Two Perspectives on Women in Star Wars

From Liesa of Left In The West, all her words, nothing for me to add:

Two Perspectives on Women in Star Wars: Revenge of the Sith

First a progressive perspective from Alternet The Curse of the Pregnancy wonders why Padme’s pregnancy is portrayed as something so bad and limiting to her participation in the film:

Despite the futuristic age in which she lives, things aren’t much brighter for Padme, whose pregnancy renders her oddly helpless. Though supposedly a member of the Galactic Senate, she does little more than sit listlessly in an oversized living room watching the passing hovercraft and the multiple sunsets, waiting for her belly to grow and for Anakin to come home. The only thing that changes are her outfits.

Second what the conservative Focus on the Family’s film critic has to say about the role of women in the movie:

Padmé wears a strapless nightgown in two scenes. A well-endowed alien female (she has long appendages growing out of her head, but otherwise looks human) attends a Coruscant social event wearing a revealing, flimsy white dress. A young Jedi woman’s outfit shows some cleavage as well.

The difference is clear. Conservatives think of women as sinful tempations that need to be controlled instead of active participants in life. Their policies are aimed at controlling these dangerous images instead of encouraging women’s participation in society.