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Dawn Summers is the literal definition of a teenage girl who was/is hated because she’s a teenage girl. She isn’t even like a lot of other characters on here where she’s genuinely really flawed but it can be hard to have a nuanced discussion about her because of fandom misogyny she’s just a teenager girl.

Too the people who think she’s annoying I have news you were just as “annoying” at 14 and you probably would have been more annoying going through everything she went through.

Meanwhile Clark Kent about Lois or talking to Lois:

"There are times where I think you don't know me at all and others where I think you know me better than anyone."

"Lois you could have a bag over your head and I'd still know it's you"

"Take my life. Let her live"

"Lois I died when you left."

"You can lean on me for strength. I feel stronger when your around anyway"

"Lois Lane is off- limits. Go near Lois again, I'll destroy you all"

"I waited 3 hours for you to get ready if it means being with you, I can wait forever"

"She (Lois) is the most important thing in my life."

"Lois, you didn't just heal me, you brought me back. You saved me."

" I want you to know me completely, with no secrets because you’re the One. You always will be. "

"I love your daughter and I don’t want a day to go by when I’m not with her."

"The truth is I rely on your more than anyone else. I trust you to know parts of me that I don't even trust myself."

"Lois if you're watching this 20 years from now, just know you are the love of my life."

" I want to marry you in 5 days or 5 years."

"The only thing that’s ever made me feel normal is you."

"You're not my weakness. You're my strength."

"My destiny is marrying you and for us to create our own future together"

"You're not in my way. You're by my side"

I’m so glad I stayed off the internet enough back in the day that I haven’t personally seen any of the smear campaign against Joan Watson my beloved. It’s sad though that I immediately knew it was because of Johnlock and the fact that Lucy Lui is Asian. The bright side is that every single person who I know in real life and online who has watched this show knows that making John Watson into Joan Watson was genius. She’s hated by people that have never watched a single episode.

What’s sad is when I think of a race or gender swap in modern media I think that nobody has done it better than Elementary.

If everything were exactly the same except Lorelai was a man people would talk about him like he was the second coming of parenting. I'm not saying Lorelai has no flaws as a parent, obviously she does, but people are so so hard on moms (in fiction and in real life), but if a dad is at all present and nice to their kid he's a saint. It just kind of bugs me what an insane standard people hold Lorelai's parenting to, especially given the circumstances that she was parenting under (being literally 16 years old when she started and only having emotionally abusive parents as examples).

She's imperfect and flawed but she also frequently apologizes for her mistakes and genuinely tries to do better when she realizes she's fucked up. No one is ever going to be a perfect parent, but I think that someone who makes their kid feel loved and safe, and is also willing to admit their faults and try to do better is pretty good all things considered.

Also, even beyond her parenting skills, the fandom tends to exaggerate her flaws to absurd degrees. Don't get me wrong, she is a deeply flawed person. She's often judgemental, she's undeniably self-absorbed, and she can be pretty possessive of the people she loves.

But, from what I've seen, a lot of people seem to believe she's the most selfish person ever while underselling the fact that she's deeply involved in her community, regularly does volunteer work (making costumes for literally every town event, of which there are so so many, organizing the town rummage sale, taking in Kirk, a character I actually can't explain, you just have to watch the show for that one, when he left his mother's house), and is often exceedingly generous towards people who need it. She provides a safe space for her daughter's friends, Lane and Paris, who both have difficult home lives. She also repeatedly makes an active effort to mediate between Lane and Lane's mother and tries so hard to improve their relationship. Hell, she even lets Lane's band rehearse in her garage for like two years rent free. She organizes her neighbor Babette's cat's funeral. She takes over running Luke' diner (Luke is Lorelai's good friend and also her will-they-won't-they, but they're not dating at this point in the show) for days when Luke has to organize his uncle's funeral, all while still going to work at her actual job.

She's also, IMO, very kind to her parents, who are deeply unkind to her. She takes all of their shit (constant insults and putdowns and manipulation) and does most of the emotional labor in that relationship (she's always the one who fixes things and apologizes when they have a fight, even when she's definitely not the one in the wrong), and they never ever reciprocate, let alone acknowledge or appreciate what she's doing. And somehow, so many people see Lorelai as the problem in that relationship??? It's like people believe that Lorelai's parents can't possibly be abusive because they're rich, they're white, and they don't hit her. It's infuriating.

