What’s the deal with Harley Quinn? Why do women admire and aspire to have a relationship like the one she has with The Joker? The extreme sexualization of characters is transforming human struggles into something visually pleasing. The world’s ugly realities are beautifully packaged for our consumption. As a result, we are now fantasizing about this figure, which is today embodied by Margot Robbie in The Suicide Squad.
Harley Quinn began as a warning against the dangers of being trapped in a toxic relationship, which later morphed into a sexist perspective of self-flagellation.
We mention sexism because if we pay attention to the public perception of this character, we find that Harley Quinn’s seductive character comes from her tight skirts, ultra-glamorous and demented make up, and sculpted body. Her physical appearance is so drastic that it assaults and shocks the audience. Then come the feeble attempts of revindication with speeches of female power that break away from patriarchal narratives. This, obviously, fails miserably. Thanks for trying, though!
Harley Quinn is not living an intense love affair as we would like to think. Her love is freely given, and it is driven by madness. We cannot foresee the extent of the damage she suffers in this twisted relationship. She is the soft representation of a very serious problem: losing oneself in a destructive, utilitarian, and hierarchical relationship from an old world order.
She is the incarnation of a diminished self-esteem who seeks a sense of worth by being with someone who allows her to act on her repressed desires.
Harley is not an autonomous or powerful figure. Despite her multiple versions in the DC universe, her character maintains one key element: her subjugation to a man who is both her abuser and gentle protector. Why should people stop idolizing Harley Quinn? Here we explain why…
Her Background
Dr. Harleen Frances Quinzel is the real name of our antihero. She was a distinguished figure in the field of psychiatry, until she encounters the biggest clinical challenge of her career: The Joker. Her life is irrevocably changed. In a series of psychological and physical abuses, she finds an emotional bond in the arms of a killer
Harley was born in the animated TV series as a
symbol
against domestic violence. She speaks of the tragedy of being emotionally involved with the wrong person and the submission of the feminine figure. Do we really aspire to that?
“The sadist harlequin is, was, and always will be an object.”
Her ConditionHarley is not The Joker’s underling, even less his sentimental partner. She is manipulated by a demented killer who pursues his own selfish interests. When the beautiful harlequin jumped from the screen into the comics
—let us recall Mad Love
(1994, Dini & Timm) and No Man’s Land (1999, Gale, Maleev & Ross)
— we witnessed a parade of blackmail, abuse, and despotism that the criminal clown inflicted on her.
She idolizes a man who doesn’t love her, nor does he care whether she lives or dies. In fact, in several occasions Harley is at the brink of death, but the Joker remains unmoved. He only takes action when his devious plans are about to be thwarted.
Her TragediesQuinn lives for the excesses of unrequited love. She is a woman who must repeatedly break her own spirit and do whatever it takes to receive the slightest appreciation from her master. It is an impossible dream. After facing imminent death and surviving countless tragedies, Harley comes to understand how very little she means to her wonderful “Puddin.” Nevertheless, in her countless versions, she is undeterred in her mission to please him. She is content with receiving the scraps of his affection, and she easily succumbs to his charms, no matter what.
There are alternative universes where Harley becomes a temporary ally to Batman or any other enemy of The Joker as a form of petty revenge against her abuser. There are other cases in which her best friend, Poison Ivy, counsels her to abandon him, since he is shamelessly taking her for granted. We cannot deny that there are different faces to this story, but they don’t offer a full glimpse into her character or the true nature of her relationship.
Perhaps, the most dramatic scene is when she has a child with The Joker, and she sends him away for both his protection and to avoid conflict with the demented father. The Joker is unaware of his son’s existence and plays the role of contemporary father to perfection.
Her RealityThe sadist harlequin is, was, and always will be an object, and no one can rip that role from her hands. The hyper-sexualization of her character is out of control. In fact, this erotic image has been reinforced across many comic characters, both female and male, through the use of stylized bodies, suggestive costumes, and well established binary roles.
A bubbly smile, vacant stare, child-like behavior, provocative walk, and outrageous outfits are the elements that make up Harley Quinn. She is no longer a feminine character that warns against abuse; she has been transformed into a perfect character for hormonal adolescents. She embodies gore marketing and an empty vessel for the spectator of the DC film universe.
Harley Quinn is not your run-of-the-mill villain who only craves an outlet to unleash her fury; she is highly complex and cannot be taken for granted. She is a feminine role that should not be emulated because she embodies complacency, abuse, and hyper-sexualization. We all know that sex sells, and the woman who shows it is coveted by all. If we don’t want to create a character whose only purpose is to arouse with only her appearance, then her acts and decisions have to be carefully analyzed.
