Editing Joss Whedon (section)

===Feminism===
Elements of feminism are present throughout much of Whedon's work<ref name="AFTERELLEN; feminism" /><ref name="Mother Jones; feminism" /> and he gives his mother credit for inspiring this.<ref name="theage">{{cite news|url=http://www.theage.com.au/articles/2005/09/22/1126982178268.html|title=The ladies' man|date=September 25, 2005|newspaper=The Age|access-date=February 21, 2013|archive-date=January 7, 2006|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20060107191718/http://theage.com.au/articles/2005/09/22/1126982178268.html|url-status=live|location=Melbourne}}</ref> The character [[Kitty Pryde]] from the ''[[X-Men]]'' comics was an early model for Whedon's strong teenage girl characters.<ref name="DigitalSpy.; kp">{{cite web|url=http://www.digitalspy.co.uk/comics/news/a380170/joss-whedon-kitty-pryde-was-the-mother-of-buffy.html|title=Joss Whedon: 'Kitty Pryde was the mother of Buffy'|first=Hugh|last=Armitage|work=Digital Spy|access-date=July 13, 2014|archive-date=May 8, 2012|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120508030332/http://www.digitalspy.co.uk/comics/news/a380170/joss-whedon-kitty-pryde-was-the-mother-of-buffy.html|url-status=live|date=May 5, 2012}}</ref> He said, "If there's a bigger influence on Buffy than Kitty, I don't know what it was. She was an adolescent girl finding out she has great power and dealing with it."<ref name="New York">{{cite web|url=https://nymag.com/nymetro/arts/9218/|title=Whedon, Ink|first=Gavin|last=Edwards|work=New York|date=May 27, 2004 |access-date=July 13, 2014|archive-date=March 22, 2007|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070322213851/http://nymag.com/nymetro/arts/9218/|url-status=live}}</ref> Kitty Pryde later played a central role in Whedon's run on ''[[Astonishing X-Men]]''.<ref name="digital spy">{{cite web|url=http://www.digitalspy.co.uk/comics/news/a380170/joss-whedon-kitty-pryde-was-the-mother-of-buffy.html|title=Joss Whedon: 'Kitty Pryde was the mother of Buffy'|first=Hugh|last=Armitage|date=May 5, 2012|work=Digital Spy|access-date=February 21, 2013|archive-date=May 8, 2012|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120508030332/http://www.digitalspy.co.uk/comics/news/a380170/joss-whedon-kitty-pryde-was-the-mother-of-buffy.html|url-status=live}}</ref> 

In college, Whedon studied a theory called "[[Womb and vagina envy|womb envy]]",<ref name="AFTERELLEN; feminism" /> a concept he says observes "a fundamental thing that women have something men don't, the obvious being an ability to bear children. Men not only don't get what's important about what women are capable of, but in fact they fear it, and envy it, and want to throw stones at it, because it's the thing they can't have."<ref name="Mother Jones; feminism">{{cite web|url=https://www.motherjones.com/media/2008/11/mojo-interview-joss-whedon|title=The MoJo Interview: Joss Whedon|first=Sheerly|last=Avni|date=November–December 2008|work=Mother Jones|access-date=July 12, 2014|archive-date=February 14, 2009|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090214134655/https://www.motherjones.com/media/2008/11/mojo-interview-joss-whedon|url-status=live}}</ref> In 2007, Whedon expressed his outrage over the [[murder of Du'a Khalil Aswad]], and because the act was caught on video, was prompted to attack the underlying attitude he felt led to the murder, comparing the video to [[Splatter film|torture porn]].<ref name="AFTERELLEN; feminism">{{cite web|url=http://www.afterellen.com/joss-whedon-on-feminism-sexism-and-popular-culture/05/2007/|title=Joss Whedon on feminism, sexism and popular culture|first=Dorothy|last=Snarky|date=May 21, 2007|publisher=afterellen.com|access-date=July 12, 2014|archive-date=November 2, 2013|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131102045105/http://www.afterellen.com/joss-whedon-on-feminism-sexism-and-popular-culture/05/2007/|url-status=live}}</ref><ref name="thestar.com; feminism">{{cite news|url=https://www.thestar.com/entertainment/2007/05/22/violent_videos_made_me_snap_whedon.html|title=Violent videos made me 'snap': Whedon|first=Malene|last=Arpe|date=May 22, 2007|work=Toronto Star|access-date=July 12, 2014|archive-date=July 14, 2014|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140714174708/http://www.thestar.com/entertainment/2007/05/22/violent_videos_made_me_snap_whedon.html|url-status=live|location=Toronto}}</ref>

