5 Reasons Jessica Jones is the Feminist Show Marvel Needed
Jessica Jones is the latest Marvel series to hit Netflix and I, personally, am still trying to recover from what I just witnessed, and I'm not completely sure if I will ever get over the sheer awesomeness that is Jessica Jones.
The show takes place after Jones' short lived stint as a superhero came to a screeching halt when she was taken "captive" by reknowned Marvel villain, Kilgrave.
(image courtesy Netflix)
And let me just say, David Tenant gave a phenomenal performance as the psychotic Kilgrave! Probably one of his best performances to date.
While the show has some very intense moments and left me far more stressed than before I started watching it, it was also amazingly refreshing to see a television series grapple with such feminist and controversial topics.
Before you continue reading, if you still have not seen any of the Jessica Jones, you might want to stop here, because this post is filled with spoilers.
With that said, here are 5 reasons you need to binge watch Jessica Jones.
1. It Takes on Mental Health Issues
Mental health is largely overlooked in this country, particularly depression, anxiety, and PTSD. Jessica Jones takes on all of them! She's recovering from having just killed someone under Killgrave's orders and like most people suffering from mental illness, relying on self medication: booze.
She's constantly on edge and suspicious and some may describe her as a bit reclusive. She isolates herself, even her good friend Trish and her neighbor Malcolm who only seeks to help. It was great to see Marvel and Jessica Jones address serious mental illnesses.
2. It Addressed Diverse Characters & Relationships
So often we need to have a show about diversity to see diversity. I give you this, this, and this. I'm not saying these shows are not great and I'm not saying we should end these types of "diverse" shows. What I mean is, a show has to be about a lesbian couple in order to see regular lesbian couples. The premise of a show has to be about the black community, or gay characters, or chicana culture in order to showcase diversity.
(image courtesy Netflix)
What is most needed in the film industry is addressing diversity as no big deal. Simply replacing your male white characters and your heterosexual relationships with other people and treating it the same. Jessica Jones featured many homosexual relationships, one of which was a major plotline of the story. Jessica Jones and Luke Cage were our fantasy bi-racial couple.
(image courtesy Netflix)
Many characters of color were featured. And the greatest thinga bout it is it didn't necessarily effect the plot, it simply made the show more progressive.
3. It Took on the Hot Topic of Abortion
Abortion has been a major topic for discussion these days. It's such a controversial topic, most choose to simply not address it at all. And here we have Jessica Jones giving the ugly reality of what forcing somebody to have a child (especially one conveived from rape) can do to a woman. Killgrave raped Hope (a clever name for the storyline) and it was later found out she became pregnant.
(image courtesy Netflix)
After surviving the attrocity she went through, the last thing she wanted was to birth the spawn of her rapist. She makes very powerful statements that I'm sure struck many nerves, but was absolute truth.
"Every second it's there, I get raped again and again. My parents are shot again and again. I wanna live. I wanna have children. But I won't give life to this thing. I won't do it."
A tough pill to swallow for many pro-life advocates, but one they absolutely need to listen to and hope tragically captures that desperation that many rape survivors go through.
4. It Didn't Pussy Foot Around Abusive Relationships & Domestic Violence
Trish's relationship with Simpson was very reflective of abusive relationships. Granted, Simpson was under Kilgrave's control when he first tried to kill Trish, however, it didn't necessarily feel right to see Trish get romantically involved with this man. Not only that, he does become violent and demanding with her on several occassions. I feel he very much represents patriarchal ideals with the mentality of women need a man around to carry out a task, particularly a dangerous one. But he often lies to Trish, and at one point he pushes against her violently.
(image courtesy Netflix)
He apologizes to her on several occassions and you can see Trish wanting to forgive, but getting out of an abusive relationship is oftentimes tougher than it seems. it was great to see Jessica Jones tackle on this issue.
5. It Addresses Rape Culture!
Since the very beginning, Jessica Jones' mantra to Hope was "It's Not Your Fault."
(images courtesy Netflix)
It so perfectly reflective of our victim-blaming society and it was fantastic to see them blatantly showcase this. Yes, these women listened to Kilgrave. Yes they "let him" have sex. Yes, the followed orders and commands. But no, it wasn't consentual and most importantly it wasn't their fault. Rape victims never ask for it. They're never in any type of control. Yet society constantly asks questions of "What did you do that made him want to do that to you?" Ultimately putting the blame on the victims. I see a major movement coming on. "It's not your fault."
Let's hear it for Jessica Jones...now if you all will excuse me, I'm off to binge watch again.
(image courtesy Netflix)
