Harley Quinn

Welcome back MyXXfam! This week we’re still in DC Universe mode from last week’s shoot with Rafa, and sporting a Harley Quinn inspired look in anticipation of the summer movie, Suicide Squad. From the Star Wars galaxy to the New York of “Friends”, every fictional universe inspires its own group of die-hard fans. My favorite fictional universe? Bar none: Gotham City.

 

Gotham City is what a typical cosmopolitan city would be like if the veil of order was lifted. My political leanings are painfully obvious to any faithful reader of MyXXFLY, and the thing I love most about Gotham City is that it is exposed for what it is. Corruption in Gotham is deeply embedded in the the framework of the city. In the corporate sphere, in politics, in law-enforcement, there is no justice in Gotham. Gotham is what America would look like if it were exposed for what it is, a divisive capitalist system concerned with keeping strict boundaries between the haves and have nots. Profit over people, a lack of empathy and humanity, Gotham City dove so far off the deep end it no longer has the ability to hide behind a facade of perfection. It becomes a breeding ground for psychotics to become masters of terror.

 

Harleen Quinzel is a research intern and psychologist who works at the house of Gotham’s criminally insane: Arkham Asylum. She takes on the task of counseling The Joker, which proves to be an undertaking she was definitely not prepared for. The Joker manipulates the doctor, brainwashing her to the point that she feels deep affection and empathy for him. The Joker plays on her kind nature, makes her feel special, and in turn she quickly becomes hopelessly devoted and obsessed with the Clown Prince. Harleen devolves into “Harley Quinn”, a delusional psychotic concerned only with winning the love of the Joker. She eventually aids in the Joker’s escape from Arkham which was his aim, but by doing so she tethers her story to his. Once a revered professional, she is reduced to a criminal herself, with her own eventual stint in Arkham. As we follow her story, we see how Harleen is a tragic depiction of a trauma and abuse victim.

 

Everyone loves a bad romance, but depictions of relationships in popular culture are fucking cringe-worthy. The romanticizing of abuse is pervasive. The popularity of Fifty Shades of Grey, the collaborations between Chris Brown and Rihanna after their much publicized violent relationship, and the reduction of Tina Turner’s abuse at the hands of Ike to a lyric in Drunk in Love are all signs that popular culture acknowledges abuse, but doesn’t mind normalizing and selling it to you. It’s important that while we may be fans of characters like Harley and her seemingly playful antics, we remember why she acts as playful and erratic as she does. Her sexualization and ditzy personality are how she copes with committing crimes, there is a mental disassociation between the doctor Harleen and the criminal Harley. This is a depiction of how fragile the human mind is and how adaptable to terror we can be.

Harley Quinn is a truly harrowing example of abuse, because her actions mirror that of many real life victims. Not all abuse victims are delusional psychotics like Harley, but Harley’s breaks with reality are a direct result of her relationship to the joker. The Joker’s feelings for Harley run hot and cold. He is emotionally and physically abusive, and uses her as a pawn often. Her obsession with winning his love blinds her to the mistreatment and she turns to a life of crime to impress him, living for the thrill of his occasional affection. Harley is an example of how being in an abusive relationship has deep psychological effects on the victim. Drastic changes in personality and attire, mood swings, rationalizing abusive behavior and occasional glimmers of clarity where the victim tries to leave the abuser only to be sucked back in when the abuser shows signs of affection are classic symptoms of toxic codependency. Although Harley exists in a fictional universe, we’ve already spoken of life imitating art, and while Harley is a make believe character in Gotham, the kind of relationship she and the joker have is all too real.

Gotham City is the devil’s playground. It attracts criminals like a magnet, and the system itself creates them. All of these moving parts make the citizens of Gotham complex characters that are products of both biology and circumstance. Harley Quinn and her relationship to the joker show how dangerous a corrupt and unethical system can harbor one criminal, and help create another. Our sister site Project Caged Birds work with cases like Harley’s often, and it’s vital that while we may idolize pop culture icons from comics and movies, we also acknowledge the truth and tragedy in their stories in order to better help those afflicted in real life. I hope that Harley is depicted as more of a psychotic criminal, and less of an abuse victim in Suicide Squad, but we’ll have to wait and see. If you or someone you know is experiencing abuse or showing symptoms of abuse, take the step to reestablish connections with trusted friends and family members or contact the National Domestic Violence Hotline at 1-800-799-SAFE (7233). See you next week on #MyXXFLY.