Friday, March 28, 2014

Sexism of Cartoon Network

Recently, whenever I watch CN at my boyfriend's house, it more and more dawns on me that every single cartoon show (over 60 shows according to CN website) on this channel lacks a female lead/main character (with the exception of Powerpuff Girls).


Where CN argues that shows get canceled because boys aren't buying the toys.


So, because boys aren't buying spinny tops when the shows are more female oriented, CN has decided to air shows with male lead characters. Ben 10. Adventure Time. Clarence. Uncle Grampa.


But if I'm not mistaken, most of the merchandise sales seem to be coming from non-boy-toy-merch such as apparel, accessories (wearable), DVDs, plushies, and other things to be seen at Hot Topic and that are advertised by the official Facebook pages for the respective shows.


It also occurs to be that, based on observation, it's mostly GIRLS buying this merch. Not boys. I literally see NO CN type toys at Target boys section in the toy department, except for Lego (legends of Chima) and some Marvel/DC characters. Even though Young Justice wasn't specifically female oriented, they still canceled it for the reason of low sales.


So the male oriented shows bring in sales from FEMALES yet female oriented shows are canceled or not even given a chance because, you know, girls don't buy toys, and boys do and boys don't watch those shows.


I think this whole argument is simply nonsense, and nothing but excuses.
Yes, girls don't buy the toys, because girls like other types of merchandise! So what is so difficult about making more female-lead shows? Boys may not buy anything--but girls will! And boys may as well buy-look at what happened with MLP:FIM!


There is literally one male main character in the show yet it spawned bronies.


Well anyway, I'm convinced that CN is lead by sexist old men. It's incredibly weird and unfair that every single show, except one that came out over a decade ago, is about one or two main male characters.


This is the 21st century, it's 2014 for crying out loud. Over the top girly shows aren't needed but what if "Fiona and Cake" WAS the main show and Finn& Jake were the spinoff characters instead? I'd watch the hell out of that.


CN really needs to stop making excuses and start actually airing good shows with clever content, with lead female characters, and not airing idiotic shows like Clarence and Uncle Grampa.