Radfem - Blog Posts

My gripe with Euphoria. Part 1:

The Defamation of Kat and Cassie

So against my better judgment, I watched the darn show....

Both seasons.

It had your typical "teen" drama filled with drugs, sex, and depression, and it was exploitation at its finest.

This is not to say that teens don't experience these things. Far from it, but the way the show frames these experiences does not come off as genuine. We get the sexualization of teen girls and the exploration of how women view their feminity. By exploration, I mean it was some grown man's interpretation of what he feels a powerful and complex teenage girl should look like. That usually always deals with her sexuality. She should be sexually desirable, even when her mental health is at stake. This is shown drastically in characters like Kat and Cassie, two young girls who feel like they are "empowered" in their sexually escapades, and this is done at the expense of their childhood. Teens are practically still children. Legal age has nothing to do with the development of the brain. These characters were told that their value was rested in mainly their sexuality, especially since society saw them as expendable and useless. They tried to show Kat coming into how she views herself, but that storyline was quickly tossed and they left her character hollow.

Image of Kat Hernandez, played by Barbie Ferreira

She started off an actual lead in the story. We see her as the odd one out amongst her friends, Maddy and BB. This oddity, of course, is her virginity. The concept of losing virginity goes back into the idea of a woman's purity and social standing. I have grown to loathe these plot points in teen shows. They are never handled with care or consideration, especially as it relays the idea that a girl can't truly progress in life until she has been conquered, presumably by a man. The story remains even more tasteless when these girls enter a party and Kat is coerced into having sex with some boy from another school. This results in a video being spread, showing her engaging in this deed. I'm sure some laws were broken here, but nevertheless, Kat has to do some damage control in order to stay out of trouble. It is unfortunate to see the show almost enjoy displaying what was clearly her first experience with sex in such a degrading manner. For the sake of plot, I'm sure it suited her to not have her face shown. Still, it makes one wonder about the facelessness of women who are watched online from such humiliating videos. We don't even know if they consented to being video taped. Kat sure didn't.

In episode 2 of season 1, we continue her story with flashbacks of her childhood that show her struggling with her weight as well as the loss of her first boyfriend. Her fight with body image is inherent. Even more heart-rending, Kat finds this new spike in internet fame to be intriguing and goes on to upload more videos of herself to a p*rn site (faceless of course).

Her cam-girl status was simply to shock, not offer meaningful commentary on teen girls and the exposure of themselves to a world that despises them. I believe the actress herself even commented on not wanting another "fat girl" plot line. Of course, not much followed from that outside of her story being cast out.

Consequently, we see her character get more and more one note. Thankfully, she has quit her dominatrix job by season 2, but ber struggles with identity are still realistically persistent. The show refuses to expand on that past episode 3, however. She grows unsatsified with a boy, Ethan, who appears to really like her. The show tries to dispaly how her self-esteem could not be solved through sex, but they refuse to leave her with a shred of diginity. At this point, we can infer that she loathes her body, but is afraid to admit that to a world that will reject her admission. Instead, she fantasizes about getting with someone that views her as an object to be sexually assaulted (shown in a weird Game of Thrones where she is practically r*ped by a warrior). Again, a real life circumstance for some teen girls and women, but also one the show refuses to explore further. We see her then gaslight and berate Ethan in the 2nd season's last few episodes, presenting the idea that girls only want "bad boys" in the end. This is in refusal to address Kat's emerging belief in how she lacks confidence herself and how it was a facade. We don't get to see her feel devastated by her actions, despite being shown as a character very capable of sympathy for others. Her facade of care free sexual appeal is put to the fore-front, and we as the audience are meant to see her just as shallow as she portrays herself. It is also important to note that her counterpart from the 2012 Euphoria series, a character by the name of Noy, dealt with a little more plot wise. Noy's character is actually shown to face long-term consequences from her sexual exploration. Kat's edition of this is shown to be so careless and almost glorifying as a result. Sex of any kind came come with risks, and that should have been shown for her. We don't know much about the men she experiments with, both online and off, how old they are, or what they've done in their pasts. The plus-sized girl in this series is not given any more nuance than she is in most other media portrayals. Kat is still the promiscuous and plus-sized girl who is hard to love. We are no longer able to have her point of view. We are no longer able to sympathize with the girl in this seemingly female-centric show.

