CM Punk and his do-gooder boyfriend, Daniel Bryan, Boardwalk Empire, Spartacus, Buffy the Vampire Slayer, A Song of Ice and Fire, and smashing the patriarchy. All day every day.
The Most Feminist Boyfriend in the History of TV: An Ode to Crixus
It is not much of a secret that I am one of those mean, feminist types. Not only that, but I am one of those mean feminist types who views everything I watch through a feminist lens, using my experiences as a woman to analyze the media I consume, analyzing this media with jaded, somewhat tired eyes at how the stories of men are always front and center with no regard for the stories of women. Therefore, it was a bit of surprise to me when I began watching Spartacus, and saw a show that not only told the stories of men themselves, but also showed these same men in the supporting roles of women’s stories. Very rarely do we see such a balance, and it’s one of the reasons why this show is just amazing.
But while I gladly sail on the S.S. Nagron with steady hand, and my heart writes love letters to Ilithyia on a daily basis, nothing has amazed me more than the transformation of Crixus from cocky, undefeated champion of the arena to the wise and giving man who has learned that sometimes fighting means nothing more than standing side by side with the woman he loves to offer support as she comes into her own. In the course of two seasons, Crixus has become one of the most feminist-friendly characters in the history of television, and it has been a marvel to behold.
