Rant: Acceptable Douchebaggery?

In our culture we encounter a lot of assholes, which isn't all that shocking. Assholes exist all over the world, so it's no big shocker when they show up in our day to day lives and news-feeds. But there comes a problem when it seems like there are certain times when people just accept certain massive levels of douchebaggery because they like the person it is coming from. I mean, really? It's alright to be a huge douche as long as you make something people like?

Hahahaha, the jokes on you! Nobody likes what we make!

This past year and this year there have been some rather high profile douchebags in the geek world. Jim Lee took it upon himself to talk down to people who voiced their concerns about DC Comics' treatment of a popular iconic female character (it involved her being portrayed nude and attempting suicide). Lee thought it was a great idea to use Twitter to be extremely condescending towards the critics rather than maybe, I don't know, behaving like a mature adult. This got covered pretty well over at The Outhouse. People were less enthused at his rebuttal.

I'm smiling because I barely draw anything and still get paid more than other artists.

Not too long after that Brian Wood got into some trouble for sexual harassment, which is something that is sadly not that unusual in the comics world. A lot of women came out with their own horror stories about how they were treated badly in similar situations when they only wanted to be treated like human beings rather than potential semen receptacles. And it bothers me to know that shit goes on, as I have a niece who has her own things in the communities that she loves and is passionate about. She's talked about being a writer and an artist with me and the idea that she might receive that kind of treatment just because she's a girl sickens me. This kind of behaviour makes women scared to be a part of the communities we all share, and I don't blame them one bit.

Sexism is bad and you should feel bad!

And now, here we are with WB's go-to superhero movie guy, David S. Goyer, deciding that he wants to let his tool flag fly. He recently made some rather inflammatory statements regarding a very well-known female superhero who is a feminist icon to many comic fans. Everyone is talking about it right now and weighing in about how his comments make them feel. Personally? He came off as a sexist fratboy. He called She-Hulk a "giant green porn star that only the Hulk (her cousin, by the way) could fuck" and went on about her as little more than a pure sexual object. Jennifer Walters has always been a strong independent female character and Goyer, who I have long been a fan of, honestly is pissing me off here because all he is doing is saying that if a woman looks good and has sex she must be a slut of some kind. He's basically just out-and-out slut shaming She-Hulk.

Wait, so you're saying incest with your gamma-irradiated cousin is wrong?

But Goyer isn't done, no. He then decides to let this little gem come out of his mouth: "How many people in the audience have heard of Martian Manhunter?”  When the audience responded with cheers and raised their hands, he then asked "How many people that raised their hands have ever been laid?" because he just hadn't pissed off enough people yet. I really don't see how else to see him but as that asshole who thinks comics are lame a calls you a virgin for liking them. I mean, seriously? It's 2014 and we're still using someone being a virgin as an insult? Am I stuck in some sort of bad 80s film? Why can't I be stuck in a good one, like Real Genius?

If loving Michelle Meyrink is wrong then I never want to be right.

After all of that though, there is one thing that I really do get tired of more than the high profile douches: the people who jump to their defense. Hell, most of these people act like huge dicks while defending them. That's the ticket, show everyone how wrong they are by being a twat. I don't get it, because if someone I like acts like that, I just shake my head and vocalize my disappointment. I don't feel required to defend them when they're clearly being asshats. Let them defend themselves, they're adults. I have things to do that don't make me feel like stripping naked and burning my clothes while crying in the shower.

Really, what did you expect to see here?

In the end, all I wish is that the world had less assholes, because it's hard enough living through everything else without having something constantly shit on your day. See you next time, bleeders.