerful a natural disaster is.

 

When a scene calls for some gore without too much emotional baggage - out comes the male cannon fodder. A perfect example would be virtually any Arnold Swarzenegger movie.

 

When the hero needs a human shield to protect him from a barrage of bullets, he or she grabs a man. When the hero must kill nameless and faceless foes, starlets need not apply. The casting director makes sure all the extras are male.

 

Only when the casting director wants to the viewers' attention and sympathy does he or she begin littering the set with female corpses (actresses playing dead).

 

If men and women are to be depicted equally and fairly in television and movies, then they should both be held to the same abusive standards or the same non-violent ones.