First we had to choose between being funny or sexy. Then, suddenly funny WAS sexy to some people (and still is). And now, there’s evidently no way you could ever confuse the two.
I refer you to this disconcerting bit from the Guardian:
“Sexy has little place in comedy. Comedy is sad and messy. When comedy is about sex, it’s about the pathetic, failing, humiliating parts of the process, not the part where you had a nice evening with someone you’re really starting to like. When comedy tackles sexiness, it’s often linked to self-deprecation. And when comedy tackles love, it often explores rejection.”
Before anyone says anything, yes this was written by a woman. And also includes the easily misinterpreted line:
“No comedian I know goes up on stage trying to attract people.”
Ouch. I’ll tell the jokes, but heaven forbid you should like my dress or my shoes. I for one don’t go on stage in a bin liner and tin foil hat just to prove a point about the male (and female) gaze.
This entire article, it seems, is a response to someone (also a woman) on Twitter saying ‘funny women are the new hot women’. A response along the lines of NO NO NO NO PLEASE NO. It’s rooted in the idea that ‘hot’ in reference to women wrongly means ‘valued’ rather than ‘funny’, and we need to nip that idea in its hot, enticing bud.
Incidentally, I searched for this mysterious tweet-quote and can only find it quoted on news websites. And in a tweet from yet another woman who was also opposed to the prospect. Hmmmmm.
I do sort of understand the backlash. I agree that ‘hot’ and ‘valued’ are definitely not synonyms. At first, we were talking conversely about how ‘funny’ and ‘attractive’ don’t have to be mutually exclusive – how they could complement each other as traits. This is more of a plea for us to not try and make them exactly the same thing.
And… I admit it, unsexy things ARE funny. Those of you who saw the Funny Women Awards final in 2014 are likely never to forget Samantha Baines recounting some awful, awkward sex moments.
But, people, this does look a little bad. This looks like womankind can’t decide quite what it wants. And that doesn’t help us to push forward and make a difference for all women – whether they’d rather have bigger laughs, bigger boobs, bigger self-confidence or something else entirely.
Funny, sexy, both or neither, ‘valued’ is actually the most important one. So how about we focus on that and not my cleavage, huh?