Image of Cassie Howard, played by Sydney Sweeney

Cassie is shown desperately clinging to any male figure in her life, carelessly placing her own friends on the back burner. This may be reminiscent of real life, but again, the show does not attempt to humanize her. We are somehow meant to objectify her, especially with the amount of times we've seen her topless. The camera seems to thoroughly enjoy scanning over her body. It matches the ominous and far from hidden attention that her body received upon reaching puberty. This attention, of course, was given by men, strangers and family members alike. Of course, she is naturally unaware of the male gaze as it strips her first of her awareness, hiding behind smiles and gentle gestures. As her body blossoms, the world decides when it would be best to attack. Much like Kat, this attack is confused for affection. With an absent father, much of any male attention can be taken as fickle. Subconsciously, it becomes her mission to keep them however she can. She lives in a world where keeping a boy means you must give much of yourself away to please him. As we know, this does not earn the male’s respect, but rather his denigration. Her character is humiliated and remains unaware, as we see boys talking crudely about her behind her back. To them, she is sexually starved. It is almost sadistic, and masochistic on her oart, how much we are shown her being desperate. Even as we see her get with the seemingly kinder Mckay, it wasn't long before she was being roughhoused by him in bed and gobbling goldfish for his college initiation. The actress, Sydney Sweeney, even explicitly came out and said she asked for less nudity in her role. This is not something that should have to be told, but I guess the director didn't see her for anything but eye candy. You shouldn't need nudity to enthrall and audience, especially at the expense of your actresses. Sam Levinson (writer, producer, director) appeared to have eased away from nudity, noticeably in the show's second season. That did little to polish the show, however. In the 2nd season's final moments, we see Cassie spiral into a fit of grief and righteous fury, feeling rightfully that the world is against her. Of course, this does not excuse her from her own selfish acts. She is decides to get with the ex-boyfriend of her best friend, Maddy, and hide this up until all is revealed by a character I will discuss later. We know the origin of Cassie's lust for love, but she is ultimately shown as shallow and in the wrong. We do not get to discuss how she can come to find more stability in her life, to love herself and love other women. She just simply exists as visual entertainment beside the near sociopathic Nate Jacobs. We see Nate pull her close and push her away, and she is willing to come back everytime. We are supposed to believe she is not allowed mercy, even as she struggles with her own hidden addiction. We see her character painfully go through an abortion, which surely contributed to her declining mental state. This is shown in episode 7 of season 1. It's a plot fleetingly introduced and would never be spoken of again. Shock value for you. We do not get to see her mourn over this loss, although we are aware that this teenager would not do well with a child at the moment. Still, we don't know how she feels about having kids. We do not know how she feels about sex (I mean truly feels, not in how she presents it in scenes with Mckay and Nate).

Maddy confronting Cassie in season 2 episode 8

We do not get to see her discover that love does not exist solely in connection to a man. It should have existed in the love for her sister, possibly even in her flawed mother, or in Maddy and Kat. Primarily, that love should have been for herself, even if it took a long time to find. I highly doubt the upcoming 3rd season will give her that level of complexity and growth. She is just a dramatic plot point. Someone to be put in her place when she breaks under societal pressures. Obviously, self love is not everyone's conclusion, but Cassie, like Kat, is young and very impressionable. It is difficult to tell if the show sees them as such. Girls are told to act like mature adults, and are shamed if they don't achieve this in a way that leaves them both f*ckable and manageable. There is still time for them to learn, but where is their help? Or their conclusions?

My gripe with Euphoria.

Introduction

I remember my initial decision to cower away from this show. I discovered through review videos and articles that this was far from teen-friendly, despite having a teen-centric cast of characters. This show opposes my morals immensely, but I think I was only intrigued by the main plot of drug addiction, which is a slippery slope to take in the media. I had seen that the main show writer, Sam Levinson, also struggled with addiction, so I figured there would truth to this fictionalized tale.

