I never watched Punky Brewster as a kid I was 4 when the show came out and just never got into it. My mom however loved the show and I have been borrowing her DVDs to watch it. I felt the need to review this episode and there will be spoilers.
Now here is the thing in the last few years more than before I have been hearing about rape culture and nothing has brought that message home more than this episode.
In this episode Punky makes it abundantly clear to a boy that is far bigger than her or really any of her classmates that she is not interested in any romantic advances from him. He continues to ignore her and even her friends are like "but a guy likes you that's the be all and end all of life you should be grateful" a horrifying attitude at any age. Henry at one point says something great, "You should be open to meeting someone but it should be in the course of living your life and doing other things" (paraphrasing)
When the boy whom Punky has made clear to "No means no" kisses her against her will she punches him. Doesn't proceed to beat him down or keep pummeling him she punches him once since he clearly isn't getting the message any other way.
We then jump to the vice principal's office where she comes out to find Henry (her guardian) waiting for her she was punished with 2 weeks detention. She is told that "while what he did was not acceptable hitting him wasn't the correct response" the show does not state what the correct response is but the implication is just keep saying no would be acceptable. To my understanding No has never been as good a deterrent as fighting back when someone accosts you.
The boy then comes out of the VPs office and we get to find out his punishment. Will it be 2 weeks as well, a month expulsion for treating girls like they are his to play with like toys? Nope he has to apologize and that's it.
He apologizes and she begrudgingly accepts his apology to which he rapidly smirks and responds, "Great now let's kiss and make up"
This was either supposed to be adorable because they are 8 and the writer is seriously touched in the head or the writer is brilliant and gave an example of how rapists start. I am giving this a 5 out of ten because really it could be either way. I desperately hope for the latter.
My daughter knows how to fight and has been told "If someone accosts you and touches you without your permission then hitting them is absolutely the right action" No one would ever tell a boy in any seriousness "fighting is not the answer to being attacked" I worry how many girls saw this episode and thought "okay so if I keep saying no while he he is forcing himself on me but I don't punch him then after I give birth to his baby I can get an apology for him ruining my life and a congratulations on handling it correctly?"
You know why rape is a hard topic to tackle because it's really not. The after effects are a hard topic to handle. Teaching kids to defend their bodies before the attack is not.
Now here is the thing in the last few years more than before I have been hearing about rape culture and nothing has brought that message home more than this episode.
In this episode Punky makes it abundantly clear to a boy that is far bigger than her or really any of her classmates that she is not interested in any romantic advances from him. He continues to ignore her and even her friends are like "but a guy likes you that's the be all and end all of life you should be grateful" a horrifying attitude at any age. Henry at one point says something great, "You should be open to meeting someone but it should be in the course of living your life and doing other things" (paraphrasing)
When the boy whom Punky has made clear to "No means no" kisses her against her will she punches him. Doesn't proceed to beat him down or keep pummeling him she punches him once since he clearly isn't getting the message any other way.
We then jump to the vice principal's office where she comes out to find Henry (her guardian) waiting for her she was punished with 2 weeks detention. She is told that "while what he did was not acceptable hitting him wasn't the correct response" the show does not state what the correct response is but the implication is just keep saying no would be acceptable. To my understanding No has never been as good a deterrent as fighting back when someone accosts you.
The boy then comes out of the VPs office and we get to find out his punishment. Will it be 2 weeks as well, a month expulsion for treating girls like they are his to play with like toys? Nope he has to apologize and that's it.
He apologizes and she begrudgingly accepts his apology to which he rapidly smirks and responds, "Great now let's kiss and make up"
This was either supposed to be adorable because they are 8 and the writer is seriously touched in the head or the writer is brilliant and gave an example of how rapists start. I am giving this a 5 out of ten because really it could be either way. I desperately hope for the latter.
My daughter knows how to fight and has been told "If someone accosts you and touches you without your permission then hitting them is absolutely the right action" No one would ever tell a boy in any seriousness "fighting is not the answer to being attacked" I worry how many girls saw this episode and thought "okay so if I keep saying no while he he is forcing himself on me but I don't punch him then after I give birth to his baby I can get an apology for him ruining my life and a congratulations on handling it correctly?"
You know why rape is a hard topic to tackle because it's really not. The after effects are a hard topic to handle. Teaching kids to defend their bodies before the attack is not.
