James Gunn, Feminism, and Apologies

Let’s start this off with the fact that I’ve only recently started to learn what feminism is all about. I thought I’d known when I started talking with a friend of mine who is a feminist. I was for equal pay in the work place, I was pro-choice and I thought women should be able to hold any career men do. In reality, it was more like just a start, and thinking I knew a lot about feminist issues was definitely one of the bigger mistakes I’ve made in the past few years, to the point I’ve really hurt a friend’s feelings because of it. Since then I’ve made an effort to really understand feminist issues, and while I won’t say I completely understand feminism, I know enough about it to understand that 21^st century culture is still slanted against women, and that I probably won’t be able to understand it entirely.

When looking back on some of the views I’ve had, though, I can say that at least I didn’t make any blog entries about them. If I had I think I would have taken them down, the same way James Gunn, the director for the upcoming “Guardians of the Galaxy” movie, did. I would have also, like Gunn, learned the hard way that things pretty much last forever online.

James Gunn came under fire in the past week or so for an article in his blog, “The Top 50 Superheroes You Most Want to Have Sex With,” that was posted in February of 2011. It has such gems in it as Tony Stark being able to make the lesbian character Batwoman straight if he just sleeps with her, and that the Stephanie Brown incarnation of the Batgirl would be “easy,” since she’s a teen mom. There’s also a few shots taken at gay or supposedly gay superheroes, Gambit and Nightwing among them. Gunn responded by saying it was satire. Personally, I couldn’t see the humor. The big problem is that the humor may have been funny in Gunn’s mind, but it’s not funny because people have made similar statements, including me at times. People honestly do think that a teen mom will sleep with anyone. They do feel that lesbians just need to have sex with “the right man,” and once they do they’ll be straight. I’m also pretty sure people are aware that a lot of people still look upon homosexuality as unnatural and disgusting, and if you don’t know that, take a look at the Westboro Baptist “Church.”  Any of these beliefs are disturbing by themselves, and all three of them in one list is almost sickening.

One good thing to come out of this whole mess, though, is Gunn’s apology, which he issued to GLAAD. Here is the full text:

A couple of years ago I wrote a blog that was meant to be satirical and funny.  In rereading it over the past day I don’t think it’s funny.  The attempted humor in the blog does not represent my actual feelings.  However, I can see where statements were poorly worded and offensive to many.  I’m sorry and regret making them at all.  People who are familiar with me as evidenced by my Facebook page and other mediums know that I’m an outspoken proponent for the rights of the gay and lesbian community,  women and anyone who feels disenfranchised, and it kills me that some other outsider like myself, despite his or her gender or sexuality, might feel hurt or attacked by something I said.  We’re all in the same camp, and I want to do my best to make this world a better place for all of us.  I’m learning all the time.   I promise to be more careful with my words in the future.  And I will do my best to be funnier as well. Much love to all
- James Gunn

Note that in his apology, he apologizes to people who were offended. He doesn’t try to make excuses. He’s not sorry that people “took his statements the wrong way” or that people “misinterpreted his statements,” the way so many politicians who give insincere apologies are. He does say he’s a proponent of the gay and lesbian community, but doesn’t use that as a defense, which is an easy trap to fall into. A lot of apologies turn into a defense, where the apologist says something along the lines of, “anyone who knows me will tell you I’m NOT sexist/racist/misogynist!” This puts the pressure back on the person or people who were originally offended, and it doesn’t really help anything. Sometimes you need to accept that you were wrong and that it doesn’t mean you’re a horrible person.

In Gunn’s apology, he also promises to be more careful. He’s trying to change based on what he did, and honestly you can’t ask for more. In the future, Gunn is going to have a lot of eyes on him, especially with his stint as director of the Guardians of the Galaxy movie. I suspect if he does say anything sexist or misogynistic the Internet will know.

For now, though, I’ll accept his apology at face value. It’s not easy to admit you were wrong in front of the whole world, and even less easy to keep a promise you made in public.