22 votes

Born sexy yesterday

22 comments

  1. [5]
    crius
    Link
    Thank you for sharing, very interesting channel and the trope itself is absolutely creepy and should really be aknowledged and stopped.

    Thank you for sharing, very interesting channel and the trope itself is absolutely creepy and should really be aknowledged and stopped.

    10 votes
    1. [4]
      EscReality
      Link Parent
      Why? There is nothing wrong with fantasies, people like these storylines and one youtuber's analysis of them doesn't somehow make them bad. Also, his analysis has a lot of fundamental flaws....

      and stopped.

      Why? There is nothing wrong with fantasies, people like these storylines and one youtuber's analysis of them doesn't somehow make them bad.

      Also, his analysis has a lot of fundamental flaws. Mainly the fact that he is trying to make it seem like its a trope that has not been previously named or discovered, that is wrong. It's not "Born Sexy Yesterday" its just another take on the "Damsel in distress" trope that is common everywhere. This is just another common way to adapt that trope. It's a literary device that dates back to the ancient greeks, it's not going anywhere anytime soon and there is nothing wrong with that.

      I hate videos like this, he should analyze the "trope" without putting a politically biased spin on it.

      2 votes
      1. [3]
        Catt
        Link Parent
        The born sexy yesterday is not the same as the damsel in distress trope, which let's be honest, has it's own issues when done poorly. The examples used, such as Tron or The Fifth Element, don't...

        The born sexy yesterday is not the same as the damsel in distress trope, which let's be honest, has it's own issues when done poorly. The examples used, such as Tron or The Fifth Element, don't feature damsels.

        9 votes
        1. [2]
          EscReality
          (edited )
          Link Parent
          Sure it is. The "damsel" is in "distress" because of her ignorance of modern culture, naivety of the situation and in both Tron and the Fifth Element the male lead has to "rescue" the female lead...

          Sure it is. The "damsel" is in "distress" because of her ignorance of modern culture, naivety of the situation and in both Tron and the Fifth Element the male lead has to "rescue" the female lead in multiple ways.

          It is true that it is not the traditional damsel trapped in a high tower needing to be rescued by a valiant knight.

          But the basic concept of the literary device remains the same. A strong leading character needs to rescue a weaker character of the opposite sex from danger in some way, wining that character over (usually). That danger doesn't have to be someone locking them away, ignorance can be the danger.

          It's an evolution of the traditional trope, but its not a completely different thing.

          2 votes
          1. Catt
            Link Parent
            I don't know, by that logic a boy helping a girl stuck on her math homework can be him rescuring her from math. Conflict alone doesn't make it a damsel in distress trope.

            I don't know, by that logic a boy helping a girl stuck on her math homework can be him rescuring her from math. Conflict alone doesn't make it a damsel in distress trope.

            5 votes
  2. [5]
    nsz
    Link
    Well damn - that kind of ruins a hole bunch of movies.

    Well damn - that kind of ruins a hole bunch of movies.

    6 votes
    1. [4]
      Catt
      Link Parent
      Including Stranger Things! Some YT comment pointed it out and I can't help but see it now too :P

      Including Stranger Things! Some YT comment pointed it out and I can't help but see it now too :P

      2 votes
      1. balooga
        Link Parent
        Interesting connection and I see how it comes close... but Eleven is a 12-year-old girl. Not a grown woman and she certainly isn't sexualized. Though she's definitely a love interest for Mike and...

        Interesting connection and I see how it comes close... but Eleven is a 12-year-old girl. Not a grown woman and she certainly isn't sexualized. Though she's definitely a love interest for Mike and is naive from growing up in the laboratory so I guess she still plays roughly the same role.

        8 votes
      2. [2]
        nsz
        (edited )
        Link Parent
        Damn was kind of thinking about watching it.

        Damn was kind of thinking about watching it.

        1. Catt
          Link Parent
          Oh it's definitely worth watching. We're making it sound a bit worst than it honestly is. A huge difference between Mike and Eleven is that they are both native. Mike's a kid too. What happens...

          Oh it's definitely worth watching. We're making it sound a bit worst than it honestly is. A huge difference between Mike and Eleven is that they are both native. Mike's a kid too.

          What happens there is probably more correctly the makeover trope.

          5 votes
  3. [10]
    demifiend
    Link
    TL;DW: too long, didn't watch. A transcript would be nice, but at least the creator gives the gist in the video's description:

    TL;DW: too long, didn't watch.

