I watch my fair share of television and I unashamedly love my DVR. I watch a wide variety of shows, everything from HBO dramas to reality TV. I tell you this to say that I watch my fair share of television programs and when brainstorming ideas for today’s blog, I wanted to write about women on television and the “mean girl” behavior that is showcased and applauded.
Reality shows tend to showcase is the worst side of women. Women are portrayed as dramatic, catty, backstabbing, and generally just plain mean to one another. Rarely do we get to see women supporting each other or encouraging one another in life pursuits. Instead we see Kris Jenner telling her daughter Khloe to stop eating so many cookies because she’s looking fat. Or we see Teresa on Real Housewives of New Jersey telling her daughter how controlling and evil her Aunt Melissa is. I know these segments are getting more viewers than a segment where women are supportive of one another, but it’s making it seem like women fight with each other 99% of the time.
The same is true of the Bachelor franchise. A show that pits 25 women against one another for the affection of one man inevitably leads to tears, jealousy, and mean comments among the women. America tunes in to see which woman is the “winner” each season and watches week after week for which women will cry, tattle, and backstab one another.
Sure, there are shows where this isn’t the case. The Amazing Race is a great example, any drama on that show tends to be from the stress of talking to a cab driver in a language unfamiliar to the contestants. But even shows like Survivor and Big Brother still hone in on women fighting with each other. It makes for good television, but it also makes women look petty and ridiculous. And I refuse to watch many of the biggest offenders (think Bridezillas.)
The movie “mean girls” was an instant cult classic for showing how mean and manipulative high school girls can be to one another. That “mean girls” concept has since prevailed on dozens of television shows and makes women seem childish and petty. How can women ever be taken seriously when we see such gross characterizations on the screen?
Another piece of this “mean girls” culture is the fact that women are often pitted against one another. It’s rare to see women team up and work toward the same goal because for some reason the idea of women getting along and being nice to one another isn’t good tv. Just watch any “Real Housewives” reunion and you’ll see what I mean. The idea of women being advocates for one another seems like a foreign concept. I love shows that are the exception to this rule. Desperate Housewives, however ridiculous at times, still has female friendship at the center for the show. Or the police drama “Rizzoli and Isles,” two friends who work together and who have an actual friendship.
A quick plug for an upcoming event (on a similar topic)….At the end of this month the Lieben Center will be showing a documentary “Miss Representation” which I was able to see a few weeks ago. It does a great job of showing how the media portrays women and how these portrayals are harmful to women achieving leadership positions and breaking the glass ceiling. I couldn’t agree more. For example, in one segment we see a Fox News interview with Sarah Palin and the first question she is asked is “do you have breast implants?” Nothing about her politics, her beliefs, her plans for America….. just her cup size. Say what you will about Sarah Palin’s politics, she’s still someone on the political scene and deserves respect from the media. I haven’t seen an interview asking Rick Perry about his grooming habits or where he buys his ties. When the media treats women in politics in such a degrading way, why would any woman want to subject herself to that scrutiny? What are we teaching young girls about achieving positions of leadership in the government?
Come out and join us on November 30, you won’t be disappointed!
Kindly,
Allison Taylor
Assistant Dean of Students
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