beccaelizabeth's dreamwidth journal

The other day I was wondering where Buffy fits in with the F&SF tradition of warrior women, and a bit before that I was considering Halloween costume choices as being all about aspects of Buffy's power.
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I think one of the important things about Buffy, especially as a feminist text, is the complexity of her identity. She isn't just the kick ass chick. She has family, friends, school, work, a whole complicated life, feelings and motivations of her own. She doesn't exist just for fight scenes in skimpy costumes. She has a voice, and it says a lot more than 'let me kill them'. Talks about the appropriate use of power, the right and wrong times for force. And about trying to 'be a girl', negotiate femininity as expressed in all that other stuff.

To put it another way, Buffy doesn't just have one costume. She isn't stuck with just the one mode of expression or way of being. To even represent a schematic of her power took three or four or more. She wears what she wants, whatever she finds appropriate, even if others think otherwise.

Very feminine power ;-)