Since the sexual revolution of the 1960's and 70's, and the feminist movement that came along with it; the biggest battle has been the over sexualization of women in the media. According to Hollywood, during the 70's, you could either be the beautiful sidekick but with little or no brains, or the dyke/ bitchy one who seemed like she could never get laid. A great example is the difference is shows like Cagny and Lacey versus the Charlie's Angels. Of course tv shows have come a long way since then, but movies, not so much.
Take for example the Mission Impossible movies. The strong female member of the team is the serious bitch, but always gorgeous, and uses that to her advantage. The only time that a woman isnt completely over sexualized is in the chick flicks, because their demographic is largely women.
As much as I love a good kick ass girl movie, the sexualization of these characters was something I noticed but usually only in the horrow films cause the slut always dies first.
I hate the fact that woman usually are portrayed two ways in the media, either the woman is portrayed as a royal bitch, or a total bimbo. take for example the character of Carrie Weaver on the show ER. She is a woman in a high power position and because of this she isn't well liked. In some cases, woman are portrayed as a total bimbo. like the woman in the show Cheers
You are right in your title when you say things will never change. Women have faught for their rights and have made a change in the world for ourselves, but I have noticed over the years that all that hard work that women have worked for has went to waste. In media women are still looked at as weak, or a bitch, or over sexulized and it drives me nuts. Although it drives other people nuts I am sure, they do not do much about it and just except it! I have noticed in society today that girls in their teens and early 20s just let men push them around and women think that its ok and this is how it is and isnt going to change. I feel women are falling back into the old ways of obeying and being dependent to men. This is not good at all!
Its sad to me that women are often present as being either attractive and a bitch, smart and ugly, or attractive and dumb. The Charlie's Angels TV episode we watch presents this very well. All three of the Charlie's Angels women are very attractive and incredibly smart when it comes to their job, but in day to day life they are presented as very unintelligent. When the one girl Kelly I believe has no clue how to balance her check book, but not problem what so every remembering crazy details about the Janet, the women she was pretending to be. Or the blonde girl, played by Farah Faucet, who is seriously concerned with how fat a drink she is drinking might make her.
It does seem like movies aren't moving ahead when it comes to tough female protagonists. Like you said they are either bitchy or dumb or they are smart but have to play stupid infront of a male character to be less threatening. This was obviously the case with the t.v. show Charlie's Angels with the character of Jill and Sabrina as well as in the movie. In one way or another one of the Angels always had to either demean themselves or act dumb to get more interest from the mean and not seem rough.
I hate the fact that woman usually are portrayed two ways in the media, either the woman is portrayed as a royal bitch, or a total bimbo. take for example the character of Carrie Weaver on the show ER. She is a woman in a high power position and because of this she isn't well liked. In some cases, woman are portrayed as a total bimbo. like the woman in the show Cheers
ReplyDeleteYou are right in your title when you say things will never change. Women have faught for their rights and have made a change in the world for ourselves, but I have noticed over the years that all that hard work that women have worked for has went to waste. In media women are still looked at as weak, or a bitch, or over sexulized and it drives me nuts. Although it drives other people nuts I am sure, they do not do much about it and just except it! I have noticed in society today that girls in their teens and early 20s just let men push them around and women think that its ok and this is how it is and isnt going to change. I feel women are falling back into the old ways of obeying and being dependent to men. This is not good at all!
ReplyDeleteIts sad to me that women are often present as being either attractive and a bitch, smart and ugly, or attractive and dumb. The Charlie's Angels TV episode we watch presents this very well. All three of the Charlie's Angels women are very attractive and incredibly smart when it comes to their job, but in day to day life they are presented as very unintelligent. When the one girl Kelly I believe has no clue how to balance her check book, but not problem what so every remembering crazy details about the Janet, the women she was pretending to be. Or the blonde girl, played by Farah Faucet, who is seriously concerned with how fat a drink she is drinking might make her.
ReplyDeleteIt does seem like movies aren't moving ahead when it comes to tough female protagonists. Like you said they are either bitchy or dumb or they are smart but have to play stupid infront of a male character to be less threatening. This was obviously the case with the t.v. show Charlie's Angels with the character of Jill and Sabrina as well as in the movie. In one way or another one of the Angels always had to either demean themselves or act dumb to get more interest from the mean and not seem rough.
ReplyDelete