Sexism in the Avaverse?

[sao]

Apparently the general consensus on this board is that the Avaverse is sexist.

I'm afraid that outside of the Northern Water Tribe, I simply don't see it.

There's been no hints in the series that women are particularly oppresed, not allowed to work or train as benders, devalued and married off inappropriately early, treated as posessions or as though they're extremely fragile, etc.

The only real evidence I've seen is female underrepresentation for girls as a whole; almost all the extras are men, but I don't really mind as I think that's probably just something to do with the art team and what they prefer and feel fits the scene better.

I mean.. no one freaked out when it was revealed Toph was a bender AND female. Mai appears to be the character that's the most highly trained in weaponry on the show, perhaps aside from Zuko. Ty Lee also has obviously had extensive combat training, Azula has apparently been honing firebending all her life and the three of them are allowed to travel and fight as they please. Azula is her father's favourite, there is no apparent pressure on her to marry.

Then you have the Kyoshi warriors, the past avatars that have been female, Jun the bounty hunter and I'm sure some other examples I haven't thought of just yet.

I'd like to hear some dissenting opinions because I honestly don't know how anyone gets the impression that the ENTIRE Avaverse is extremely sexist.

[The Lion Turtle]

I'd like to say that althought most of Avatar isn't, there are some people, even in today's world, who are and don't even mean to be. There's still quite a lot of sexism in society today, even if it isn't severe. So, natually, some (not all) people in Avatar would still be. I think there is a lot of options for women in Avatar but not as much as today's standards.

Anyways, I think it depends on the person, the social situation, and more. Example: the Army. Our Army won't put women in infantry, and I don't see why Avatar would, either, but I imagine that 99% of medics, healers and amry doctors are female -- so there is a place for them, just differently.

[sao]

It's just that I see a lot of people saying "Avatar is a gender-biased world," implying more than our own, anyway. They seem about as forward thinking as we are on most matters.

Mm, but I'd rather not steer this towards real-world sexism as that's just opening up a whole different tin of worms.

[aden]

Aside from the Northern Water Tribe, whose only apparent sexist tradition is not teaching bending combat to women, the Avaverse is relatively modern in terms of social behavior. Sure, the show is largely based on ancient Chinese traditions which were definitely inclined toward men being in charge, but that hardly translates into oppression of women.

There's most likely a community sense of the Man bringing home the Woman tending the house and family, but even that still exists today. In the Avaverse, such a notion likely varies in strength depending on location, but it's probably there in some form.

And as another thing to consider, after 100 years of war, there's going to be a significant decrease in the male population. If the Avaverse was ever blaitantly sexist at some point, it's likely had to change out of sheer necessity since the women would have become the statistical majority at some point. They'd have needed to take over male jobs and thus break free of the idea that women are only fit for raising a family. Much like what happened in America during WWII.

[jialingjin]

Sexism is existant in the Ava-verse and it's existant in history. I refer to history. I only bring sexism up when I review profiles when the female is under 16 and trying to travel alone in a whole different kingdom, or when she knows a weapon that is traditionally a man's weapon and comes from a poor family. Noble women learned weaponry of all sorts certainly.. but a farm girl? Might learn how to use a bow, or a scythe, or a small sword to protect livestock.. not a Katana.

That's where I draw my lines at.. women traveling alone, and weaponry. I so far haven't had much of a problem with professions. We have a female Yu Yan Archer somewhere on here.

[sao]

jialingjin said:

Sexism is existant in the Ava-verse and it's existant in history. I refer to history. I only bring sexism up when I review profiles when the female is under 16 and trying to travel alone in a whole different kingdom, or when she knows a weapon that is traditionally a man's weapon and comes from a poor family. Noble women learned weaponry of all sorts certainly.. but a farm girl? Might learn how to use a bow, or a scythe, or a small sword to protect livestock.. not a Katana.

That's where I draw my lines at.. women traveling alone, and weaponry. I so far haven't had much of a problem with professions. We have a female Yu Yan Archer somewhere on here.

It's existant but I wouldn't say it's a whole lot WORSE.

I don't really agree with you, I suppose. We know that Suki travelled alone and we're unsure of the backgrounds of the Kyoshi warriors, but I don't believe there's any particular entrance standard.

Aren't all weapons sort of... traditionally men's weapons? I don't know what the point is in saying that it's okay if you learn to use a bow to snipe someone but not if you've learned to use a sword. Reasons for not using these weapons would come from the financial side of things more than anything, I'd think.

Teenaged boys and girls travelling alone in that world seems like it would be treated the same as in this world -- the girl is going to be babied more, but they'll probably let her do what she needs to if she's got enough weapons training and so forth to defend herself.

[naru]

Well yes the Northern Water Tribe though it hasn't been revealed if that was changed or not, Mai, Azula, Ty Lee know combat, though propably mostly because they are part of the nobility, so it may be that only noble women can learn combat in the Fire Nation, but still thats better then the Northern Tribes tradirtion, The Earth Kingdom it seems is incredibly mixed about that idea, we see girls at Master Wu's academy. but so far I havent seen any female soldiers, we know that the air nomads completely WEREN'T sexist when they were around, and of course for the most part we dont know much about the Southern Tribe