Farrah Fawcett will mostly be remembered as a Charlie’s Angels chick and a pinup girl, but her performance in the Burning Bed was a durable, yet regrettable legacy. Sadly, the 1984 made-for-TV movie that portrayed premeditated murder as not only excusable, but heroic, won’t go with her.
Of course, Fawcett herself should not blamed for the establishment of a myth that propelled a skewed view of domestic violence into the forefront of public consciousness. She was, after all, only an actress playing a part, and playing it well.
The movie however, helped establish a framework for dozens of later theatrical and TV movies that depict men as dangerous, violent abusers and women as saintly victims with nowhere to turn for help. Even after 25 years, this story of a single extraordinary case, exaggerated for effect, has become omnipresent. The male character is generally accepted as typical, and murder is sanctioned if not openly encouraged as a solution to the problem. Later films such as Sleeping With the Enemy starring Julia Roberts, built on the myth and added the aspect of relentless stalking, also extraordinary in the real world. Other movies added more, and there is now a whole TV network devoted to almost nothing but the theme of awful, despicable men vs. glamorous female victims.
The book by Faith McNulty and the movie opened the door for feminist political ideology masquerading as scientific theory, fully applicable to all cases of intimate partner abuse. When Lenore Walker created the “Battered Woman Syndrome” around the same time as the release of the movie, it was accepted as gospel and formed the basis for public policies and laws that eventually would attempt to hold women blameless for a wide range of crimes, from shoplifting to 1st degree murder.
Also around the same time, give or take a few years, the Duluth Model for dealing with abusers, (exclusively male) was developed by a small group of previously-abused women who were attending feminist consciousness-raising sessions at a shelter founded by feminist lawyers. This model holds that abuse is a deliberate choice, and all men have to do is recognize what pigs they are and they will stop their incorrect behavior.
Ten years on, in 1994, the federal Violence Against Women Act codified into law the entire package of myth-making and storytelling relating to Battered Women Theory, and called it Domestic Violence. Holding men “accountable” for their repugnant actions through a system of legal sanctions depriving them of their human rights, homes, their children and often their livelihoods, VAWA allows women and feminist organizations to get revenge, and profit by it. As it is a law focused on the destruction of men, with single-pointed precision, the negative effects of the law on children and yes, even women go unconsidered.
One wonders what the next ten years will bring.
In 1984 cable TV was still new; the majority of households got off-the-air broadcast TV, and so viewers of any particular program would number in the tens of millions. Even if most people of the time saw it, certainly there were many more factors than a single movie involved in the evolution of the way society deals with intimate partner abuse today, but I have no doubt the Burning Bed was a catalyst.
A hundred years from now, perhaps historians will look back in wonder at the bizarre events of the late 20th and early 21st centuries and speculate why it was that society turned on itself in this way.
Comments
Thanks for this viewpoint! We all were wondering why the families are getting so small and fractured. It's very bad public policy for the Federal and State Governments to financially incentivize small and fractured families. Strong big healthy close families, is what would normally happen if government wasn't so busy invading the family space. Let the Families grow, keep the government from meddling in places it has no right to meddle.
Are you out of your freakin mind?
Apparently the over emotional and under rational response, of the user "Outraged by Stupid Opinion" (OSO), does not have a well thought out reasonable comment to make. Perhaps OSO should read the US Constitution, especially the part about EQUAL PROTECTION UNDER THE LAW & DUE PROCESS, which is totally violated by the "Violence Against Women's Act" (VAWA). WOMEN need to stand up and call for MORE INCARCERATION FOR WOMEN, especially for their violent assault against Men and Children. The application of penalties to female perpetrators of rape, violence, spousal & child abuse is extremely weak, oh yes and that goes for murder as well! Women always have an excuse for every criminal act, and cry about it too get off. Women need to start having the moral courage to get tougher on each other and hold each other accountable to the same penalties handed out to the other sex. In policing Women's own ranks, Women will truely progress, making our culture a better more progressed civilization.
Wow.
I'm continually impressed with the woman at the S.F. Examiner.
Barbara T, Teri S, and Trudy S, all fair minded it seems. Writing describing the blatant sexism against men, boys, and fathers?
Rare, and encouraging.
This article is important. It's also in music, starting with Dixie Chick's song "Goodbye, Earl" where an abused woman murders her husband.
A mother told the singer that she'd never allow her daughter to listen to the song. The singer responded with "well you're doing your daughter a tremendous disfavor, she needs to know what men do and that women can fight back".
Since then there have been other hit songs with the same theme.
How would they respond if I write a song called "Goodbye, Pearl" about a husband who murders his abusive wife?
Also, R.I.P. Farrah, outside of any acting roles she never showed signs of being a sexist man-hater. I liked her.