In late 2013, Whedon spoke at an Equality Now event, where he issued a pointed dissection of the word "[[:wikt:feminist|feminist]]". He begins to say, "I have the privilege living my life inside of words ... but part of being a writer is also living in the very smallest part of every word." Arguing against the suffix "[[:wikt:-ist|-ist]]", he continues, "you can't be born an –ist. It's not natural." Whedon explains that because of this, the word "includes the idea that believing men and women to be equal ... is not a natural state. That we don't emerge assuming that everybody in the human race is a human. That the idea of equality is just an idea that's imposed on us..."<ref name="The Atlantic; feminism">{{cite web|url=https://www.theatlantic.com/entertainment/archive/2013/11/what-joss-whedon-gets-wrong-about-the-word-feminist/281305/|title=What Joss Whedon Gets Wrong About the Word 'Feminist'|first=Noah|last=Berlatsky|date=November 8, 2013|work=The Atlantic|access-date=July 12, 2014|archive-date=November 9, 2013|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131109005856/http://www.theatlantic.com/entertainment/archive/2013/11/what-joss-whedon-gets-wrong-about-the-word-feminist/281305/|url-status=live}}</ref><ref name="TOR*COM; feminism">{{cite news|url=http://www.tor.com/blogs/2013/11/joss-whedon-hates-the-word-feminist-so-what-does-that-mean|title=Joss Whedon Hates the Word Feminist! So... What Does That Mean?|first=Emmet|last=Asher-Perrin|date=November 11, 2013|newspaper=tor.com|access-date=July 12, 2014|archive-date=November 14, 2013|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131114153327/http://www.tor.com/blogs/2013/11/joss-whedon-hates-the-word-feminist-so-what-does-that-mean|url-status=live}}</ref> This sparked an unfavorable reaction from the feminist community,<ref name="SALON; feminism">{{cite web|url=http://www.salon.com/2013/11/11/no_joss_whedon_feminist_is_not_a_dirty_word/|title=No, Joss Whedon, "feminist" is not a dirty word|first=Katie|last=McDonough|date=November 11, 2013|work=Salon|access-date=July 12, 2014|archive-date=November 11, 2013|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131111200306/http://www.salon.com/2013/11/11/no_joss_whedon_feminist_is_not_a_dirty_word/|url-status=live}}</ref><ref name="DAILY LIFE; feminism">{{cite web|url=http://www.dailylife.com.au/news-and-views/dl-culture/joss-whedon-just-said-some-really-dumb-things-about-feminism-20131110-2xa94.html|title=Joss Whedon just said some really dumb things about feminism|first=Clem|last=Bastow|work=Daily Life |date=November 11, 2013|publisher=dailylife.com.au|access-date=July 12, 2014|archive-date=November 12, 2013|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131112193752/http://www.dailylife.com.au/news-and-views/dl-culture/joss-whedon-just-said-some-really-dumb-things-about-feminism-20131110-2xa94.html|url-status=live}}</ref> but also an appreciation for Whedon's arguments' thought provocation.<ref name="HUFFPOST; feminism">{{cite web|url=https://www.huffpost.com/archive/ca/entry/joss-whedon-feminist_n_4240214|title=Joss Whedon: 'I Hate Feminist' (Video)|date=November 11, 2013|work=HuffPost|access-date=November 23, 2021|archive-date=July 14, 2014|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140714155058/http://www.huffingtonpost.ca/2013/11/08/joss-whedon-feminist_n_4240214.html?just_reloaded=1|url-status=live}}</ref><ref name="CRUSHABLE; feminism">{{cite web|url=http://www.crushable.com/2013/11/08/entertainment/joss-whedon-feminist-speech-equality-now/|title=Joss Whedon's Awesome Speech About Why He Hates The Word 'Feminist' Will Make You Think|publisher=crushable.com|access-date=July 12, 2014|archive-date=November 12, 2013|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131112211156/http://www.crushable.com/2013/11/08/entertainment/joss-whedon-feminist-speech-equality-now/|url-status=dead}}</ref>

News website [[Digital Spy]] released in early 2015 an interview they had conducted with Whedon, during which he criticized the entertainment industry for its "genuine, recalcitrant, intractable sexism, and old-fashioned quiet misogyny".<ref name="onset">{{cite web|url=https://www.digitalspy.com/movies/a624908/joss-whedon-criticises-comic-book-movie-industry-for-intractible-sexism/ |title=Joss Whedon criticises comic book movie industry for 'intractible sexism' |first=Emma |last=Dibdin |date=January 28, 2015 |website=Digital Spy |access-date=November 23, 2021 |archive-date=January 28, 2015 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150128192210/http://www.digitalspy.co.uk/movies/news/a624908/joss-whedon-criticises-comic-book-movie-industry-for-intractible-sexism.html |url-status=live}}</ref> Whedon exemplified ''[[The Hunger Games (film series)|The Hunger Games]]'' film series as an argument for female-led franchises, and hoped [[Marvel Studios]] would pursue production of more such franchises.<ref name="quiet misogyny">{{cite news|url=https://www.huffpost.com/entry/joss-whedon-female-superhero-movies_n_6570786|title=Joss Whedon: 'Quiet Misogyny' Within Industry Prevents Growth Of Female Superheroes|first=Christopher|last=Rosen|date=January 29, 2015|work=HuffPost|access-date=November 23, 2021|archive-date=January 31, 2015|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150131002243/http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2015/01/29/joss-whedon-female-superhero-movies_n_6570786.html|url-status=live}}</ref> However, critics noted an almost stereotypical lack of feminist ideals in his writing decisions and portrayal of [[Natasha Romanoff (Marvel Cinematic Universe)|Black Widow]], one of two female protagonists in Marvel's 2015 ''[[Avengers: Age of Ultron]]'', played by [[Scarlett Johansson]].<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://gizmodo.com/black-widow-this-is-why-we-can-t-have-nice-things-1702333037|title=Black Widow: This Is Why We Can't Have Nice Things|last=Woerner|first=Meredith|date=May 15, 2015|website=Gizmodo|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180505045157/https://io9.gizmodo.com/black-widow-this-is-why-we-can-t-have-nice-things-1702333037|archive-date=May 5, 2018|url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.forbes.com/sites/scottmendelson/2015/04/21/review-avengers-age-of-ultron-is-a-galactus-sized-disappointment|title=Review: 'Avengers: Age Of Ultron' Is A Galactus-Sized Disappointment|last=Mendelson|first=Scott|date=April 21, 2015|website=Forbes|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150423125407/http://www.forbes.com/sites/scottmendelson/2015/04/21/review-avengers-age-of-ultron-is-a-galactus-sized-disappointment/#481b46ea20bd|archive-date=April 23, 2015|url-status=live}}</ref>