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Jazzfanz: Racist, Sexist, Anti-gay remarks Ok. Swears and All Caps Not Ok.

One Brow said:
https://thesocietypages.org/socimag...ickey-mouse-and-the-infantilization-of-women/


https://www.uwlax.edu/urc/jur-online/pdf/2010/carlson.mkt.pdf


https://anirenicon.com/2011/06/14/t...a-theology-of-aging-getting-age-wrong-part-2/


From post #82:
Click to expand...

post #82?

That seems to be my comment on the "fogwall of suck" post. And yes, I think it does apply here.

Also wonderfully ironic that Mickey Mouse is the author's chosen metaphor for the infantilization of women she describes. Mickey Mouse itself (himself?) is a metaphor for simple-mindedness - or stupidity, if you will. Last I checked (ok, not really, but ykwim) Mickey Mouse was/is a male character. Ironic for her to use the example of the infantilization of a male cartoon character and attach it to female human people.

The whole idea that only females are infantilized (is that a word?) is ludicrous. I postulate that it happens to males as well. Really, if you want to analyze things, Mickey Mouse and most other cartoon characters are infantilizations of men. Well, except perhaps for Popeye. But then again, the poor fellow was stuck with a name like Popeye.

What about all the stereotypes of men who can't "cut the apron strings"? Men who have absolutely no survival skills so they need a woman to mange their life for them?

The jargon swings both ways.
 
moevillini said:
post #82?

That seems to be my comment on the "fogwall of suck" post. And yes, I think it does apply here.

Also wonderfully ironic that Mickey Mouse is the author's chosen metaphor for the infantilization of women she describes. Mickey Mouse itself (himself?) is a metaphor for simple-mindedness - or stupidity, if you will. Last I checked (ok, not really, but ykwim) Mickey Mouse was/is a male character. Ironic for her to use the example of the infantilization of a male cartoon character and attach it to female human people.

The whole idea that only females are infantilized (is that a word?) is ludicrous. I postulate that it happens to males as well. Really, if you want to analyze things, Mickey Mouse and most other cartoon characters are infantilizations of men. Well, except perhaps for Popeye. But then again, the poor fellow was stuck with a name like Popeye.

What about all the stereotypes of men who can't "cut the apron strings"? Men who have absolutely no survival skills so they need a woman to mange their life for them?

The jargon swings both ways.
Click to expand...

Everything you say is correct, but doesn't seem to be quite on point. Mickey Mouse was used as an example of what infantilization looks like, but I don't think he was referenced as an example of the infantilization of women.

Perhaps we grew up watching different shows/movies, but in those I watched, the men who could not cut the apron strings were were humiliated, not lauded nor approved. "Mama's boy' is an insult even to the pre-teen boy, while 'Daddy's girl' is not supposedly an insult (correct me if I have misunderstood here, please). None of the men that were held up to be role models were overly attached to their mothers. They were dutiful, and sometimes appreciative, but highly independent.

You get the occasional story about how becoming a man means separating from your parents; sometimes is the main plot point of the movie. I don't recall any such stories for women.

Much more common in the media is the man who can't cook, run a vacuum cleaner, etc. However, those typically seem to reinforce stereotypes; these men are the same ones who are successful professionals, capable of juggling multiple advertising accounts, legal cases, or medical patients. Their ineptness in the home seems to be played for laughs. but is not considered a negative trait.

What were some of the messages you saw where men being childish was considered a sexy or desirable trait?
 
I think one major point of the "helpless man" portrayal is to make a woman think he needs her to "take care" of him...

In other words to make him seem more attractive to her.

Anyhow, I wonder what will show up if I google "cartoonification of men" - perhaps nothing! Sounds to me like a fantastic topic for a PhD thesis! I know we've got some academic types around here, maybe I could persuade one of them to take up the cause.
 
moevillini said:
I think one major point of the "helpless man" portrayal is to make a woman think he needs her to "take care" of him...

In other words to make him seem more attractive to her.

Anyhow, I wonder what will show up if I google "cartoonification of men" - perhaps nothing! Sounds to me like a fantastic topic for a PhD thesis! I know we've got some academic types around here, maybe I could persuade one of them to take up the cause.
Click to expand...

I agree completely. This male caricature is helpless at doing 'woman's work', so the woman is really useful being at home. We all want to be needed and valued.

Here's one result from a Google search:
https://clarissasblog.com/2009/10/17/infantilizing-men/
 
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