By David Futrelle
Star Wars’ worst fans are losing their shit (once again) at the news that Disney is producing a new “female-centric” Star Wars series with a woman at the helm: Leslye Headland, the co-creator and main force behind Netflix’ also quite female-centric series Russian Doll, an ingenious and surprisingly earthy sci-fi series centered around time loops and alternate universes.
So naturally the nay-sayers are out in force (get it?) to protest against Headland’s hiring because, well, they think it’s all part of some dastardly plot to ruin Star Wars forever, as if George Lucas hadn’t already done with the prequels. As far as these guys are concerned, though, it’s Lucasfilm president Kathleen Kennedy who is destroying the franchise with decisions like this one.
So what in particular is making these fans so angry? I’ve gone through hundreds of tweets on the subject and as far as I can tell, there are really only a few main arguments, if they can be called that. Let’s take a look, shall we?
Reasons to hate the new Star Wars series according to some angry dudes.
Because Headland is feminist, the show will be nothing but propaganda — just like the (shudder) lady version of Ghostbusters.
A “female-centric” show will “exclude” male fans in favor of women, who don’t actually care about Star Wars.
There are already too many women in Star Wars.
Any show with too many women in it will turn all womany like some sort of Lifetime movie.
As someone who has watched Russian Doll (twice!), I can say with some assurance that whatever Headland does with the show it will look nothing like a Lifetime movie.
A female-centric show will by its very nature be “bigoted” against white people and men.
Some of the other, er, arguments against her hiring are a little less coherent.
Something, something WAHMEN.
Something, something CUNT.
The critics can’t decide if this is little more than a “cash grab” by Disney …
… or if the company is actually courting doom because if you “get woke” you “go broke.”
But my favorite of all the haters has to be this self-described “Conservative, Christian Geek” who’s mad that they didn’t hire him instead of the woman who helmed one of the most creative original science-fiction series in recent memory.
My take? Way to go, Disney — but unironically. Russian Doll was brilliant, and I’m eager to see what Headland does with this.
Also, anything that makes these particular baby men cry is a good thing.
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@ masse mysteria et al
Our first majority female Supreme Court bench wasn’t until two years ago.
https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2018/09/18/female-majority-hear-supreme-court-case-first-time-history/
Apart from a few articles in the legal pages though it didn’t seem much of an event; which on one level I think is totally appropriate. It shouldn’t be seen as newsworthy or exceptional.
@Masse_mysteria
The same seems to be some people’s view of racial equality right now, I’ve seen a lot of white people say that racism is over and that there is full equality because there are some black celebrities and some media for black people. Same with LGBTQIPA+ rights, I’ve seen various cishet people insist that equality was achieved years ago and that they’re okay with gay and trans* people so long as they’re not too open about it.
You cited Storm Duper, a known satirist for the website FAKING Star Wars. Every thing he says is parody.
I don’t see why there has to be an all female Star Wars though, there’s never been an all male Star Wars, and some of the most badass characters have already been female