BlogHer - Hermione Granger: Feminist Role Model - Comments

Loved the post...

summer — Wed, 08 Aug 2007 00:22:15 -0500

...and a great point LaborHer.

I haven't finished all of the books yet, but I also think the strong friendships and interdependence between genders is notable.

Me too!

Suzanne Reisman — Thu, 02 Aug 2007 09:03:15 -0500

I liked the sketches particularly.

Suzanne, BlogHer Contributing Editor - Feminism & Gender
Campaign for Unshaved Snatch (CUSS)& Other Rants

I read them!

sassymonkey — Sat, 28 Jul 2007 13:41:24 -0500

I used to own a bunch of them too. In grade school one of my teachers used to read them to us frequently.

Sassymonkey and Sassymonkey Reads.

You are the first person

The Tea Lady — Fri, 27 Jul 2007 12:52:49 -0500

You are the first person I've found who has heard of the E.B. series let alone read them! I loved E.B. as a child.

Feminism

The Tea Lady — Fri, 27 Jul 2007 12:50:48 -0500

The true definition of feminism is equality for both sexes. So...a man may defend feminism for a woman and a woman may (and should) defend a man's honor.
Let's carry torches for each other, it lightens the load.

Hermione as an organizer

LaborHer — Wed, 25 Jul 2007 14:15:19 -0500

My favorite part of the Harry Potter series (so far, I haven't finished the last one yet!) is when Hermione starts to organize the house elves because they are being mistreated -- I think this happens in book 4.

Labor rights are a feminist issue! Women in this country and abroad are disproportionately affected by low wages, bad working conditions and a lack of health insurance. We must organize labor unions and community groups to fight these injustices.

Organizing to fight for better, fair labor practices is one of the most feminist things a person or witch or wizard can do!

This is just one of the examples of why Hermione is a good role model!

For more conversation on labor and the economy, check out www.workinglife.org

I can understand where the

evilslutopia — Wed, 25 Jul 2007 10:48:55 -0500

I can understand where the original reviewer was coming from. There are so many books with male leads, that it's hard for little girls to feel important if they aren't represented. A character can be feminist without being female, but girls do need see strong female "role models".

But having said that, I don't think that the Harry Potter books are anti-feminist. I honestly can't really get into them, but I know enough people who read them. I wouldn't be qualified to say if they are "feminist" or not, but I can safely say that they're not "anti-feminist". (If you can see the distinction).

The Evil Slut Clique
Evilslutopia

Nicely done!

Mom101 — Tue, 24 Jul 2007 14:19:48 -0500

Great points Suzanne. I think some women forget you can espouse feminist values outside of William Wants a Doll. In fact, I think the less obvious books may be the best since it's all handed so matter-of-factly. As if there's never even been any other way.

Mom-101
Cool Mom Picks.com

Almost All Characters Are Feminists In HP

Robyn Tippins — Tue, 24 Jul 2007 13:05:38 -0500

I can't help but notice the way the Harry and Ron defer to Hermione in many things, with Harry admitting that Hermione is the best in their class. As well, the adults and children alike admire witches as much as the wizards. Such a great story. #7 was worth the wait.

Sally Kimball

veronicaeye — Tue, 24 Jul 2007 11:38:18 -0500

Hermione has always reminded me of Sally Kimball from the Encyclopedia Brown series. Just as, if not smarter, than the lead character, full of spunk, and most deserving of her own book.

I'm only 1/2 thru the book, but so far I'm a tad pissy at all the crying Hermione does. I know, us women are prone to crying when we're under stress....but it's getting to be a tad much. Otherwise, I love her.

Also Agree

A Elliot — Tue, 24 Jul 2007 11:31:05 -0500

I too love Hermione and I also think that the idea of the Harry Potter books not being good role models for girls is ridiculous. Sometimes people forget that boys and men can be feminists too. For all the reasons you listed, I would say that the HP book series provides a great role for girls.

I went to see the movie when it first came out. I was very disturbed when I got home and realized that Emma Watson looked different on an advertisement for the movie on a HP fan site than in the movie that I had just finished seeing. It took a minute to realize what was different. The made her incredibly busty on the ad. Apparently this was pretty controversial. What I heard from other people was that they were trying to make her into a sex symbol. Wasn't she just 15 or 16 when that movie was made?!

I also love Molly! I was very sad when I finished the last chapter, but I look forward to reading them to my boys who are too young right now to even know who Harry Potter is.
A. Elliot

Go Mrs. Weasley!

Suzanne Reisman — Tue, 24 Jul 2007 10:07:47 -0500

I agree, about Molly Weasley! I do love that so many women in the book have such range.

