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[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XvvQ3kJ5y8g&feature=related]
Growing up, there weren’t too many female cartoon icons. The evil witch was always evil, so was the evil stepmother, and Cinderella, frankly, was just too much of a Goody Two-Shoe. Everyone, from Snow White to Rapunzel to Red Riding Hood was a damsel in distress, and who could blame them, considering the patriarchal set-up they were born into. Then, there was Penelope, who drove a chic pink car and sported a sexy pink blouse with leggings, a scarf around her head that hugged her neck and was kept in place by a pair of glasses that always hung on her forehead. “Hayalp” she would say in a thick Southern accent each time “The Hooded Claw,” kidnapped her, which was at least three or four times each episode. Only the audience knew that The Hooded Claw was actually her legal guardian who was attempting to murder Penelope in order to get her inheritance.
Penelope had style. She was suave, she was rarely ever frazzled, even if she was tied to a railway track, silent-movie style, or to a torpedo headed for China. Her ‘seven-dwarfves’ like protectors would come to her rescue, more often than not, she’d end up rescuing them.
Was Penelope Pitsop a ‘Damsel Undistressed?’
Leave us a comment. We’d love to know what you feel. And let us know who’s your favourite feminist-leaning cartoon character.
Most stimulating comment will receive a Zubaan Poster Women T-shirt.
3 Comments
Karadi Tales (@karaditales)
Almost undoubtedly Lisa Simpson! She’s intelligent (she has an IQ of 159!), compassionate and witty, she rebels furiously against social norms, and yet she’s endearingly human and filled with flaws. She can be wicked when she wants to be, and she has a real capacity for self-awareness and worldly wisdom. She’s definitely a feminist as well (like when she fought to join the boys football team), and she’s unafraid of exploring her feminine side.
Close on the heels of Lisa are the feisty, sexy April O’Neill from The Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles and the courageous, brilliant Jessie Banner from Jonny Quest. Come to think of it, there’s no real dearth of awesome female feminist-leaning cartoon characters! I’d also add Wonder Woman, Princess Jasmine and the unforgettable Jessica Rabbit.
manmeet sahni
Just for the grab! Mine was the ‘Power-Puff Girls’, the colorful trio would go puff anytime there was a mishap in the town. The girls were always up for some mischief or adventure which to me symbolized the ‘free -spirited’ , the ‘maverick’ in them. The whole town depended on them and they were the ‘saviors’ not to forget the city-magistrate who would always vouch for their support! The delicious named colorful trio it is then! 😀
Anita Menon
I think dazzler (Alison Blaire) of the X Men series is a great icon. She possessed the ability of converting sound vibrations into energy and light beams, thereby stunning/dazzling her opponents. She is a singer+performer and believes in doing her own thing. She established a fantastic reputation as a talented performer in the music industry ( unlike other mutants that only fought and fought). Dazzler fought evil but at the same time pursued her passion for music and singing.