Also, she once chose a role of a woman who brutally murdered her own children. True story, "Sma
Hmmm it cut the last words of my post off, sorry, the name of the movie is "Small Sacrifices" about Diane Downs, who murdered her children.
So it shows Farrah was willing to portray women who were abusive and evil and show the world they exist.
If you or anyone else believes The Burning Bed was an exaggeration of spousal abuse, you have not done your homework nor have first-hand knowledge of such situations. The Burning Bed was not an indictment of all men--only abusive ones. The same holds true for the VAWA. Men who cannot treat women and children with respect and caring without balling up their fists aren't men and should have no rights whatsoever. Men do not have the right to beat and torture their spouses. They do not have the right to rape their spouses and there was a time when these acts were deemed to be "normal" rights for the male. Ms. Fawcett's portrayal in this movie helped change those laws and I, for one, am grateful.
I decided I hadn't said enough. As little as 150 years ago, an English woman could not divorce her husband nor, if he decided to divorce her, now would she be given custody of her children. They, like the woman, belonged to the man. Similar ideology was embraced in the US right up until the events of The Burning Bed cast a light into the darkness.
Do some homework on the problem. Start with Caroline Norton, British author and poet. Go on to read anything by John E. Douglas or Roy Hazelwood. Your view just may broaden.
WOW, "Taylor" you really are a "Tyrant Dictator", you said it yourself, "aren't men and should have no rights whatsoever." Be ashamed of yourself for violating the US Constitution with your mishandrist hate men speech. "NO RIGHTS WHATSOEVER", so treat a man who is forced to defend himself and his children from a sociopathic murdering prostitute of a woman, as an animal with "NO RIGHTS WHATSOEVER". Oh wait, Let's call PETA and get them to advocate for the animal rights of men! Women are not Saints, nor Angles, nor Goddesses of pure virtue. I hope Taylor is just as tough on Women who raise their hand to a man, scratch, slap, or spit on a man, child, or intimate partner. Since when do we tell the the weaker of two people to be the first to hit the stronger? We tell them to go away, just walk away, don't start a physical confrontation with someone that is bigger or stronger than you. There is more violence perpetrated on men than on women. Women should be taught not to hit anyone!
WOW Taylor, I have not said enough. Since when do you teach people that two wrongs make a right? Since when, do you justify your criminal actions in depriving others US Constitutional Rights because of what happened 150 years ago? What did men do today, in their lifetime, for that matter, right now, to deserve such a massive blanket repression of their God Given Inalienable Human Rights solely based on sex? TAYLOR is clearly capable of being guilty of HATE CRIMES BASED SOLELY ON SEX! It really shows how much education and awareness is needed about US Constitutional Rights. I hope that you teach women never ever hit a man, or woman, or adult, or child! I hope that you teach women, that in hitting another person regardless of sex is always wrong, and needs to be punished, with the same harshness for any sex. I am truly embarrassed for all of woman-kind, man-kind, human-kind, that Taylor thinks such speech is acceptable dialogue in a civilized world. Be very ashamed (sexist) Taylor
Taylor: incidents as extreme as those depicted in The Burning Bed constitute a slim minority of the types of situations categorized as domestic violence/abuse. You'll notice that very few women are motivated to kill their husbands, and those that do tend to have violent histories of their own.
Most domestic violence entails mutual aggression and tends to by symptomatic of a larger pattern of anti-social behaviors. If you don't believe me, you should do some research. But I can tell you that I used to work as a placement counselor for victims of domestic abuse and am familiar with the nature of these cases. You seem to have gotten your opinions from the Lifetime channel.
Frankly the romanticization of domestic violence has made it harder to address certain types of cases, and has put a lot of children in jeopardy by removing fathers from the homes of abusive mothers.
Taylor, and anyone else for that matter, I don't think anyone on either side of the DV issue condone physical violence. But what about "Emotional Abuse"? How do you define "Emotional Abuse"? Why do courts even consider "Emotional Abuse" in cases where the parties are no longer in a relationship (i.e., are in the Family Court)?
Also, isn't it reasonable to ask how the DV statistics that keep getting thrown are broken down (e.g., 1 in 4 women/men are victims of DV, which breaks down as: x1% ongoing severe physical violence; x2% ongoing minor physical violence; x3% ongoing "Emotional Abuse" x4% one time severe physical violence; x5% one time minor physical violence; x6% one time "Emotional Abuse".
Also, who gets to make the definitions, and what are their criteria.
Also, should DV include financial abuse? legal abuse? paternity fraud?
I think there is a lot of common ground on both of the issue that is not being explored.
Food for thought....
Obviously, you have never been regularly beaten or raped. You are exceptionally and dangerously out of touch with the reality of life in this world. Do you think it is fine to torture and kill women and children ? That is what your article says.Shameful.
