What with talking about Cordelia Fine's book on gender, and the action of popular culture in reinforcing and policing gendered behaviour, here's something I just happened upon yesterday. When you've looked at it, try putting a date to it. And then look in the 'comments' section, where I'll post the date it was published.
it was 2002....
ReplyDeleteI thought the 60s
ReplyDeleteOor Wullie has been around a long, long time. and still drawn very much in the old style, which I do like.
ReplyDeleteNot sure how surprised I am to see that theme was from 2002. It would slot straight into any decade of any children's comic. My first thoguht was 'sixties, too.
it is, sadly, an accurate reflection on the topic though.
Hugs
chrissie
xxxx
It is rather depressing! On the other hand, Wullie seems from the second picture to be wearing a pinafore dress anyway, so perhaps the subtext is more subversive than the, er, text.
ReplyDeleteA good point, Charlie. And you got me thinking of Leo Baxendale, as you do. V subversive, him. I suppose that critiquing Oor Wullie is a bit shooting-fish-in-barrel, but it's a slow news day at the Schloss, and I was powerfully impressed by that last frame, where everyone in the room is looking and laughing at Wullie. It's that fear of ridicule thing in me that it's speaking to.
ReplyDeleteAnd I was a little surprised at the lateness of the date. Though I suppose I shouldn't be.
That could easily be published yesterday. Typical of the city I can see from my window and you can understand why living there I felt my days were numbered.
ReplyDeleteThis reminds me of being at school - we made gingerbread people on day, and I (a male child) figured that the female figure with skirt would contain more gingerbread, so that's what I made. Teacher and pupils alike were highly amused. Mind you this was in about 1969.
ReplyDeleteIt's funny how the Wullie cartoons have modern references peppered through them, but no neds or hoodies...
ReplyDeleteThat was very brave of you, Roy, thinking back to how things were in 1969. Not that things have changed that much, I suppose.