(10-01-2014, 10:00 AM)Louise Wrote: [ -> ]See, I object to the notion that those are the only two options: being a helpless damsel in distress, or being actively aggressive. That's a false dichotomy, to me. I can take care of myself without kicking people in the nuts. There's a middle ground between being passive and going Junior Rodeo. I never said that women need to be rescued, I said that I, personally, do not relate to Penny and I acknowledged that this is an unpopular opinion, here. I don't automatically relate to a character just because we're both female.
I will stop now, because I know this is not the right venue for that viewpoint, and I respect that.
Louise dear fellow, I've never felt many people here actually relate to Penny (except maybe PJ?) although I could be utterly gobsmackingly wrong...They seem to relate to Sheldon more, or merely a form of proud 'outsiderness', which is why everyone gets so enraged about the chaps (Sheldon and Howard in particular) being made to feel ashamed of being different, where we're all HONOURED to be so, and the chaps USED to feel this way too. Well, Sheldon did.
Also there's about a 40/60 bloke/female ratio, so I'm not sure whether our genders play much of a part here.
Personally, my pittance on the topic, is that I've never seen Penny as particularly "female" at all. When I think of Penny, I think of chaos, and alcohol, and generosity, and slovenliness, and kindness and a bit of a temper...but that's about it.
I don't, for example, see her shoe interest as "feminine". She likes shoes, Howard likes belt buckles and dickies, Sheldon likes plaid and suits with more than one colour...
I also don't see Sheldon as "male" either...which is probably why I object to his increasing portrayal as a boring heteronormative bloke who goes on dates as quite repugnant.
My opinions on gender are a bit odd though, I admit...
I didn't like her punching Howard either. But I also didn't like how they wrote Howard in that episode. I felt it was a trifle OOC. He usually knows when to end a joke. He makes a charming play for a woman's affection, she (usually) rebuffs him, and he accepts it gracefully. They made him press the issue again and again in that episode, and he was making Penny uncomfortable. Again, she never usually is with Howard, because she knows he's a good chap. I personally just feel the whole episode was a bit dodgy.
Ach! Look at us all expecting humanity and consistency out of a sitcom!