Thirty years after the original Ghostbusters film took the world by storm, the beloved franchise debuted in theatres yesterday with an all-female lead cast and the hunky Chris Hemsworth (better known for his portrayal as Thor) replacing the original and much-loved Annie Potts in his role as Kevin. Despite decent reviews, the film has been plagued with criticism since it was first announced with the latest wave of criticism turning to the characterization of Hemsworth’s Kevin as “a Ken doll with the insides scooped out”. Men all around the globe are outraged that a male character is serving as little more than eye-candy… welcome to what female movie viewers have been experiencing since, well, forever!

From the sexy secretary to your Girl Friday to your “dumb blonde”, women are all too familiar with their onscreen counterparts serving as little more than something pretty to look at. Kevin’s slick look is right on cue, and his acuity fits with old tropes too; when it comes time to answer the phone, he pauses asking “What’s this place called again?” The backlash from male voices across the globe is almost laughable. “Stop objectifying men” writes one YouTube commenter. “Look at Thor do a woman’s job” writes another. But don’t be fooled into thinking Hemsworth drew a short straw with this role; Hemsworth didn’t sign onto the role until his character has been fleshed out more and he has been praised by audiences and cast members alike for his comedic input. Kevin is also given ambition; he strongly believes that he will one day become a Ghostbuster too and shows his initiative by making his own uniform and positioning himself as part of the gang.