For a fantasy show, Game of Thrones sure does cause a lot of conversation regarding gender issues and sexuality. In just the last couple of weeks, there have been debates about the sex scenes on the show, with Daenerys Targaryen herself saying there should be less nudity, while Prince Joffrey demands more penises. Someone accused Natalie Dormer of supporting sex with minors because her character had sex with her 14-year-old husband. And let’s not even touch the controversies surrounding Sansa’s wedding night and that Lannister funeral sex scene.
But if Game of Thrones has a questionable track record regarding women, Gwendoline Christie thinks the net balance ends up in the positive. The actress who portrays Brienne of Tarth shared her reasoning on the subject with The Sunday Times:
“I thought [the books] were fabulous because there were so many women in leading roles. All sorts of women, not just whores or princesses, but princesses who were whores. Evil women. Brilliant, clever, strong women. Women who could be mothers and murderers. They didn’t [dilute the dynamic variety of female characters for television], and it is the one action drama that is led by women. There is a lot of sex but they also get to kill people and make decisions, and be dictators and pick flowers, and have dragons and get their tits out.”
Women have been at the center of much of the plots in Game of Thrones. Catelyn Stark basically kicked off the War of the Five Kings by kidnapping Tyrion. For all her poor long-term planning, no one can deny Cersei Lannister is the primary mover and shaker in King’s Landing now. And let’s not forget Daenerys Targaryen doing a heckuva job administrating Meereen.
These aren’t just hot piece roles created to compliment the male protagonists. They’re complicated, fleshed-out characters with their own motives and ambitions. And they still get “their tits out,” too, which is pretty cool… at least according to Gwendoline Christie.
(via The Sunday Times)
