Rape Culture in cartoon we grew up on
I’ve watched looney toons my whole life.
I’ve watched pepe le pew all my life.
But it wasn’t until tonight that I realized just how much cartoons like pepe le pew have perpetuated misogyny and rape culture. truthfully, I’m kind of sick to my stomach after this particular episode- Heaven Scent- after watching it.
It goes like this.
So, ok, the lady cat is being attacked and scared by all these angry dogs so she takes it upon herself to alter her appearance to make herself distasteful to them. Which works for like 2 seconds until the pervy skunk catches a glimpse of her in the park.
Of course, in his very pepe le pew style, he is instantly all over her and when she fights him off and flees, he takes it as her being shy and playing hard to get. No. Just no. She’s terrified.
Back the fuck off. But does he? No. He’s more determined and spouting off shit like “how about trying some occupational therapy… Yadda yadda…. you’ll feel better after making love.” She LITERALLY THROWS HIM OFF A CLIFF and he still doesn’t back off.
So what happens next is just what really bothered me.
She runs down a tunnel that has a huge sign that says “do not enter- tunnel blocked.” He stands directly under the sign and says something along the lines of “I have a friend who told me once that there is no difference between the sexes. I say viva le difference!”
And he hops off into the tunnel after her.
Now can someone tell me how THAT IS NOT A CLEAR ALLUSION TO RAPE?! The TUNNEL says DO NOT ENTER and he does it FUCKING ANYWAY.
This one single episode is making me rethink my entire childhood. And it makes me so damn sad and makes so much sense as to why so many people think this is a normal behavior that people- in this case, men specifically- should express.
the-espresso-life:
