Dr Zuleyka Zevallos

*Spoilers* 'Joker' presents a racialised & gendered view of class. Thomas Wayne (Gotham's White male, super rich aspiring Mayor) is the antagonist. Wayne refers to protesters with contempt (jokers) & he punches Arthur (Joker) while he's emotionally vulnerable. Whiteness prevailspic.twitter.com/keNKqisaGX

Joker's rise as anti-hero is celebrated as revolutionary in the film. It isn't. Lower class White men view equity movements as encroaching on their social status (https://www.amazon.com/Angry-White-Men-American-Masculinity/dp/1568585136 …). Joker simply re-legitimises White male anger as a political tool, which it always has beenpic.twitter.com/6BlgG7T6t6

Arthur kills White affluent dudebros, an obnoxious White male talkshow host, & mean White male colleague. This inspires a revolution in Gotham, where MEN in clown masks riot. The film pitches this as social commentary, when in fact, it's just White male 'aggrieved entitlement'pic.twitter.com/onbbfTWsx8

How does this translate to Australia? In Newtown, a gentrified suburb on Gadigal land, young White men around us physically jumped in glee, some acting out the punches on screen. Visceral responses to films are fine! But why might Joker feel liberation? Hegemonic masculinitypic.twitter.com/QCVstDYQB3

Hegemonic masculinity reflects how some representations of masculinity win out over other expressions of manhood. Film (and other cultural insitutions, like sport) assert narrow ideas of what it means to be 'a man.' Joker dresses up Arthur's escalating violence as emancipationpic.twitter.com/4jBmQMAhqS

Environmentalism is one example of anti-hegemonic masculinity. The movement preaches (though does not easily achieve) gender equality (cf https://www.allenandunwin.com/browse/books/academic-professional/sociology/Masculinities-RW-Connell-9781741145199 …) Weeks after global climate change protests, there is still an audience keen to cheer Arthur's destruction & misogynypic.twitter.com/BkLH865GDn

Can you be an environmentalist & still enjoy Joker? Yes! But as bell hooks tells us, we can enjoy films but remain critical. Let's continue Arthur fixates on Sophie, to 'humanise' the character. The interactions are examples of gender violence, but not presented this waypic.twitter.com/uwPXhhADzp

*Spoiler* Arthur stalks Sophie. She's coquettish in response. Sophie is a single mum, but she's seen making herself available to Arthur for sex (after he's killed), & taking care of his emotions. The interactions play on the audience, but the film excuses this as mental illnesspic.twitter.com/NbYWnBhmG4