Black Widow Began as a Sexist Stereotype. More Than a Decade Later, Scarlett Johansson Is Reclaiming Her Story

Time ^ | July 2, 2021 | Eliana Dockterman

[where's_the_Outrage?]

Black Widow sauntered into the mainstream consciousness in 2010’s Iron Man 2. Not walked—sauntered. Natasha Romanoff, the Russian agent turned U.S. spy played by Scarlett Johansson, first meets Tony Stark, a.k.a. Iron Man (Robert Downey Jr.) when he’s working out in a boxing ring with his employee, played by Jon Favreau, the film’s director. Favreau’s Happy Hogan condescendingly offers to teach Natasha how to box, so she slips off her high heels, slinks into the ring and immediately kicks the man’s butt. That’s the joke: Surprise! This unbelievably fit woman can fight.

But it’s the moment after Natasha handily beats Happy that truly rankled fans. Stark turns to his assistant turned girlfriend Pepper Potts, played by Gwyneth Paltrow. “Who is she?” Tony asks. To which Pepper replies, “Potentially a very expensive sexual harassment lawsuit.” Tony, after Googling for photos of Natasha in her underwear, quips, “I want one.”

Victoria Alonso, executive vice president of production at Marvel Studios, never liked the line. “It bothered me then and it bothers me now,” says Alonso, who was a co-producer of Iron Man 2. “I remember thinking, ‘She’s not a thing.’ But how apropos: the world sees a sexy woman and thinks that because she is beautiful, that’s all she has to give.” The scene feels like a relic of a pre-#MeToo Hollywood.

[where's_the_Outrage?]

The fact that males enjoy watching Scarlett in that black outfit is a major factor of her being liked does not seem to matter to feminists. If she didn't look sexy she would not be successful in the role.

.

Or in freeper language, "Not Guilty" .

[Pollard]

I want one.

[bk1000]

I must be the only guy who does not find her hot.

[Erik Latranyi]

Natasha was trained to use her sexual powers over men to cloud their minds so she could steal secrets and get confessions.

She was trained to use sex as a weapon, which spies still use today.

There is nothing wrong with a man ogling (or am I googling?) a sexy woman. It is natural.

If feminists do not want men to see women as sex objects, then ban makeup, high heels, skirts and go back to not showing ankles or use burkhas.

[where's_the_Outrage?]

“I must be the only guy who does not find her hot.”

I actually kind of agree with you, except in her black window outfit, that is really sexy. You can find nude pics of her on line and they’re disappointing to me when compared to her in that costume.

[daler]

“I must be the only guy who does not find her hot.”

Rest assured you are not.

[Islander7]

You are not alone.

[kiryandil]

Always with the guns, in anti-gun Hollyweird...

[Lysandru]

I have an idea. Replace Scarlett Johannson with Megan Rapinoe in order to battle the sexpot stereotype!

I mean, Victoria's Secret is up for that sort of experiment.

[redangus]

That’s all right I’ll take her off you hands so you won’t have to deal with her. You can thank me later.🤣

[hercuroc]

She’s already taken by that chipmunky looking guy on SNL.

[dfwgator]

Meh.

[Seruzawa]

She can kick my @$$ any timr.

[FatherofFive]

I must be the only guy who does not find her hot

Post a picture of who you’re doing, as a point of comparison

[Mr Rogers]

It is time to cast an overweight black chick - I mean mature woman - in the role of The Black Widow. After all, can't a roly-poly woman have super powers?

Then see who bothers to watch....

[dfwgator]

After all, can't a roly-poly woman have super powers?

Sure, crushing people.

[Flag_This]

"She was trained to use sex as a weapon, which spies still use today."

Fang Fang and Eric Swalwell say "hi."

[TwelveOfTwenty]

I don’t care how good she looks, paying to watch this isn’t worth putting money into the leftists’ wallets.

[where's_the_Outrage?]

Which led to smash hits like Ghostbusters 3.

.

[EEGator]

No, you’re not.