Jenny was molested as a child by her dad, and though she loved forrest, when she slept with him, she felt like she molested him because of his condition. This caused her to run away and fall back into self loathing and drugs, thinking she just became her own father. She loved Forrest more than anything, that's why she stayed away, because she was a ticking time bomb and didn't want to hurt him. When she found out she was dying she accepted her love for Forrest and realized he was the only good person in her life, and the only one she trusted to raise their son

I understand people not looking at Jenny critically enough. She was abused and damaged in at least one way and obviously didn't act rationally as a result.

As for Forrest, all he wanted was her. Yes, he would have still gone off to war like most young men at the time, but he would have taken her with him on the shrimp boat. Or abandoned that plan, if she asked. He probably wouldn't have devoted as much time practicing ping pong and he definitely wouldn't have been so disillusioned with the world to go running for 2 years straight.

For better or worse, Forrest focused on his pursuits and achievements, because Jenny never really accepted or chose him when she had the chance.

Also she was clearly suffering from really bad ptsd from their childhood and not coping well. Her whole life was basically her version of the years of running until she had a kid

4. Forrest had a serious intellectual disability, and she almost certainly felt like she was taking advantage of him.

It's more complex than love = abuse. When we see it that way, it's a no brainer. It's being raised in abuse you equate love to the escape from the pain. Which usually stems from the excitement found elsewhere. Such as playing guitar naked on stage or with civil rights extremists.

It takes years to feel that a normal relationship is what is right for you. Some of it is her fault for not finding that in herself. Some of it is her upbringing. I find her performance when she shows Forrest his son spot the fuck on for someone raised in such chaos and regretting their young behavior. They mean well, they just are unaware of their effects. Should they be aware? Absolutely. Is it their fault? Yes. Does it take them awhile? Yes. They could be battling addiction as well. Another escape.

I still don't understand the Jenny hate. She was a very real character I have met many times in my life.

The sexually abused are NOT more likely to abuse others. They are no more likely to abuse than anyone randomly plucked from the population. A sexual abuser likely having been sexually abused in the past does not mean the same thing.

https://www.stopitnow.org/faq/will-children-who-get-sexually-abused-become-sexually-abusive-as-teens-or-adults

You ARE more like to physically abuse others if you grew up with regular physical abuse as your normal though. Even then, it's only statistically significant with men and the poor when you dig into thr data.

https://www.nichd.nih.gov/newsroom/releases/042115-podcast-child-abuse

People abused as children are more likely to be abused as adults.

https://www.ons.gov.uk/peoplepopulationandcommunity/crimeandjustice/articles/peoplewhowereabusedaschildrenaremorelikelytobeabusedasanadult/2017-09-27

https://bmcpsychiatry.biomedcentral.com/articles/10.1186/s12888-016-1071-7

This right here is why I enjoy Lemmy. Come for the shitposts, stay for the quality analysis.

The moral of every movie does not need to be spoonfed to the audience.

The book is incredible and I heartily recommend everyone read it just for how batshit insane it is. Here's a taste:

It's total insanity. Full of blue humor and raunchy sex. Is it good? Not particularly. Is it interesting? Absolutely.

Again, strongly recommend everyone read it. It truly is a trip.

I think nostalgia carried the movie.

The real story was showing that part of American history: the culture, events, people, etc. Forrest and Jenny were just plot devices to tie it all together.

It wasn't Hep C. though. People saying it was are talking about the book, which is different.

In 2019, Forrest Gump screenwriter Eric Roth confirmed that the illness Jenny died from was late-stage HIV. During an interview (via Yahoo Entertainment) about the film's 25th anniversary, Roth discussed the details of a sequel that was canceled after the 9/11 terrorist attacks in 2001. He reveals that the Forrest Gump sequel was actually going to open with the revelation that Forrest Jr. had late-stage HIV, the result of acquiring the disease from his mother, Jenny.

https://screenrant.com/forrest-gump-movie-jenny-mother-illness-death-hiv/

Bro here is the type to get severe triggered by the phrase "trigger warning," which never fails to make me laugh.

Others in the world aren't obligated to cater to your personal sensibilities and you're welcome to scroll past when you dislike something

I'm just gonna say what every woman has told me when I bring up how traumatized I am by the actions of women.

"Just because you've been traumatized doesn't mean it's anyone else's problem"

So yeah. Fuck Jenny and her bullshit sob story. She didn't deserve forest and he only stayed faithful because he was mentally disabled.