The Best Feminist Moments of South Park
I’m a huge fan of South Park, despite being what Cartman would call a “liberal, tree-hugging hippie.” The satire might be crude and offensive, but it’s also spot-on in its analysis of current events. These are some of my favorite episodes that also focus on feminist issues:
1. The Hobbit
Season 17 Episode 10
The boys at school want girlfriends that are gorgeous, flawless creatures, and with the power of photoshop they can be. Only Wendy is outspoken about how editing all your blemishes away is flat-out lying and creates false expectations, whether you want to hit that or grow up to be like that.
Stan: “Why is it such a big deal?”
Wendy: “Because people should be okay with the way they look! I have pimples on my forehead, my bottom teeth are crooked, so what?”
The more Wendy points out how ridiculous it is to excessively photoshop our appearances, the more people dismiss her as “jelly” and “a hater.” Everyone is so caught up desiring and aspiring to be an alternate reality that any reminder of actual reality is unwelcome, so they twist her self-confidence speeches into “hater” speeches. This episode is an awesome look into not only how messed up photoshopping is, but how we treat those who are adamantly against it.
(And for those of you who don’t think this is a big deal, it is. As someone with major self-esteem issues in my teen years who’d stare at gorgeous girls on TV and in magazines and then stare at the mirror and wish my skin was clear and my fat would go away and my nose would look more European, I think it’s a big fucking deal.)
2. Eat, Pray, Queef
Season 13, Episode 4
When Terrance and Phillip fart it’s hilarious, but when Katherine and Katie queef it’s immature and disgusting.
There’s a lot of great content in this episode. It dismantles the ridiculous notion that girls are magical creatures that don’t poop, don’t fart, don’t do anything remotely disgusting that could turn them into human beings. It gives vaginas a function that isn’t meant for someone else’s pleasure, but instead for the woman’s own hilarity and entertainment. Most importantly, it’s a hilarious look at the ridiculous double standards we ascribe to men and women.
Sharon: “Alright, tell me exactly where the line is. I have a friend Abby, she had a baby boy and it farted.”
Randy: (chuckles) “Yeah?”
Sharon: “But she was actually still pregnant with the baby boy and it farted inside her.”
Randy: (lols) “Yeah?”
Sharon: “And then the gas from the baby’s fart traveled down and shot out her vagina! Haha!”
Randy: “Come on Stanley, let’s go.”
3. Breast Cancer Show Ever
Season 12 Episode 9
Cartman, our favorite sadistic, racist, sexist piece of shit, spends most of the episode snickering at Wendy’s campaign for Breast Cancer Awareness.
Wendy: “This is a serious issue, Eric! What you’re doing is very offensive.”
Cartman: “Me? You’re the one talking about killer titties! Watch out guys, Wendy says boobs can kill people. Rawr!”
It’s actually pretty cool that this episode was originally released in October, Breast Cancer Awareness Month, because it really does help raise awareness. Invasive breast cancer will affect about 1 in 8 women and 1 in 1,000 men in the U.S. (source). Of course, Cartman doesn’t give a shit because he’s too busy acting coooool and cracking titty jokes. So Wendy challenges him to a fight after school.
While Cartman is actively an asshole, most of the other boys are passively sexist and just advise Cartman to go easy on her since she’s a girl. Either way, Wendy destroys sexism and beats the living shit out of Cartman, all while wearing an awesome sparkly unicorn tank top.
4. Bebe’s Boobs Destroy Society
Season 6 Episode 10
Women have always been treated differently depending on their looks, and it sucks that it’s kind of a no-win situation. If you’re deemed attractive, you’ll get extra special treatment. If you’re deemed unattractive, you’ll be ignored or treated with mild disdain.
Bebe: “Please, you have to help me! I’m scared that if my breasts keep growing this way, boys will give me whatever I want!”
Doctor: “Yeah, so? That’s great isn’t it?”
Bebe: “No it’s not! Because if I grow up getting everything I want, having things made easy for me because I have hot knockers, I’m going to grow up to be a lame person. If I’m handed everything, my chances of becoming a lawyer or marine biologist are zero.”
Not only is Bebe sick of overly positive attention, but she has to deal with sudden rumors from the girls that she’s a slut that kissed 8 boys in one day and has a gaping vagina. It points out a ridiculous tendency amongst women to slut shame and compete against each other the minute jealousy kicks in.
Eventually, the boys are so distracted (and weirdly ape-like) over Bebe’s new boobs that she has to wear a box to school to cover her chest. Then, the boys realize how they’d been acting and to everyone’s relief, vow not to let a pair of boobs clout their judgment. If only they could realize this without Bebe being forced to police her own body.
5. The Cissy
Season 18 Episode 3
In today’s fight for gender equality, we must recognize the issues that transgender people face. Like the fact that everyone is offended by which bathroom they go to.
Here’s the thing that South Park’s satire captured so well — people don’t choose to be trans, and when they do come out as trans it’s certainly not so they can use whatever bathroom they want. But it would be nice to go to the bathroom for the gender they identify as. Instead, there are literally laws and debates against this non-issue, as if pissing in the same room as a transgender person will violate you.
While no one in the episode is actually transgender (with the possible exception of Randy Marsh, aka Lorde) it reveals how the conflict and discomfort over bathrooms is largely borne out of ignorance and misunderstandings. And South Park did a pretty good job of educating an audience that would’ve largely remained ignorant of these issues.