Fringe: Acting Emotionally

[Content Note: Sexism]

From an episode of Fringe, a television show best described as a blend between X-Files and 4400:

I understand that you think I acted too emotionally. And putting aside the fact that men always say that about women they work with, I’ll get straight to the point. I am emotional. I do bring it into my work. It’s what motivates me. It helps me to get into the headspace of our victims… See what they’ve seen. Even if I don’t want to, even if it horrifies me. And I think it makes me a better agent. If you have a problem with that, sorry. You can fire me. But I hope you don’t

~ Olivia Dunham, Episode "The Cure" [content note for link: human medical experimentation].

This series has not, for the record, been especially feminist-friendly for the first six or so episodes I've watched. (Which doesn't make it bad, but my point is that it's no Elementary.) But I loved this quote so much that I had to fist-pump the air when I heard it because: THIS.

If you think a woman is being too emotional about something, check your bias about women.
And if you think a woman is being too emotional about something, check your bias about the situation.

Melissa McEwan writes a lot about being emotional about feminist issues and about how emotion-or-lack-thereof does not magically indicate objectivity. Earlier this month she wrote:

... I take no shame in defending and being emotional about (these are bad things now?) challenging the policing of women's choices. I am defensive and emotional on behalf of women who do not change their names. I am defensive and emotional on behalf of women who do change their names. Because I don't care what choice you make: I care that you do, or don't, have a choice.

I appreciate a television show that stars a female investigator challenging the narrative that all women are emotional, or that men are more emotionless about crimes that disproportionately affect women (as has been the case in this show so far) because of Magic Maleness rather than because they are automatically less effected by the crimes they are investigating by virtue of being that much further removed from the victims. And I appreciate also that the quote challenges the assumption that being emotional is a bad thing, and for reframing the issue to point out that emotion can actually be a useful and legitimate tool when it comes to profiling criminals and their victims and preventing further crimes from occurring.

I am emotional about feminist because my body, my circumstances, and my position require me to be. I won't apologize for that, nor will I affect the framing that it's a bad thing.