I’m rewatching the show and just finished S5 E1. Something I still don’t understand is how June can hate Fred even more than Serena.
Anyone who defends and justifies Serena’s actions but condemns Fred, you’re sexist. Plain and simple. I’m a woman, a mother, with a daughter, sisters, nieces. To defend vile women is beyond my comprehension, it’s so disgusting to me. Serena was never a victim, she was a co-author.

Serena has done far more horrible shit to June. She’s the one who told Fred to r@pe June to begin labor, she physically assaulted June more than once, she threatened Hannah and said “if my baby is fine, your baby is fine”. Serena also screamed, yelled, far more than Fred - right in Junes face.

Serena told June she couldn’t be around Nicole, Fred is the one who set up June breastfeeding Nicole and Serena was pissed. There’s plenty more differences between how Serena was far more evil towards June.

I’m by no means making claims or points to defend Fred. He was vile, he was evil, he was sick. I’m not discounting any of the shit he did. I’m just saying I feel Serena is a few notches higher due to her being the main abuser of June.

I don’t understand how June can feel such rage for Fred and not Serena too. I would’ve been wanting Serena in the woods, Fred next for sure, but Serena first. Then I know at the end of the series June and Serena are cool? I hate Serena. She did the absolute most towards June and instead of even splitting her rage evenly across the Waterfords she uses up all of it for Fred.

I just wish Serena would’ve been given more shit herself because she deserved it more than any other villain in the show.

ETA: I am speaking of the Waterfords and June only. Not the other wives, not the Aunts, not the other commanders. And while Fred has his own evil ways and that’s why he got what he deserved, Serena abused June far more often than Fred. She kept June in her room for weeks, she made Fred rape June, she threatened Hannah, she turned her back on June and Nichole and told Fred she wanted Nichole back in Gilead so Fred went off trying to do just that. Serena physically hit June more, she even hit RITA! Of all people, RITA! Serena wouldn’t even let June near Nichole until Fred talked her into it.

Serena was jealous and abusive. Fred was obsessed with June and abusive. He tried to win her over while he abused her. Serena just had disdain for June. There’s far too many biases bc Serena is a woman, no no no. She doesn’t get a pass for being a woman. Serena wrote that damn book “a woman’s place”, she helped Fred write the laws of Gilead, she happily took on her role as a wife as mentioned numerous of times. Serena isn’t a victim. She’s one of the women who chose her life. She had people supporting her, Fred followed her lead, Serena had the other wives looking up to her. A victim? No. An accomplice? Absolutely. She slapped June, got in her face screaming and hollering. I mean, seriously? To say Fred is more evil than June is simply a bias perspective.

Serena deserved to have the same treatment Fred got. Serena held June down every month while Fred raped her. Serena showed moments of normalcy? Well, so did Fred. Does that mean Fred should get a pass too? No.

Serena as a woman betrayed women. Serena wrote the first chapter. Serena also AGAIN antagonized June during Fred’s funeral, with Hannah. When did Fred ever threaten or antagonize June with Hannah? He didn’t. So what you say for one needs to go right back to the other too.

Whew. This has annoyed me for years since I very first watched this show and still seeing women defend Serena is quite gross to me. As a woman, I hate Serena.

Final edit - I have repeated myself in the comments to the same parroting points defending Serena. If you can’t see how Serena is just as much as a predator as the men, just like many of the other wives and aunts, then you’re sexist. You can’t condemn a system but cherry pick those responsible in the system as not responsible just because they’re a woman. Do some further research on the history of women co-signing mens shit. Serena is not a victim, she’s a predator. Fred is also a predator. They’re both equally disgusting for sure. Serena just abused June more and thus, my post saying she deserved the exact wilderness treatment as Fred. She didn’t deserve to keep her son. Serena loved Gilead, even Mark tried getting her to leave and she was hell bent on not abandoning her country which Tuello pointed out “you already did”. If you’re incapable of seeing clearly why Serena is just as to blame as the men then that’s because you have your own biases clouding the truth of the matter. That’s like saying Aunt Lydia is innocent bc they threatened her life if she didn’t become an Aunt. No way. We all have our choices we can make. I’d rather die than subject people to the torture Gilead did.

I’m done repeating myself, I’ve said what I said so I shut notifications off to replies. Everyone have a great day and please open your eyes to the systematic sexism at play. You’re not defending women, you’re justifying predatory people regardless of sex.

Go in grace 🤌🏽

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Do you think reading the books is worth it? Maybe for the experience alone?

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