OK! On with the show! This episode is actually well-timed as the main plot deals with women and sexuality--a hot topic in politics today, and one very close to my heart.
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| Blanche with Professor Cooper |
I just love how active the girls are! Going back to finish school at 50+ years old is something to be proud of! It's just such a shame that Blanche had to experience it in such a negative way! It's infuriating to me that when Blanche goes and reports her professor's misconduct to Dean Tucker, all he can say is that without any witnesses, there is nothing he can do because "a man's career is at stake." While filling out the formal complaint at least leaves a paper trail, how many women will have to be harassed before people in charge (i.e. the dean) take action against that creep? Three? Five? Ten??! It's disgusting.
Any time I hear that a woman was allegedly harassed or raped and someone says, "Oh, but she could just be making it up to get him in trouble," I roll my eyes. It's not that the statement carries no validity, of course. There are women who make false accusations and that is totally appalling as it makes it harder for women who truly are victims of sexual harassment to get justice. It bothers me because it just adds to the list of reasons why women who are harassed may be too afraid to report their harassment to the authorities--because some tool somewhere inevitably insists on resorting to victim-blaming in one way or another. Let me add briefly that I understand that men are victims of harassment, too. That is equally disgusting, but as this is a blog about an all-female cast, I focused primarily on women as victims.
Unsurprisingly, all of the women in the scene where Blanche reveals that she was harassed have a story about a time when they were harassed also. I will never understand how this show manages to make even harassment merit a laugh--but it does! Rose's story is almost downright hilarious and just so completely appropriate for what you would expect from her!
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| I thought this was a cute tumblr! :) |
I am mildly bothered by Rose's and Dorothy's relative indifference to Blanche when she goes to tell them about her difficulties with reporting her professor to the dean. They are far more caught up in talking about the Sinatra concert tickets, but their lack of enthusiasm for her story contributes to her resolve in putting her professor in his place. It all works out for the best in the end, I guess.
I love Dorothy's attitude when Rose tells her that going to the concert isn't meant to be! She is willing to MAKE what she wants meant to be, and I think that's a great attitude to have--don't give up! Granted, she doesn't get to go to the concert in the end, but no one can say that she didn't give it her all!
Conversely, I loathe when people say, "Life's not fair!" Ever notice that it's always the people who have the power to make a given corcumstance fair who resort to that "life's not fair" line?? Personally, I think that with the exception of freak accidents and natural disasters, life could be perfectly fair! In all other instances, people make life unfair.
Last note: Blanche has on 2 sweaters in Professor Cooper's class. She lives in Miami. It just seemed worth noting!
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Cheesecake count: 1
References: Don King, Frank Sinatra, and Bob Hope
Quote of the day:
Rose: Sophia, why are you in such a bad mood?
Sophia: Forgive me, Rose, but I haven't had sex in 15 years and it's starting to get on my nerves!
