I'm part of a blog about the portrayal of women in media called The Hathor Legacy, so I've decided to post my articles here as well in the hope the site will get a bit more interest generated :p

"Grey's Anatomy"

I’ve been watching Grey’s Anatomy lately, and am just about to change channels on account that the shippers have grabbed this show by the teeth and are refusing to let go.

I should note, that GA has some good characters, and one day I’ll get to detailing them. Yang is delightfully cynical, brutally honest. Bailey is a brilliant tyrant who uses bullying to separate the wheat from the chaff. Addison has is a gifted and caring doctor, and has the potential to be the same as a mentor. Izzy has the potential to be a gifted doctor, partner and mentor, if she ever gets over caring too much.

But what drives me to write this post is Meredith Grey, the titular character. Meredith is a medical intern who had an affair with an anonymous man, who, oops, turns out to be her resident, Derek Sheppard. She wants to keep her distance, but he pursues a relationships, which she succumbs to.

So far, I could understand. Woman has one-night stand, realises one-night stand is actually her boss. Tries to rebuff him, but too much chemistry exists for her to be bothered.

Except then he turns out to be married. She calls on him to choose between him and his wife Addison. He chooses Addison. She is devastated.

Even then, I understood. To be looked over for another woman – and an older woman – that’s a blow to the ego. But you get over it.

Someone didn’t tell Meri that. She’s still moping. She alternates between telling Derek ‘I miss you’ and ‘I’m over you’. They have contrived pre-kiss scenes where one looks away at the last moment.

I didn’t mind Meredith refusing to get over Derek. I minded that we never see the Dereks of the world refusing to get over the Merediths. I minded that the shippers took up the cause, like the fact that he was MARRIED was little concern. I minded that shippers – mostly women, I presume – were fully prepared to paint Addison as The evil cow when she came across more as a competent doctor, a giving mentor and wife who had made mistakes but was trying hard to make up for them. I minded that the shippers squeed over every inappropriate moment between Derek and Meredith.

I minded that shippers were encouraging, and therefor perpetuating the idea that it’s OK for fidelity to be a virtue ONLY if it’s OTP. I minded that the shippers were, through the same logic, perpetuating the idea that it’s OK for a woman to mope and mope and mope about an affair turned sour, especially without any examination of the fact that said woman (or person) has some deeper issues.

Is such a contrived, tacky meant-to-be-OTP storyline what they really want for themselves? Shouldn’t they have a bit more self-respect then that?