Feminist comedy
[5][6] Feminist comedy frequently references and discusses female-gendered issues and topics such as menstruation, rape, gender inequality, beauty norms, and machismo.
[6][1] Along the lines of intersectionality, which suggests that social identities and systems of oppression are interrelated, many feminist comedians also discuss homophobia, racism, and transphobia.
[7][6] Comedy was an important genre in the late 19th and early 20th centuries for mocking traditional gender norms and envisioning new societies that would be brought about through comic anarchy and playful upheaval.
[4] Other notable early women in comedy, such as Mae West and Helen Kane, relied primarily on sex appeal in order to attract male audiences.
[1][10] These comedians and others frequently touch on perceptions and expectations in society that systemically oppress and exploit, which scholars have identified as key elements of feminist humor.
[12] Although this type of representation on television was groundbreaking, Vance found herself repeatedly cast in stereotypical roles and frequently spoke out about her frustrations regarding typecasting.
[14] His jokes about abortion opponents being anti-woman connect directly to what bell hooks described as a "feminist movement [urging] females to no longer see [themselves] and [their] bodies as the property of men".
[6] This comedy focuses on the shared experiences of women and gender norms, which serves to undermine the status quo by refusing to fall into patriarchal expectations of divisiveness.
[18] A prominent contemporary example of this is the comedy of Cameron Esposito and River Butcher, a formerly married couple who created the streaming series Take My Wife.
[21] Black Radical feminist Florynce "Flo" Kennedy famously used humor to name and point her audience to racism, misogyny, and sexism.
[21] Contemporary examples such as Leslie Jones of Saturday Night Live similarly use satire of stereotypes as a method of black feminism.
[23] Her stand-up routine is composed of what she has described as "social justice comedy",[23] in which she maintains a positive, charming attitude with her audience and allows them to ask questions regarding her race, religion, or anything that comes to mind.
