Some years ago, I took my nephew to see an Imax film at the Science Museum. It was heaving with children aged between three and 12 and their knackered, well-meaning parents, relieved to sit down. We watched Fly Me to the Moon, an animated movie about three flies who stow away on the first moon-landing space flight. If you think any of those three adventure-seeking flies were female, please have a realistic word with yourself.
There are 20 characters; 14 are male. Three of the four main female characters don’t have a name beyond “Scooter’s Mom”. The film had a budget of $25m, includes an appearance from Buzz Aldrin and is meant to be entertaining and educational. The male characters are all adventurous, professional and/or scrappy and brave. The “mom” characters have hysterical, squeaky, high voices and keep fainting – as mothers famously do when their children are in danger. Women are useless. Honestly, what is the point of us?
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