In 1997, Cartoon Network premiered the cartoon “Johnny Bravo,” in which an over-the-top stereotype of a macho guy pursues women who usually outsmart him and/or ditch him. I admit, from time to time I watched it with my sister. It was entertaining to see women always get the better of Johnny and to see his woman-chasing ways portrayed as silly.
Jeff Perera at White Ribbon just sent me this clip from an episode in which a fortune-teller turns Johnny into a woman so he can learn what it’s “really like to be woman.” As a woman, Johnny/Jenny faces constant street harassment and he does not like it! After a few men harass her, Johnny/Jenny beats them up, and then we see other women beat up their harassers. Of course, I’m no proponent of violence, but it was kind of satisfying to see all of the cartoon women stand up to their harassers and to see a kids cartoon portray street harassment as annoying and not okay (as opposed to being a compliment). A lot of adults could learn a thing or two from it!
