tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7302245627574027504.post1430430757005786535..comments2019-05-15T23:59:20.159-07:00Comments on Feminist Legal Theory: Vagina dentata: revisiting Teeth Lisa R. Pruitthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16469550950363542801noreply@blogger.comBlogger3125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7302245627574027504.post-2773864820946540612019-03-10T14:11:52.334-07:002019-03-10T14:11:52.334-07:00Omar,
Even though I didn't see this movie &qu...Omar, <br />Even though I didn't see this movie "Teeth", I can feel the deep meaning of it through your blog. "Teeth" is a weapon which can defense a girl from raping and sexual assaults. "Teeth" brings harms and fears to those evil men. But all those harms only happen after the sexual assaults. Girls still can't stop this kind of horrible thing happen at the first time. I see the revenge and anger from the "teeth", but I also feel uncomfortable of the scene that "bite and blood". The girl in movie did cause the pain of other bad guys, and also she caused the pain of herself just like the reality. Rapers are sentenced by law, but the punishment can't erase the scar of the victims. We know the justice will arrive one day, or may be not sometimes. But before that, what can we do to prevent the harm. Revenge is never the best answer. All of us don't have "teeth". Moreover, we even can't fight with the sex criminals by our own strength in the most times. Therefore, we need the care and protection from all walks of life. The police, government, school, family and our friends can construct a protective web for us. And all the girls can take care of each other. If the society doesn't take it as a considerable thing, it must be terrified by girls' "teeth" one day. Yinan Shenhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03469936512272597291noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7302245627574027504.post-66857119187979156982017-12-01T11:16:56.920-08:002017-12-01T11:16:56.920-08:00Omar,
I'll have to admit, when flicking thro...Omar, <br /><br />I'll have to admit, when flicking through Netflix suggestions with friends a few years ago, the movie "Teeth" and it's synopsis garnered an "eww", or "what the hell?!" reaction off nearly all of us, myself included. Aside from the fact we were all probably only about 15 at the time, this visceral reaction barred us from ever exploring this film and the feminist nuances underpinning it. Understanding now what the film is trying to communicate by inverting the vagina dentata myth and showing for once that men can be disposable, while also highlighting the vulnerability faced by most women, the movie has piqued my interest. I also can't help but wonder what the reception and critique of a film where some part of a man's body develops the ability to bite off a woman's breasts or disfigure her vagina would be. Would it have an easier time than "Teeth" did in actually surviving till production? Would people place a greater comedic value on it and be slow to label it "woman hating"? Would location managers of a film set be warned it's pornographic? Or would people have the same alarmed reaction upon reading it's summary? The questions are endless, nevertheless "Teeth" may end up being top of my list of films to watch this Christmas break so I can see for myself how this film provokes valuable conversations on some of the many issues women face. Suzanne Connellhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13272108405684096027noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7302245627574027504.post-57314710297317729372017-11-29T12:22:00.548-08:002017-11-29T12:22:00.548-08:00Omar,
Thank you for your interesting post! Altho...Omar,<br /><br />Thank you for your interesting post! Although I had heard of "Teeth", I admit that I had pretty much dismissed it as a silly horror movie and never bothered to watch it. <br /><br />After watching the trailer, my initial concern with this film was the way it, to me, appeared to demonise Dawn as a "freak of nature" and a danger to men when, in fact, she was the one in danger, and her abusers were the demons. Indeed, I worried that, instead of producing genuine sympathy for Dawn's suffering as a victim of sexual abuse, it would shift the focus to the consequences of such behaviour for the rapist - namely the amputation or mutilation of their penis - while at the same time ignoring or dismissing the effect of the experience on Dawn. <br /><br />However, I am glad to read that you did not find this to be the case. I particularly liked the fact that, by the end of the film, Dawn began to see her condition in a more positive light, as something that empowers and protects her. <br /><br />Unfortunately though, not all of us have teeth in our vaginas! So what, then, can be done to protect the rest of us from sexual abuse? <br /><br />As you mention, the film highlights some aspects of our culture that need to some serious work to produce a safer society for women. The most obvious is education. Clearly, both Dawn and her abusers lacked adequate sex education which, in my view, should not only explain the mechanics and give young men and women an understanding of their own bodies, but should also foster genuine respect for the bodies of others. Although there have been significant moves to improve sex education, especially in high schools and university campuses, I believe we need to intervene much earlier. <br /><br />Nevertheless, I, like you, am glad that this film has provoked debate about issues surrounding the mystification of the female body and the importance of teaching young people about sexual consent. I agree that the importance of this film should not be determined by the quality of the acting or the special effects, but by its role in raising awareness about the problem of sexual abuse in our society. <br />Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14311863327277728351noreply@blogger.com