#But it doesn't make the evil warren as... rapey I guess. To put it crassly.

[bonebabbles]

Hi! Sorry if this ask is quite random for you to see, but is it ok to ask you that

On a scale of 1-10, how sexist and/or misogynistic would you rate the book Watership Down being?

I’m considering checking out the book, but I’m unsure whether I should do that or not due to the possible sexism within it. Thanks!

If you can't handle sexism, I would skip Watership Down. It's pretty bad in that aspect, enough that Ursula K Le Guin uses it as a major example of how misogyny expresses in xenofiction narratives.

In spite of how doe rabbits are the ones responsible for founding new warrens, the main characters are all bucks.

Does are spoken about a lot in terms of reproduction, and mostly that.

There is a massive plot point later where the all-buck party realizes they need women, and set out to get them.

There's an evil rabbit warren, and they show that this warren is evil partially because of some implied sexual assault of the does they control.

It was also written by a White British Man Of A Certain Era. It will sometimes drop a line that we find VERY racist in today's standards, particularly near the beginning where it compares the rabbit culture to... "other primitive societies."

#I think the movie and miniseries adaptations are better about it #I would rec the miniseries for you to start with #It's not FANTASTIC at totally fixing it but it does address it a little #It doesn't alter the all-buck party problem but it allows some does to be characters and play more of a role #AND it also has to maintain the 'we need women or our society will die' plot point #But it doesn't make the evil warren as... rapey I guess. To put it crassly. #Even though I like the movie better for maintaining more about how fast and brutal the life of the rabbits is #I think if you're more sensitive to darker themes the Miniseries is a good way to get the story in a more tame way #Also I heard no one likes the miniseries lmao but die mad it's Fine. #Like yeah the animation's a little jilted but it is Fine #I like some of the additions actually