Some Call This Fun?

Why is it misogynist to make jokes that involve women? The punchline of the Jennifer Aniston joke is that she is exactly the opposite of the kind of person that you might expect to be a stripper. The joke about George Clooney is making fun of George Clooney. The joke about Jessica Chastain hinges on our agreement that her character is anathema to the reductive female stereotypes of women cast in romantic comedies and the like. It’s this kind of knee-jerk, brainless finger-pointing that waters down every deserved accusation of real misogyny. Jokes aren’t the problem, whether they’re funny or not. It’s the unwavering assumption that women require constant heroic sheltering from the slightest hint of supposed sexism that makes them out to be impotent, one-dimensional victims. These celebrities aren’t victims, and it’s more offensive to imply that they are than any silly joke a cartoon writer makes.