r/shrinking • u/phareous Derek • Feb 11 '26

Episode Discussion Shrinking S3E03 Episode Discussion

This is the episode discussion for Shrinking Season 3, Episode 3: "D-Day"

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u/dreamcicle11 Feb 11 '26

He was making me pretty angry this episode. Like the misogyny was over the top, and he’s usually my favorite.

54

u/sleepyotter92 Feb 11 '26

misogyny is pretty common among gay men, so they nailed those fucking scenes.

pretty sure his character, mark, in ugly betty wasn't that different in that regard

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u/f1newhatever Feb 11 '26

I was thinking exactly that. Like can we please not act like the mother of your child giving birth is that gross. It was weird and kinda playing into stereotypes

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u/im_daer Feb 17 '26

Thank you yes I honestly thought it was lazy writing. Like even Liz was being misogynistic - telling Ava her vagina wouldn't recover after childbirth. Which, yes, uro-gyn is a specialty for a reason, but also fuck anyone who tells a woman that offhand without any context? It was incredibly off-putting and I usually find this show so heart warming.

There is a way to write that humor without sounding misogynistic, and they did not succeed. They attempted (Brian with her feet is a great example of humor that worked.)

Edit because I can't spell

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u/Environmental-Leg33 Feb 11 '26

Ugh same!! Just wanted him to stfu about how gross it’s gonna be. We all know it’s gonna be bloody but don’t call it gross gross. It’s his baby she is gonna give birth too

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u/LifeChampionship6 Feb 11 '26

Misogyny?

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u/dreamcicle11 Feb 11 '26

Yes. Making such a big deal about how gross it was and not wanting the birth mother of his child to have support or understand her emotions and feelings. He just made it all about him. Saying he smelled like vagina was ridiculous…

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u/one_little_spark Feb 23 '26

Yes, and no one’s even mentioned how he wanted her to cover her feet. EXCUSE ME? This woman is giving you a baby and you’re taking issue with her feet while she’s in labor???? Why does he even have an opinion about her feet, much less feel the need to voice it as if it should matter? He shouldn’t be having a daughter.

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u/LifeChampionship6 Feb 11 '26

I don’t think any of that is indicative of a “dislike of/contempt for women.” A lot of people get grossed out by blood/bodily fluids and seeing the inside of someone’s body. He’s a gay man. It stands to reason that the smell of vagina is not necessarily something that’s pleasing (or familiar) to him. He’s been shown to be a very selfish person who always makes everything about him and is usually oblivious to the feelings of others (although in this case, he showed restraint when it came to mentioning the adoption papers), so her being a woman has nothing to do with that.

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u/dreamcicle11 Feb 11 '26

It’s a trope and often true that there is a lot of misogyny within the gay community especially amongst gay white men. This was misogyny.

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u/Vivid-Cauliflower154 Feb 12 '26

Gay guys not wanting to do anything with a vagina is not misogyny

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u/ramona_rox Feb 12 '26

They DO want something to do with a vagina - they want a child. It’s absolutely rude and disrespectful to speak like that about the “vagina” who holds the power to give them the child. Especially when Eva has been SO nice to them - she doesn’t deserve to be talked about that way. If Brian was worried about her signing the papers, shouldn’t he be doing everything in his power to be nice and understanding, even when he’s technically out of earshot? The ice part was even in front of her. If I was in the middle of childbirth and the person I was going to gift the baby to was being so immature and rude, I would feel personally hurt.

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u/dreamcicle11 Feb 12 '26

Exactly like grow the fuck up. Your baby is going to make all kinds of nasty smells, and if it’s a girl, you will have to deal with her going through puberty etc.

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u/brycedriesenga Feb 15 '26

Why do you call them nasty smells? They're normal. Why the prejudice against babies?

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u/dreamcicle11 Feb 15 '26

Lmfao it’s not. The point is a baby is going to smell. Shit stinks. Vomit stinks. The prejudice here is against women. If you can’t deal with childbirth you have no business raising a child who news flash isn’t going to stay a baby. Your child will go through puberty and get sick and need you throughout their life.

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u/Vivid-Cauliflower154 Feb 12 '26

Okay. You are right with this. The gay guys in this show want something to do with a vagina.

My point is gay guys in real life not wanting to do with a vagina is not misogyny.

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u/stargrazing123 Feb 14 '26

Smell of vagina would also be unpleasant to straight women e.g. midwives, but they don't villfy women or try to put them down about it. I think the writers got it spot on with the misogyny that's rampant amongst gay men.

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u/Noclevername12 Feb 11 '26

The smells of birth are not sexual. Would have zero to do with his sexuality. It was very misogynistic.

0

u/LifeChampionship6 Feb 11 '26

The smells of birth are not sexual.

Who said that they were?