Feminism in South Park
1. Introduction
South Park has been around for a while now. Since it was aired for the first time on 13th August 1997, the show has constantly pushed the boundaries taking on everything, leaving out nothing. The reception among the wider population and the media had a wide range from “shocking” to “excellent”. One of the aspects of this success story is that, because of its provocative tone the show has managed to stay in the limelight. Public debate was evolving around certain episodes, bringing more and more attention to the show. As it was constantly picking up contemporary themes, topics or events, expectations were growing and “ 'How will South Park deal with x ' has become a common catch phrase” (Johnson-Woods 257). Another reason why South Park is so appealing is its humour which is absolutely unrestricted and irreverent (Johnson-Woods 257). Seemingly, the creators of the show do not set any boundaries for themselves, taking on everything and everybody. Even public figures and celebrities are not spared. The viewer witnesses events like Barbara Streisand mutating into a giant, destructive monster, Martha Stewart taking a turkey up her rectum, or Ben Affleck having a sexual affair with a nine-year old boy. People apparently enjoy the stylistic, humorous and critical social approach of the show, making it the most successful satire so far. Being full of toilet humour and foul language, South Park is pushing “the boundaries of good taste. Few shows have dared to go where South Park goes” (Johnson-Woods 244). “It is also full of introspect and unbiased social commentary” (Khodasevich 2) and is characterized by its libertarian attitude, which is granting freedom to everyone and especially to itself. As it is a satirical approach to social conventions. South Park tries to make a point on various discourses within our society by “filtering these problems through children” (Johnson-Woods 163, 164). These children are a group of elementary school boys, namely
South Park has been around for a while now. Since it was aired for the first time on 13th August 1997, the show has constantly pushed the boundaries taking on everything, leaving out nothing. The reception among the wider population and the media had a wide range from “shocking” to “excellent”. One of the aspects of this success story is that, because of its provocative tone the show has managed to stay in the limelight. Public debate was evolving around certain episodes, bringing more and more attention to the show. As it was constantly picking up contemporary themes, topics or events, expectations were growing and “ 'How will South Park deal with x ' has become a common catch phrase” (Johnson-Woods 257). Another reason why South Park is so appealing is its humour which is absolutely unrestricted and irreverent (Johnson-Woods 257). Seemingly, the creators of the show do not set any boundaries for themselves, taking on everything and everybody. Even public figures and celebrities are not spared. The viewer witnesses events like Barbara Streisand mutating into a giant, destructive monster, Martha Stewart taking a turkey up her rectum, or Ben Affleck having a sexual affair with a nine-year old boy. People apparently enjoy the stylistic, humorous and critical social approach of the show, making it the most successful satire so far. Being full of toilet humour and foul language, South Park is pushing “the boundaries of good taste. Few shows have dared to go where South Park goes” (Johnson-Woods 244). “It is also full of introspect and unbiased social commentary” (Khodasevich 2) and is characterized by its libertarian attitude, which is granting freedom to everyone and especially to itself. As it is a satirical approach to social conventions. South Park tries to make a point on various discourses within our society by “filtering these problems through children” (Johnson-Woods 163, 164). These children are a group of elementary school boys, namely
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