Feminist Fatale: an essential lesson in feminism from the Powerpuff Girls

Meet Femme Fatale.

She's a feminist. But a really mean one.

She steals money from banks. (Check out her gun.)

But she doesn't steal all kinds of money. She doesn't want currency that has men on it.

She wants coins with Susan B Anthony on them.

Lots of coins.

And that's why we're glad we have the Powerpuff Girls to save us from her.

But wait, she has some questions for the Girls.

"You girls protect your city as well as Batman and Superman protect theirs. But do you have your own movie?"

"Villainy too is a male-dominated field. Sending me to jail will be a blow to all womankind. Including you. There's only one female super-villain in town."

"We girls gotta look out for each other."

Does that argument sounds familiar?

The Powerpuff Girls are now angry at all the men who treat them badly. So they let Femme Fatale go.

And that's how Femme Fatale goes back to stealing Susan B Anthony coins.

Lots and lots of them.

And the Girls do nothing to stop her.

And the Girls are so angry, they're even mean to the boys in school.

And they're mean to their father because he asks them to clean their room.

They're even mean to the mayor and make him cry.

So Ms Keane and Ms Bellum stage an intervention.

"You're right about one thing," Ms Bellum tells the girls. "There is injustice in the world."

"But that's why we need you to protect the rights of everyone."

The girls begin to understand. That good feminism must be fair to everyone.

So the girls go out to meet Femme Fatale.

She says, "Hey girls, hear you've been kicking some male butt. Good for you."

But the Girls aren't falling for this.

They tell her: "Susan B Anthony didn't want special treatment. She just wanted to be treated equally."

"She demanded that she be sent to jail like any man who broke the law."

"And that's what we'll do to you."

So the Girls kick Femme Fatale's butt and put her in jail.

And the day is saved. Thanks to the Powerpuff Girls.

Thank you girls. In the most trying of times, for showing us good feminism from bad.

Incidentally, the Powerpuff Girls are coming back. Here's the trailer to their next season:

Don't Call Me Princess from Cartoon Network PR on Vimeo.