Euphoria's (2019) concept is not particularly new, however. It is based on a 2012 Israeli show by the same name, directed by Ron Leshem. The original had some of the same elements: a troubled group of generation Z teens, somone with a drug addiction, a girl with weight issues, a drug dealer and his brother, etc.).

Cast of Israeli "Euphoria"

I don't know much about the Israeli version outside of that, especially without access to the show. I have heard that it takes on a bit of a more sympathetic approach to its characters. Levinson's adaptation seems to take on a different approach in the form of HBO style exploitation. As someone who is part of Generation Z and is aware of our statistics, I find it peculiar that a lot of these teen-centric shows portray us as hyper-sexual alcoholics who wouldn't give it a second thought to try drugs on the side. It's bee documented recently (in the years 1995-2015) that the opposite has been occurring. Of course, our world is being adapted from the mind of a thirty-four year old man. Older men, young teens, and sex seem to be a reoccurring theme. We see how female characters are treated versus the males. There is even the inclusion of a trans identified male character in the midst, who I found myself weary of throughout both seasons for reasons I will explain in later posts.

It is easy to see where Sam includes himself in the drug addiction plot. The other plots, however, are just as telling on the psyche of male directors and writers and how they view the women and girls that they construct in their narratives. His co-writers are Zendaya and Drake. Notably, Drake has been shown to have his own immoral actions on full display, so his influence is one to take heed to just as much. Zendaya's ideas of feminism are also warped, as she believes in males deserving the rights to be in female spaces. Someone who can simultaneously compare a man's mental illness to a women of color's biological status already sets me up to critique the debased "feminism" of this story.

It is no longer a matter of these female (and even male) characters being complex when we are simultaneously told they are empowered by their flawed actions. Or, on the opposite side of things, we are told that they should be discarded accordingly when it suits the narrative.

I will dive into this mess of glitter and shine and tear away this show's esthetics as I navigate my thoughts throughout my viewing of both seasons. I will explore the female (and one female presenting trans) characters and analyze what I see fit based off of what I took away from them.

I am getting so sick and tired of women being told to off themselves because we're stating facts. Men are allowed to exclude women in every scenario, even when we should rightfully play a role. To some of these TRA's however, women just wanting that space to themselves is the equivalence of g**ocide and we should be k*lled and r**ped accordingly. These sentiments are being shared by both men AND women. I've even seen TIW getting dogpiled for speaking out, because they are still women in a very patriarchal society. How some women have fallen into this sh*t pile is beyond me at this point. I have seen some peak, while others dig themselves in further just for the sake of acceptance. At this point, I will have to remove anyone who supports them from my friendship circle. I can't mentally handle being around people who don't believe that my biological sex had impacted my life, or that my biological sex can be some man's outfit.

Men: why do women think we equate sex with violence? Why do women think we equate penetration with punishment or humiliation?

Men: SUCK MY COCK, GET RAPED, CHOKE ON MY NUTS, I FUCKED YOUR MOTHER

Men: i just don't get why they'd think that... unless maybe it's because they secretly *want* sexual violence... maybe they're upset because they can't stop thinking about my donger

what’s so ironic to me is how much prostitution enthusiasts stress "listening to sex workers"—but the moment those very "sex workers" they claim to love so much disagree with them, suddenly they’re not worth listening to anymore.

"listen to sex workers" I'm listening! are you?

Or, “We wouldn’t rape you/have sex with you anyway because you’re too ugly so shut up.”

Which is such a classic male response.

tims will literally write graphic rape fantasies about women and how they want to “correct” lesbians but will throw a tantrum when you tell them that males shouldn’t be in women’s spaces

A woman: So I recently developed ovarian cancer & I could sure use someone to talk to about it

Trancels on Tumblr: Um this is kinda problematic sweetie. Trans women dont have ovaries & ur sure being cissexist when u bring them up. Bringing up the cancer u have in an organ that’s exclusive to females is transphobic & by trying to discuss a womens’ issue youre basically saying you want all trans women to DIE, so uh…

in some ways TRA's are right about radfems

I as a woman can't go into radfem space without being called "male", "incel" and other bullshit. I'm verified and everything but then I hear that I "talk like a man" or have a "male brain".

