Summary: The revolutions have begun, taking America into realms with few or no historical precedents — normalizing prohibited behavior, breaking unquestioned rules. Films and TV show women hitting men (even in cute rom-com couples). What happens as this becomes accepted in society? Will domestic violence increase? How might this change relationship between the sexes? It’s not an April Fool’s joke, except perhaps on America.
Ancient mores say that men should not hit women. This rule limits the action in film and TV. Good guys can fight bad guys but not bad women (except lightly). Even fights by good girls often are limited because having girls hit by guys seems too violent for many viewers (see examples at the TV Tropes page, and the far fewer exceptions on this page).
Corrosive to this rule is women casually hitting men — often for trivial reasons. It has become commonplace on film and TV. Men can only cower before the righteous rage of grrl-power, since striking back would be wrong.
Here are a few examples of casual girl-on-men violence, starting with two of the odder examples of grrl-power: women abusing their boyfriends. It’s so cute, especially for action-adventure heroes. Afterwards is some speculation about what it means.
One of the many times Beckett humiliates Castle in “Castle”
From S01E03, “Hedge Fund Homeboys
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What ? I thought women were “Equal” ?? If a puny little 4′ 5″ dude punches me, I would not think twice about retaliating with all my force…why should it be different for a women who is “equal” ?
Mark,
You’ll see the difference when the police arrive, and in the reactions of others.
Perhaps that 4’5″ girl will have grown up seeing women beat up men. It’s a staple in action adventure films. Being smart, she might use a pipe or brick. Then you’ll not be retaliating, except perhaps with a civil suit.
Deep waters indeed. We can only guess at how this will play out.