    A transcript would be nice, but at least the creator gives the gist in the video's description:

    This video essay is about a gendered trope that has bothered me for years but didn’t have a name, so I gave it one: Born Sexy Yesterday. It's a science fiction convention in which the mind of a naive, yet highly skilled, girl is written into the body of a mature sexualized woman. Born sexy yesterday is about an unbalanced relationship, but it’s also very much connected to masculinity. The subtext of the trope is rooted in a deep seated male insecurity around experienced women and sexuality. Note that Born Yesterday isn't meant literally. Born Sexy Yesterday can be written literally but it doesn't have to be. If media uses a "fish out of water" plot to frame an adult woman as an inexperience child then it fits the trope.

    2 votes
    1. [9]
      Catt
      Link Parent
      There is a transcript available here.

      There is a transcript available here.

      7 votes
      1. [8]
        demifiend
        Link Parent
        Thanks. Didn't know the creator also had a blog. Many YouTubers don't bother to diversify their web presence.

        Thanks. Didn't know the creator also had a blog. Many YouTubers don't bother to diversify their web presence.

        2 votes
        1. [7]
          Catt
          Link Parent
          Np :) It's true a lot of them don't, and it's usually something I do look for. Thanks for reminding me in this case. If you get a chance though, I do recommend watching this also. There's...

          Np :) It's true a lot of them don't, and it's usually something I do look for. Thanks for reminding me in this case.

          If you get a chance though, I do recommend watching this also. There's something about watching grown sexy woman playing doe-eyed dolls that really drives the points home.

          7 votes
          1. [4]
            demifiend
            Link Parent
            I had the chance. I chose not to take it. I actually loathe video essays and lectures on video. I can read faster than people can talk, and I'm not willing to spend ten minutes watching a video...

            If you get a chance though, I do recommend watching this also.

            I had the chance. I chose not to take it. I actually loathe video essays and lectures on video. I can read faster than people can talk, and I'm not willing to spend ten minutes watching a video whose salient content could fit into a blog post I can read in two minutes.

            2 votes
            1. [3]
              Catt
              Link Parent
              Fair enough.

              Fair enough.

              1. [2]
                frickindeal
                Link Parent
                I don't think words do it justice, though. You can hold a holier-than-thou attitude about this trope if you don't actually see the women in question. Seeing them, you can't help (or I can't help)...

                I don't think words do it justice, though. You can hold a holier-than-thou attitude about this trope if you don't actually see the women in question. Seeing them, you can't help (or I can't help) but feel the attraction that makes the trope work: in the protagonist's shoes, you'd be just as attracted to her as he is. It meshes very well with the "Manic Pixie Dreamgirl" trope, in that you find yourself helplessly attracted, even if you think it's morally questionable. That allows for suspension of disbelief: you can see yourself as the protagonist.

                7 votes
                1. Catt
                  Link Parent
                  Agreed. There's something about this trope that's really visual. Of course, it still exists in other mediums, but it feels extra creepy onscreen.

                  Agreed. There's something about this trope that's really visual. Of course, it still exists in other mediums, but it feels extra creepy onscreen.

                  2 votes
          2. [2]
            nsz
            Link Parent
            Watched his big bang theory video after, it was also pritty interesting. Do you know if he has any videos where he discusses movies that did it right. Or something where I can take a...

            Watched his big bang theory video after, it was also pritty interesting. Do you know if he has any videos where he discusses movies that did it right. Or something where I can take a recommendation for something to watch as opposed to probably skip.

            1 vote
            1. Catt
              Link Parent
              I love that one! I actually watched that one first a long time ago, but thought it would be a bit long to post. He has some videos about Steven Universe that are good. It's a TV that definitely...

              I love that one! I actually watched that one first a long time ago, but thought it would be a bit long to post.

              He has some videos about Steven Universe that are good. It's a TV that definitely does a lot right.

              1 vote
  4. [2]
    Raphael
    Link
    It's just the Emergent Human trope, but... with a sexy female?

    It's just the Emergent Human trope, but... with a sexy female?

    2 votes
    1. Catt
      Link Parent
      I could see born sexy yesterday as a subtrope of the emergent human. Guess the biggest difference is the framing of the experience. Thanks for the article. It provides a pretty good "how to use...

      I could see born sexy yesterday as a subtrope of the emergent human. Guess the biggest difference is the framing of the experience. Thanks for the article. It provides a pretty good "how to use this trope" correctly.

      Data verses Lilu or Quorra, are definitely pretty difference onscreen.

      1 vote