I'm aware I'm more masculine in behaviour than most women but I'm still a woman lol.

The irony is scary because it's exactly the same genderist thinking that TRA's have. I'm too close to G.I Joe on Barbie/G.I Joe scale so maybe I should consider transitioning /j.

radfems who don't want me to draw and drool at anime tits are as bad as troons

let women enjoy themselves

and shame men

I enjoy sexualised depictions of women and don't give a fuck.

We are sexual beings.

A woman can't have a "male brain".

Radfems call me male brained or see me as a troon everytime they learn how extremely gay I am (when for example I play those waifu games on my phone or draw women or look up nasty art on my phone).

Or a degenerate when I mention I have kinks.

I'm just as much of a woman as you are but I just don't lie about the things I like. I don't pretend to be "better" or more "pure" as a lesbian because I don't have to.

If you use terms like "malebrained", "male typical behaviour", "male socialisation" to refer to women you're not gender critical.

Radfems love to assume I'm a man when I disagree with them. That assumption is based on stereotypes and the idea that women wouldn't be able to think for themselves.

You're not gender critical. You believe in gender woo and DEFINE people by gender stereotypical behaviours.

I often have beef with feminists because they tend to shift ALL BLAME on men.

Apparently seeing women as human beings with autonomy and brains to think for themselves is sexist.

Imagine you are a slave and you work hard everyday with other slaves but all you dream about is freedom. On the other side of the fence there is another slave but that slave talks about how it's ok to be one, how we're destined to be slaves and there is nothing we can do.

Wouldn't you in your heart at least, judge that person? If you long for freedom and feel love towards a group of people but they go against their own interest over and over again, it's hard not to resent them at times.

Having ideals for them, standards for them, hopes and dreams for them is the most humanising thing there is. Even if at times it might come across as harsh judgement or might lead to bitter dissapointment.

suffragettes became fascists because this is what spending too much time with feminists does to you

women have this ugly tendency of purity checking each other when it comes to everything, this is why feminism fails

it doesn't include all women, just a chosen elitist group which gets smaller and smaller

radical feminism should stop demanding from women to stop having sex, stop being mothers, stop eating meat those are ALL normal things that alot of women do

do you know what is not natural? being submissive to men, being dependant on them in every conversation and not respecting your own body and your own dignity and freedom as a woman

populist right wins because it allows majority groups to still have their freedom, for feminism to win it has to center ALL women aka biological females, lesbian, straight and bi, old and young and likewise let them have their freedom

you can have your core radfem beliefs but by excluding actual women (not men in dresses) you're shooting yourself in the foot and your movement fails, not to mention there already are hypocritical radfems who say one thing do another which is laughable

choose few core principles and let everything else by up to the individual women, they'll be grateful for that

GC narrative is already taken over by the populist right as we speak because they're sneaky and smart about it

radical lesbian feminists say they're okay with masculine women AS LONG AS they don't have masculine personality, values or interests

cutting your hair short, wearing suits and ties, having bodyhair, being a "stone butch": fine

valuing honor, having "male gaze", high libido, liking weapons: YOU NEVER HAD A PROPER MOTHER FIGURE IN YOUR LIFE THIS IS WHY YOU'RE A PORNSICK PICK ME WHO SUPPORTS THE PATRIARCHY!!

all types of SECURE masculinity in women are okay, as long as it's not compleatly averse or disgusted by femininity

we are supposed to challenge gender roles and just because I have other interests than most women, it doesn't make me a "man" or a "pick me"

I'm proud to be my own kind of woman

if you're a GC artist, hmu!

I'd like to follow and support GC artists 😊

was called a radfem as an insult lol

I'm not even a radfem but I guess it's an insult now

Just to clear things out.

I'm not a radfem myself because I'm an aggressively homosexual superhyperlesbian which contradicts radfem ideals about "sexualising women = bad".

