Sexism in survival situations: Reconsidering gender in Jurassic Park

Research output: Book chapter/Published conference paperChapter (peer-reviewed)peer-review

Abstract

The Jurassic Park film franchise offers a complex portrayal of gender issues within a long-running science fiction action series, although not one without problematic moments. This chapter examines selected examples from the series to explore this complex picture. These include moments in the series that display female characters such as Ellie Sattler, Sarah Harding and Claire Dearing with power and agency and the top of their respective professions, noting that Jurassic Park is unusual among science fiction films for its presentation of such accomplished female characters. The chapter also addresses the sexualisation of the character Ian Malcolm and the role of the more typical 'action star' from later films, Owen Grady. Finally, it considers the question of sex-selection for the non-human characters, namely the dinosaurs, as significant plot points advance upon the premise that the entire dinosaur population in the series consists of non-breeding females, a fact that is later shown to be untrue. The chapter addresses each of these examples through key issues relating to the production, presentation, and violation of the human and non-human living body across the full Jurassic Park series.

Original languageEnglish
Title of host publicationGender and action films 1980-2000
Subtitle of host publicationBeauty in motion
EditorsSteven Gerrard, Renee Middlemost
Place of PublicationBingley, United Kingdom
PublisherEmerald Group Publishing Limited
Chapter9
Pages123-136
Number of pages14
Edition1st
ISBN (Electronic)9781801175067
ISBN (Print)9781801175074
DOIs
Publication statusPublished - 24 Nov 2022

Publication series

NameEmerald Studies in Popular Culture and Gender
PublisherEmerald Publishing

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