I think that exactly the point. Things have gotten better in the industry, there are still dark spots. A talented teenager actress still feels 'it's important to emphasize that you can do anything for the sake of acting'. That is still a not go situation and mindset.
Society had this image of the perfect fragil victim. The black haired girls those not fit that image, so other characters/people would look at her as empowered and hard working, instead of as a victim of a abusive industry.
See that would have been fine if it was a grown adult, not a child.
The device/type of comedy they used wasn't effective. Had it been dark humour, it would have brought light to a problematic topic (and stayed a serious/dark tone), however using shock comedy (the 'ah a slut' cut scene) was done with the intention to lighten a heavy topic and transition to the next scene, therefore changing the tone at that moment. The tone is important because it's used to properly convey the intended emotions and morals of the story (think eerie music vs laugh track). Shifting the scene to a light-hearted atmosphere and 'empowering moment,' changes in intentions behind the scene and the meaning of the dialogue.
If you want a good example of a proper humour device used in this scene, look at when Akane uses deadpan humour to call out Himekawa for taking part in the system that he was verbally criticizing. Thus it's funny because he is being hypocritical. But we also get the additional nuance of the fact that though many men will criticize the flawed system (with some of them even knowing people who have been directly hurt by it- EX: Himekawa with his parents), a significant portion of them will then still participate and play into that flawed system because it doesn't directly affect them).
Furthermore, making a slut joke (directed towards a child) AND claiming that a nude sex scene is empowering, because the 'child chose it' is EXTREMELY problematic. (this is literally how Hollywood started publically exploiting children and made it palatable to audiences-> I highly suggest looking into Brooke Shields and her story. The movie Pretty Baby is a PERFECT example of this.) In this situation, and in any situation where children have to be mindful of adults or superiors around them (as well as anyone who holds a position of power over them) it is NOT ok, to claim that a child taking part in a sexual/exploitative act is empowering because that isn't a choice made by the child, that is the result of forced expectations placed on a child. Children can't consent.
Though I get they may have been trying to infer how unfortunately things haven't changed. They should not have done it over a girl bonding moment. That was completely inappropriate. But then again the author's long-running gag is incest, which is also tied to the super problematic power dynamics of not only patient/doctor but also child/adult. So idk why I'm surprised when they slip in a bunch of problematic shit. (Like Himekawa claiming that men are 'taught from a young age that we're scum and losers" which is completely inaccurate and super problematic and incel-y)
Honestly, completely agreed with your points. I was about to comment the same thing. And the incest stuff is getting more unbearable with each passing and it's just not funny.
Nah, the author had to have such a good dialogue on sex and child exploitation in the industry and then end the chapter with a child star doing a nude scene (which is child exploitation, especially pairing it with the sentence 'it's important to emphasize that you can do anything for the sake of acting') and incest?? like wtf
This is why I'm constantly, questioning what the author is trying to say.