by jaime Struminskystereotypical female roles There are so many female stereotypes perpetuated by the movies from Zooey Deschanel's 500 Days of Summer manic pixie dream girl, to Julia Robert's hooker with a heart of gold in Pretty Woman. These one dimensional, often male-serving perceptions are toxic and patronizing to women everywhere. Let's explore some of these tropes. 1. manic pixie dream girlThe manic pixie dream girl is a common trope utilized in a plethora of Hollywood movies. The film critic Nathan Rabin coined the term after witnessing Kirsten Dunst's character in Elizabethtown, saying that the manic pixie dream girl "exists solely in the fevered imaginations of sensitive writer-directors to teach broodingly soulful young men to embrace life and its infinite mysteries and adventures." The manic pixie dream girl is merely a prop in a man's life journey, helping him see the 'beauty' in life. As Sierra Allison from The Odyssey poignantly states, "The issue with this archetype is that it primes audience members to see women’s talents and personal choices as disposable and secondhand in nature." The manic pixie dream girl is highly romanticized and her perspective and desires are seldom explored. 2. Hooker with a heart of goldThe hooker with a heart of gold character also acts a a go-between, helping propel the plot by bringing the male main character to some realization. According to Art and Pop Culture, the female "is sometimes established in contrast to another female character who is morally perfect but frigid or otherwise unyielding." Men constantly pit women against each other or harshly judge their morality. The hooker with a heart of gold stereotype also devalues the real-life women who choose sex work as a job. The hooker with a heart of gold is always seen as a victim, someone who needs to be saved and reformed by the male 'hero' character. 3. Psycho Ex-GirlfriendThe psycho ex-girlfriend trope is yet another example of men pitting women against each other. As Emma Gray from Huffington Post writes, "Of course men can be called crazy, but “crazy” is a label that men seem to disproportionately throw at women when they are displeased with said women’s feelings and demands." The man controls the narrative as the psycho ex-girlfriend vies for his love by verbally or physically attacking his new partner. Women are viewed as being in constant competition, and this narrative is detrimental to female friend dynamics in real life. The psycho ex-girlfriend trope has spurred unnecessary jealousy and ill-temper toward innocent women. 4. femme fataleThe femme fatale is one of the oldest female stereotypes in Hollywood. A femme fatale is defined by Merriam Webster as "a seductive woman who lures men into dangerous or compromising situations." A woman is not allowed to be autonomous or powerful, especially not sexually, without repercussion. Her promiscuity and rejection of motherhood are viewed as immoral, and she is constructed as a villainous character. They are typically viewed as being manipulative, underhanded, and narcissistic. Ultimately the femme fatale "is still often described as having a power akin to an enchantress, seductress, vampire, witch, or demon, having power over men." 5. Damsel in distressThe damsel in distress is one of the most employed female stereotypes in film. From the Disney Princesses to Daphne from Scooby Doo, damsels in distress are viewed as incapable, delicate females in need of rescue. The damsel in distress "trope usually involves a beautiful or innocent young woman, placed in a dire predicament by a villain, monster or alien, and who requires a male hero to achieve her rescue. After rescuing her, the hero often obtains her hand in marriage." Not only does the 'weak' and 'dainty' female need rescue, but often we are shown that she must give herself to the man who 'risks everything' to save her. The damsel in distress perpetuates the absurd idea that females owe something to men. 6. Disposable womanThe disposable woman is solely regarded as a plot device. According to Wikia, the disposable woman "can be frighteningly easily forgotten or replaced once her value as a plot device has expired, if she has been previously developed at all." The disposable woman is typically killed off early on and is irrelevant to any major events since she is a one-dimensional plot device. Richard Thompson, the director of the Bleier Centre for Television and Popular Culture at Syracuse University, remarked that "when shows run for several years, they often run out of stories to tell and need to pivot. If this includes cast changes, often it’s the women who will be written off the show – and if the women are mothers and spouses, then there’s an added emotional punch." Just like in TV, female mothers and caretakers are killed off in order to give the man a larger, underdog role. in conclusion,There are so many female stereotypes that keep getting recycled over and over again by the overwhelming male higher-ups in Hollywood. People are aware of these tropes; shows such as Saturday Night Live poke fun at them. Despite the satire, not much has changed in movies. We deserve developed, honest depictions of womanhood. It's time for Hollywood to welcome more female directors and writers.
0 Comments
Leave a Reply. |
Archives |