WATTMAG Issue #3

Damsels in Distress - The Truth Behind the Laughter

"Damsel in Distress or Persecuted Maiden is a classic theme in world literature, art, film, and video games" ­- Google

Olive Oyl's wails for Popeye filled my Saturday mornings. It was a popular cartoon. The underdog Popeye, scrawny, but full of heart taking the bullying and being duped without retaliating until he hears the wail of his woman. Finally, his instinct to save her making him run for the spinach, become an instant strongman and get her to safety.

Some of you may have never heard of Popeye. And yes, I'm completely dating myself by shedding light on this old Saturday morning ritual that took place long before the Cartoon Network existed. In truth, Popeye was a horrible storyline. The woman was oblivious to Popeye's pain and suffering and actually swooned for the the bully Bluto most of the time until Popeye brought out the spinach, grew an extra set of muscles, and saved the day. At which time she somehow came to the realization she loved him.

I could write a whole article on the pitfalls of Popeye, how even getting kids to eat spinach didn't outweigh the risks of some of these lessons to young minds, but I won't. This article is about the damsel.

Olive Oyl was a classic example of a damsel in distress. She never did anything to free herself from Bluto. In fact, over and over again she found herself in a predicament of needing to be saved.

This storyline is way older than Popeye. It's a tale as old as time. The classic Princess storyline is exactly the same. The Princess goes about her journey, happily with singing birds and smiling at frogs until finding herself in dire straights and needing to be rescued. Insert a knight, a prince, or any testosterone laced character, and you've just mixed up the perfect recipe for a story. it's a tale that dates back to pre­bible days and still works as a perfect recipe today. Why? Because we are accustom to it. We believe it, and hope for it, Prince Charming fighting our dragons, saving us from the tower where we are imprisoned and sweeping us off our feet whenever trouble comes our way.

But do we really? Is the storyline that's survived generations really creating a syndrome that causes girls to have less belief in their own abilities and become dependent on men for salvation? Is this causing girls to actually become "damsels in distress?"

That, my friends, is where we get into the murky waters of controversy. And where I bite the bullet and give my own opinion and that is: I believe exactly the opposite.

What? The opposite?

"There are studies and documents proving that these damsels in distress do cause girls to psychologically feel they can't get themselves out of trouble and need protecting!!"

Yes, I hear that. And I actually started this article fully intending to side with them and burn my metaphorical bra to discourage this stereotype.

And then my brain thought about it wide spectrum.

Women have fought for decades to change their status on life, voting, the workforce, integrating themselves into civil service, military, even becoming a solid contender for presidency.

And all this occurred while Rapunzel's story had her trapped within the walls of a castle. And that's not all, women have changed the fabric of the way we look at women. New characters have emerged showing girls and women saving the day, being the hero, and just plain smashing stereotypes.

Women have raised the bar because it was there. And that may just be our most important lesson. Give us a challenge, and we will find a way to overcome it. Because we can, because we are designed to overcome.

Perhaps we as women and girls need this storyline. And not only because it reminds us of what was once our believed status, needing rescue. But because somewhere, in the midst of it all, it's actually nice to dream about getting saved by a Prince Charming.

Is it any difference than a boy hoping that Superman, Spider­Man, or Batman could secretly be lurking in the nearest alleyway and come to his rescue when he needed it?

Is it the saving that bothers us about the damsel in distress, or is it the needing to be saved that's causing the ruckus? Because we all need saving sometimes. And whether it's a superhero, a man, a woman, or a dog with a cape, it's nice to believe that someone is going to have your back.

And just as an added bonus of proof, let's look at the new trend for young girls, Storylines are coming a long way in leveling the playing field. Fiona, Katniss, Beatrice all strong young women taking the on the perils of society and fighting for change. These new role models are empowered young women that certainly don't sit around and wait for people to come to their rescue. And yet they all came about despite Cinderella waiting for her Prince and her happily ever after.

Characters like Merida (Brave), Elsa (Frozen), Tiana (Princess and The Frog) break the stereotypical mild, and they aren't alone. Storytellers today are coming to realize that whether it's the princess, the prince, or the frog, sometimes we all need to be rescued, and it's not wrong to dream about a having a hero. Or better yet, becoming one!!!

So yes during the course of this article which was supposed to be about the dangers of being a damsel in distress I switched my position. Because there will always be girls who just plain wants to be rescued and makes herself wallow in distress. There will always be girls that are afraid of being their own hero and lay in wait. But then again, there will always be girls that smash stereotypes, raise bars, and end up being hero's themselves. And let's face it, blaming literature and media is a cop out in itself isn't it?

We don't need to be rescued from storylines, because they, like everything else in life, are a springboard for finding out what we want to do, be, and taking off in flight.

A/N: please be advised these are just my humble opinions and I am in no way telling you how to feel or what to believe. Any typos, misguided facts, or opinions you don't agree with all belong to me.