She-Hulk, Feminism Sardonic

• In Event: Reimagining Politics: The Marvel Cinematic Universe, Politics, and Identity

Abstract

This paper considers the particular brand of feminism expressed in the MCU series “She-Hulk: Attorney at Law.” Examining the way that even a female who is a superhero is subjected to sexist attacks both blatant (violence, doxing) and subtle (clueless comments by male colleagues), the paper considers the ways in which She-Hulk responds, particularly through the use of sardonic humor. Laughter can be not just a powerful political tool, but a radical one, as Helene Cixous and others have argued. I argue that the series rejects old-fashioned white middle class “second wave” feminism in favor of considering the politics of such an approach and its counter-intuitive potential to engage political mobilization and change.

Author

• Nancy J. Hirschmann, The University of Pennsylvania