An Open Letter to Dean Winchester

Dear Dean Winchester,

Hi. I just want to say that I love your show. I mean, you probably know that by now, what with all of the time I spend talking about it, that paper I wrote on it in college, and the time I posted an anonymous secret where I said that I wanted to marry you. I'm kind of a fan.

But I also have a little problem with you. Are you listening? Put down the beer, this is important.

I don't like how you treat women.

I don't actually like how your whole show treats women (Ellen and Jo are only in 6 episodes and then they die? What is up with that?), but I can't blame you for your show. You're fictional. And I'm sure you're aware that appealing to the 18-34 female demographic is a full-time job. That's fine.

Well, no, it's not fine. But it's not your fault.

The other stuff is your fault.

Dean, have you ever noticed that you have a Madonna/Whore complex?

Put down the whiskey, I'm talking to you. No, I don't have any quarters for the magic fingers machine. No, you can't watch Doctor Sexy. Oh, this is bumming you out? Well, your whole relationship with Lisa bummed me out, so there.

When you first started talking about her, in the beginning of "The Children Are Our Future", you referred to her as "Gumbi Girl" and talked about all the great sex you had with her. She was a whore in your mind, a blow up doll for you to get your end off in. Then you found out she had a kid, and whoa was that a quick shift. Suddenly, she's perfect. She's this virginal, vestal creature who has never heard of sex or naughtiness, who could never dream of defiling herself in such a way. You can't even bring yourself to do her regularly when you're living there playing happy families. She's too pure, you're too dirty, etc.

You have some issues, buddy.

And I get it, I do. Your mother dying is probably the first major thing you remember. Your mother is your world, and she's dead, and no other woman will compare. Plus, you've got that whole low self-worth thing going on, that convinces you that all you're good for in a relationship is sex. Combine these? You got yourself a Madonna/Whore complex so bad that not a single female character on this show has escaped it.

Bela? Whore.

Ellen? Madonna.

Ruby. Whore.

Anna.

Jo.

Meg.

Pam.

The Sheriff.

You get the idea. They're all pretty clearcut. Sometimes they start out on one side and switch, and sometimes it's just a straight up beacon yelling MADONNA! WHORE! WHORE! WHORE!

Really, you edge more on the whore side.

But here's the thing, Dean-o. When you label women like that, you degrade them. Even when you give them the good label, the Madonna label, you rob them of their person-hood. By idolizing these women and placing them on a pedestal, you make them other than human, and thus shift them away from being viewed as viable characters. When you base all of your relationships on need for or denial of sex, then those relationships are going to be shallow and empty.

You're going to miss out.

You're still a good man, Dean Winchester. It's okay. You can stop crying. I believe that you don't have any intention of doing this. But your actions and behavior effect more than just you--they affect everyone around you. And in order to get the life you want, you're going to have to start being the kind of person you want in that life.

It's time to man up, Dean, and treat women like people, not sex objects. You stopped the devil. I'm pretty sure you can handle it.

Love,

Me.

Actually a good guy. Just a little terrible to women.