Why Girls Can’t Be Pokemon Masters

When I was in third grade, I happened upon a conversation between two male classmates of mine. Pokemon had just started airing as part of the weekday afternoon block and was quickly growing into the mega-franchise it would soon become. The boys were discussing their favorite Pokemon, and I was curious about what all the fuss was about. But as soon as I walked over, one of the boys turned to me and said, “You don’t know about Pokemon. Girls don’t watch Pokemon.” Of course 8-year-old me didn’t know what sexism or gender bias was, and didn’t have a grasp on the innate idiocy of 8-year-old boys, but I’ve always been incredibly stubborn and incredibly contrary. So that afternoon, when I got home from school, I immediately looked for the new episode of Pokemon and watched it studiously, remembering the different breeds of pocket monsters and their attacks. [quote_right]”The protagonists of these series were males with strength and power, enough to fight, maim, and kill—so unlike the few female protagonists in anime I was exposed to…”[/quote_right]The next day, the first thing I did was march up to the boy and, as though I was taking an oral exam, proudly announce the names of five Pokemon I had learned about from my first time watching the show. His jaw dropped in awe that a girl had watched the show (8-year-olds have very low standards for shock). I felt vindicated, having proved my point. But even though I had originally watched the show to prove that point, I kept watching. I …