I still see alot of radfems as my allies however, they are the only ones who truly care about same sex spaces which ofc includes same sex spaces for lesbians like myself. Despite of everything I'm still a feminist ally and even though I don't call myself a feminist (not anymore), many characterise me as such.

Dworkin was a fat, ugly, fakebian cunt

read her works, very insightful but I despise her traumatised anti-sexual ass

I honestly prefer homophobe's who are like: "yeah lesbian sex is disgusting" instead of women who act like lesbians don't see women in sexual ways or that women in general don't have sexual needs bc at least they acknowledge the truth: that we desire women sexually and want to fuck them lol

(feminist fakebians aren't nearly as bad as trans but they're also parasites to our community)

radfems: pornography bad

me, a sexually repressed lesbian: * draws porn *

I get physically turned on by women's bodies and how they smell, it's not a political identity nor a label I have chosen to identify with for whatever reason.

It's a description of my natural physical response.

I'm a lesbian and that means I WILL see women's bodies as sexual, there is nothing you can do to stop me. Human bodies are sexual by default. You can gauge out my eyes for a crime of sEXUAlisiNG women and I will still imagine their physiques in my mind's eye, get turned on and salivate.

I'm tired of homophobia coming from radfems

I have kinks and sexual feelings towards women

I have masculine personality traits

It doesn't make me a man

My body is the only thing that makes me a woman

You claim to be gender critical and then you call me a "man" for being horny for women

'mens rights' dont exist theyre just mens extra privileges on top of the thousand privileges they already have

sick of ppl calling themselves feminists and then being highly uneducated. just halfassing it. i wish to be that peaceful and ignorant but unfortunately im not dense like that :/

or worse they say feminism is for everyone and not just for women

what are your thoughts on drag? personally i find it to be misogynistic but i know many would disagree

i wish that there were female only vacation resorts. even if there were i dont think id be able to go any time soon, but still. imagine how amazing that would be. no worries about creepy men at beaches. my dream

"Women matter on their own. Not in relation to a man." 💚💚💚

Well then I guess according to you Im dense because I don't understand why it is confusing that I want it to be known my account is a safe space when reblogging a post made by a terf. Maybe Im just not far down the rabbit hole cause I have no idea why I would get cancelled for that or why you feel the need to point it out. I wouldn't say I'm confused but I do find it questionable that you feel the need to point this out or call me dense, while I won't argue with that, I don't understand why it matters to you.

Basically, some honesty behind your intentions would be nice. Even though I can guess and assume it comes from you wanting to pick a fight, I'd like to start trying to give people the benefit of the doubt.

Women are instilled from an early age with a deep shame regarding our female anatomy.

We're told our genitals smell like fish, that "roast beef curtains," are hilarious and a sign that a woman is a sl*t, that our natural pubic hair is offensive. That periods are disgusting and shameful, and should be kept secret. We aren't even properly taught about our own anatomy- a lot of women don't know until later in life that the vulva and vagina are separate, and that the urethra is not the same opening as the vaginal opening.

There's hardly any research into female-specific medical conditions. Nearly 10% (1 in 10) women are afflicted with endometriosis, yet there's literally no research on what causes it. PCOS is also under-researched. It's all shoved under the rug, too stigmatised to be discussed.

While boys can talk freely about their dick and balls, the words "vagina" or "vulva," are still treated like a humiliating joke at best, and a vulgar obscenity at worst.

Men talk with pride about their genitals. To "grow a set" = to start acting tough and assertive. To "have big balls" = to be brave. "Big dick energy" = to be a charismatic "alpha" that commands attention.

Meanwhile, there are no positive cultural connotations regarding the vulva/vagina. Even "serving cunt" is used as a tongue-in-cheek memetic joke.

I think it's very predatory that shame, disgust and aversion about having a vagina/vulva is marketed as a sign that a girl/woman is dysphoric. That it should just be censored and called a "front hole" or a "bonus hole," to avoid the stigma. It's a cultural by-product of the crushing misogyny imbedded into society.

MOST women grow up feeling shame about having a vulva/vagina, and have to put conscious effort into unlearning that shame.