Suzanne, BlogHer Contributing Editor - Feminism & Gender
Campaign for Unshaved Snatch (CUSS)& Other Rants

Love this post!

sassymonkey — Tue, 24 Jul 2007 10:04:19 -0500

Hermione is such a strong SMART character. I wish she had been around when I was younger. She kind of reminds me of a modern day Anne of Green Gables doing all she can to come out at the top of the class.

I think a character that is often overlooked is Molly Weasley. She's a powerful role model. Stay-at-home mom as well as a high ranking member of the Order of Phoenix. She's often comes across as an over-protective momma bear but the stories *are* told from a kids perspective. And don't be fooled - Molly can kick some serious butt.

Sassymonkey and Sassymonkey Reads.

The Daily Show

Pam — Tue, 24 Jul 2007 09:40:45 -0500

Didja catch the hilarious bit on the Daily Show where one of Jon's interviewers asks a Harry Potter fan which one of the kids should be president? Without hesitation he says "Hermione!"

Nerd's Eye View

Hermione Granger: Feminist Role Model

Suzanne Reisman — Tue, 24 Jul 2007 09:37:27 -0500

A few years ago, when Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix was fresh off the presses rather than in a theater near you, I read an inane op-ed piece in US News & World Report. The author protested the series, claiming that the books did not provide a good role model for girls and thus could not be feminist. Her reasoning: the main character was a boy. My jaw dropped in disbelief.

Finishing the last Potter book last night, I could not help but think that, contrary to the long forgotten op-ed wroter's opinion, JK Rowling has made an important feminist contribution to children's literature. First, to assume that a feminist character must be a girl is ridiculous. None of the characters ever talk about feminism outright, but Harry and his friends are all committed to justice for everyone, regardless of gender, race, or even species. As the hero, Harry never looks down on Hermione because she's a girl. That's exactly what I want in a role model for kids.

While the books are not called Hermione Granger and the Whatever, women play central roles in the stories. The strongest and most powerful teachers in the books are women. They are held in equal regard with the male instructors. Women are portrayed as complex beings: mothers, killers, friends, love interests, intelligent, untrustworthy, etc. They are never drawn around gender stereotypes, and neither are the male characters. Again, a great feminist treat for kids.

Most important to the argument that the Potter stories are an incredibly feminist take on politics and mythology is Hermione Granger herself. If only more girls in literature, movies, TV, and pop culture were like Hermione. She may not be the sole center of the stories, but she is central to them. Here's why I love her so much:

- Herminoe is smart and never, ever hides it. Sometimes she may be a bit too pushy, but she would rather show her knowledge than hide it in an effort to win over friends. Her brains save Harry and others time and time again. Hermione has no time for silly games to attract boys by playing dumb.

- Hermione is not conventionally attractive and she doesn't care. Other girls in the books are described as pretty or cute. Hermione has bad teeth and bushy hair. This is completely unimportant to her. Once in a while, she gets gussied up for a special event, and everyone marvels at her hidden beauty. Yet the very next day, she is just back to plain old Hermione. I love how she shows that you can like looking beautiful on special occasions, but there's no need to waste time primping every day. In one of the books, she even gets the guy that all the other girls covet by doing what she enjoys doing most: researching things in the library, looking less than stunning.

- Hermione is unafraid to be herself, and she is utterly at home in her own skin. She knows who she is and she sticks to it. There's no falseness to her, no fakery. She's a genuine person who accepts that she is not perfect, and that the people worth knowing will like her for who she is.

If it is possible to have a more feminist role model, I am not sure how. So I was pretty disappointed when the first Harry Potter movie came out and I discovered that they cast Emma Watson, an adorable girl who looks nothing like Hermione's dowdy geek in the book, to play her. It just figures that Hollywood would go and screw that up, as if kids would refuse to see the movie because Hermione wasn't pretty. Plus, I felt it sent a negative message: if this adorable girl on the screen is known to fans as dorky, what on earth could us real dorks ever do to live up to such an impossible standard?

Recently, though, Watson gave an interview in Parade magazine in which she proudly declared that she is a "bit of feminist" and said:

Hermione’s not scared to be clever. I think sometimes really smart girls dumb themselves down a bit, and that’s bad... I find it’s so much pressure to be beautiful. Hermione doesn’t care what she looks like.

For this insight, Feministing named Watson Feminist of the Day on July 9th. (There's quite an interesting discussion going on in the comments there about feminism and the Potter books there as well.)

I'm sad that the Harry Potter series has reached its conclusion. I'll miss my literary hero and friend Hermione terribly. (No, that is not a spoiler!) I think we all will, but I am glad that she is going to be here for generations of kids to look up to.

Other Emma Watson feminist links:
Pseudo-Adrienne's Liberal-Feminist Bias
geeksugar
dollymix
Girl Headquarters

Other Hermione feminist links:
F-email Fightback
pocochina
Media girl (counter point argument)

Suzanne also blogs at Campaign for Unshaved Snatch (CUSS) & Other Rants