Last week, keyboard warriors took to social media to express their utter disgust with a promotional ad for the new X-Men movie, "X-Men: Apocalypse." The ad features an infuriated antagonist, Apocalypse, who is played by Oscar Isaac, strangling the defenseless-looking protagonist, Mystique, played by Jennifer Lawrence.
Voices with fists took full swings at 20th Century Fox, claiming that the ad advocated violence against women; complaints and words of abhorrence flooded Twitter and Facebook. Fox spoke up with its tail between its legs and issued a profusely apologetic statement in regard to the "insensitive" material; Fox argued they "would never condone violence against women."
Fox vowed to remove the offensive material, but I disagree with their decision.
In the new X-Men movie, Apocalypse is the featured "immortal" who runs rampant and is disillusioned with the state of the world after spending quite some time asleep. His mission is to round up an army of mutants like himself to combat mankind in an effort to reign over a new world. Mystique teams up with the X-Men and other defenders to destroy Apocalypse and save Earth.
The idea of a woman taking down a man in an attempt to save the world is a pretty heroic task, one that would enthrall feminists who believe in smashing the patriarchy, right?
Wrong.
Feminists claim to believe in equality for — all being men and women. Feminists also believe that women should feel confidently empowered because women are just as strong, independent and intelligent as any man.
But if these things are true, according to feminists, then how is warfare between a heroic woman, someone who is fighting for herself and the entire world, and an unruly man so "insensitive" and obscene if women are supposed to stand their own?
I understand that the issue of projected violence is what caused the initial outburst, but when the problem drifted from violence to violence against women, I grew frustrated.
What about violence against men? Or children? Why do women get a free pass? I don't see anybody causing a scene over two men fighting each other for world peace.
If feminists are going to argue that promoting violence against women is wrong, then they need to step up and argue that violence in general should not be a form of entertainment.
But, who would do such a thing? Men are strong enough to defend themselves. Women just need a little extra push — oh, but not too hard. We're fragile.
Imagine how many films, songs, plays and even sports wouldn't exist anymore if all elements of violence were eliminated. Since when has someone happily left a movie theater after watching a film about two people who solved their disagreements over brunch in a quaint cafe on some sunny day in June?
I am a white female in my early 20s, and I do not condone violence. I also don't condone whining for change and then crying when the change that's being asked for gets too hot to handle.
Fox has no reason to apologize for the image of Mystique in a choke hold. The plot of the movie revolves around an ongoing battle to save Earth; the leaders of the opposing forces just so happen to be one man and one woman duking it out until one reaches a victory.
Feminists expect men and women to meet halfway because we are supposed to be equals. In that case, shouldn't women defend themselves and hold their ground because no man has power over them?
You'd think.
But instead, here the women go again, crying for help and justice because the promotional movie ad shows them being treated unfairly- treated like men.
The double standards need to go.