The point is, Lorelai is deeply flawed and no one's going to deny that. But the idea that she's always selfish and mean and never cares for others is genuinely preposterous to me. I don't know how people can possibly justify that take. Misogyny is the only explanation.

And this is coming from the fandom that rakes soldier boy and the zeppo over the coals for things far less heinous. Is being uncomfortable with your girlfriend's super strength a good thing? No. Is making sleazy comments about your lesbian friends or every hot girl you see something to ignore? Also no. But does it compare to tying her up and threatening to have your ex kill her, stalking to the point of essentially leaving an ashtray in her front yard, building a sex robot in her likeness, stealing her panties, making your girlfriend (who you abuse!) dress up as the girl you're obsessed with, gendered use of 'bitch' and 'bint' ONLY to female characters, sexualised framing of his killing slayers and double entendres or innuendos in the dialogue that are not present with male victims, blaming said female characters when he only has himself to blame ('why do you bitches torture me?' When it's him holding them captive... Okay?), groping her when she's trying to help people in The Bronze, having a stalker shrine in his crypt, listening to her and her boyfriend fuck from outside her house, making sexist comments about 'prying apart her dimpled knees' or 'things not being as high and firm' as to why her boyfriend left? Absolutely NOT. And it most definitely does not compare to his vile treatment of her in the sixth season which is not exactly misogynistic in isolation, but is absolutely informed by his misogyny. Nor the final season which should've been focused on Slayer lore, the Scoobies, and everything that made the show so beloved, and instead we get Miss Summers coddling her abuser and prioritising him over everybody she's ever cared about, including her little sister who she sacrificed herself for just a year prior, whilst not having a single moment that actually examines HER trauma, instead sidelining it completely! But that's a whole other can of worms.

If you call the hypocrisy of fandom out regarding this creep, especially because of how eager they are to berate the slayer's best male friend and her college boyfriend for far lesser offences, you will get called media illiterate, unintelligent, that this is 'not the show for you', etc. Apparently I missed the entire point of the show because I find Spike's scenes harder to stomach than anything other male characters aside from Warren or Caleb do! Wow, sorry for being bothered by misogyny no matter who it's coming from. Didn't realise evil beings got a pass for literally everything, except of course their 'good deeds' which prove they're 'the better man'... But I thought his soulless actions didn't count? That's right, only the ones that paint him in a good light can be discussed! Anything else he absolutely cannot be held accountable for because it's 'not real' and I shouldn't get 'mad over a fictional show' but you'll send me threats and question my morals because I don't ship B/S? Pot kettle!

Also the suggestion he is 'punished' in the narrative for being a misogynist (whereas X and R aren't and that's why people dislike them more... If only they lost their souls and then at least they'd have an excuse like Billy Idol, but how much do you wanna bet they'd still be more hated?) when the real reason the Scoobies want nothing to do with him is because he continuously tries to murder them or teams up with their enemies to foil their plans, NOT because of his misogyny. The only time he faces consequences specifically for that behaviour is when he makes a suggestive comment to April and she throws him out of the window. Then a few episodes later, even as he's being told how gross his own bot is, he's rewarded with a kiss for protecting The Key.

The Xan-Man is apparently 'possessive' over our prophecy girl, thinks that he deserves her love, interferes in all of her relationships, is jealous of and hates her boyfriends... Um, sound familiar? Except, X is pretty much over his crush by Becoming, and has other valid reasons for hating a certain vampire with a soul that are no longer solely guided by his feelings for B, as well as genuinely liking Cowboy Guy and having an actual friendship with him until he leaves. Whereas Captain Peroxide does all of the above and VIOLENTLY for two seasons straight and is considered a viable romantic partner? And I'm supposed to just accept that because he's 'an evil vampire without a soul' and 'the bloodlust is the point'? Sorry, but that doesn't make a lick of difference to me! Misogyny is not a prerequisite for villany, otherwise every single villain on the show would exhibit the same traits as William the Bloody Awful (has there ever been a more appropriate name?), but as it happens there are only two who even come close, and they are Warren and Caleb. Fandom isn't so keen on these two, soul or no soul, and will routinely call out their misogyny... Hmmmm, I wonder why? But then again, what do I expect from people who find watching a depressed young woman desperate to feel after being ripped from heaven get abused and isolated by a manipulative freak to be erotic and sexy, and consider this a 'mature relationship'.