Cold North Wind says: "You are exceptionally and dangerously out of touch with the reality of life in this world"
Is she?
Almost 50% of domestic violence is committed by women. Nearly 30% of abused women, are abused by their lesbian partners...not men.
That's not counting all the men who refuse to report abuse by their wife, out of shame and embarrassment.
Also, the US Dept of Health/Human Srvcs 2006 Child Maltreatment report will inform you that, in fact, the vast majority of children murdered in their homes, are murdered by their...mothers. Not their fathers.
It will also inform you that the vast majority of children physically abused in their homes, are abused by their...mothers. Not their fathers.
So since you seem to think that a woman who is in a situation where she and her children are abused, that she has the right to murder him...
I can only conclude that likewise you think all of these abusive mothers/wives should be murdered by their husbands and chil
"Do you think it is fine to torture and kill women and children ?That is what your article says"
Cold,
Where does it say that? Are you a mind reader, is that what the author meant to say? Because that sentiment, let alone statement, does not exist in the text. Please do explain your foolish utterance of excitability. The explanation should be at least as amusing as your last mental spasm.
shine forth o bright Desert Light!
Women in marriages with men are raped and beaten daily and forced to do labor without pay and forced to help babies against their wills. Women do nothing to ask for this mistreatment. I believe all male children should be castrated at birth so we can prevent rape of women. VAWA doesn't do enough for women when abusers are allowed to have penises. Penis's are quickly becoming vestigial organs of evil and rape especially when technology has allowed women to have children without the need of a male. Women have created everything and there is no place for men because they create violence, war, and rape. You should read feministing.com and learn the real ugly truth about men!
Truth about feminist lies and pork programs like VAWA in the San Francisco Examiner? What's next? Truth in the LA Times too? If this keeps up we may still have newspapers to read.
The comments section here reveals the true nature of our ruling matriarchy. Fascist, arrogant and cruel. Yes folks, it's these people who now rule us and got there pretending to be the tolerant ones. The truth about them is what America really needs to know.
Thanks Trudy and Terri. It's women like you who give American Men hope. Oh yeah, thanks San Francisco Examiner!
"Gunpowder and Lead", country song about blowing a man's head off.
I watched a couple of the Can You Duet show on CMT. They just advertised it with a woman doing a cover of Gunpowder and Lead, with Naomi Judd grinning ear to ear.
This is a popular show that draws a lot of women as audience and viewers.
I watched the video for this with the orig singer Miranda Lambert doing it live. Huge audience of thousands, the young girls and women cheered crazily when she'd sing about pulling the trigger.
Wow, that "concerned mother" makes Otep Shamaya look almost sane!
Thanks for a reality check on double standards. The DV(domestic violence) Industry has become the worst abuser and predator, worse than all abusive men and women combined. Remember this in October, DV Awareness Month.
To see "The Burning Bed" in reality, and in reverse, it happens constantly with men (mostly fathers) abused beyond the brink until some snap and murder their wives. The media and DV Industry provide the fuel and motives for these murders which they support & revel in for the hysteria value they provide to further show "men are awful beasts."
Think of it, it's in the news regularly: Normally non-violent father murders estranged wife who slapped a bogus protective or restraining order on him (she lied/abused), using it to leverage finacial ruin, enslave him and take his kids away, etc (abuse!) We see enough details in the news to see this. They fail in final analysis. Why? It's OK/GOOD to abuse men. 85% of RO's/PO's are gained via lies/abuse: www.true-equality.org
Concerned Mother,
Thank you so much for posting those very revealing comments. A prime example of the effect of politically popular propaganda, indoctrination, lies, abuse and hysteria.
Feministing.com is a great place to see propaganda, hysteria, eugenics etc. in action. Majority feminists (abusive supremacists in sheep's clothing) are very cunning. They have a political free pass to lie and abuse even women, and especially children: true-equality.org (See the mission statement & archives for real women's words on this).
Contrast the following truths with the lies, abuse and distortions comming from your own sources you refer to - Search: "Persistent Myths in Feminist Scholarship" by Christina Hoff Sommers
Watch how interesting it is that when the truth trumps their lies, abuse & hysteria, the majority feminists get abusive, lie and use false allegations. How surprising from "advocates" of equality and anti-abuse - THEY reveal their true nature.
Actually, Taylor, you not only exaggerate the male domination part of your femi-Nazi rant, but you also forget to look at what NOW has done today. NOW has promoted a VAWA agenda so thoroughly that we aren't just reversed of what you claim, but we are currently living in a reversed Shariah law against men here in "America." Men have no rights but can get their rights only through their spouse. Men have no voice in court but a woman's voice (lies) trump a man's proof in court. Men can be jailed, punished, enslaved legally and some are put to death cleverly in this system as well. NOW has soooo improved on shariah law in reverse.
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