How Hollywood Demonizes Ultra Femininity
As we know, media has vast influence on our society and culture. The way it portrays different characters and themes can set examples for others to follow or discourage. When there are too many similar images and stereotypes, then it becomes hard to break out of that pattern.
We have discussed before how popular media creates unrealistic body image standards that seem like they’re achievable by anyone, but actually contribute to eating disorders and body dissatisfaction.
This article will focus more specifically on what kind of “ideal” feminine beauty is perpetuated in American cinema. Many consider this type of glamourized femininity as being “clean” or “natural,” but I would argue that it is anything BUT!
It is very manufactured and heavily influenced by advertisements and marketing. More often than not, these characteristics are highly suggestive and sexualized. And while some may find it appealing, most think that this overexposure is harmful to women’s self-image and confidence in their own looks.
Many refer to this as “vanity” feminism because it focuses only on appearance rather than issues such as equality and empowerment. This concept was coined back in 1998 when columnist Jessica Valenti wrote an article titled Why Is There No Speaking About Gender With A Powerful Female Voice?
She described this type of feminist discourse as having nothing to do with true feminism.
The media often portrays feminine women as difficult to talk to
Recent examples of this include show concepts like The Great Indoors, in which every character is always busy doing something or talking about their personal life, or Gone WiththeFlow, in which every episode revolves around someone’s romantic experiences or failures.
The concept of these shows is that people with strong personalities are not fun to be around because you cannot relate to them. This perception is very damaging for internalize more negative body image habits and stereotypes.
Furthermore, it can create self-fulfilling prophecies by making most people feel insecure about themselves. If we see repeated examples of beautiful, intelligent individuals who never seem to enjoy themselves, then it will make us feel less attractive and smart.
This will have the opposite effect of creating positive body images.
The media often portrays feminine women as bossy
Recent examples of this include actresses like Jennifer Aniston, who is constantly portrayed with her head up and looking at you assertively while she speaks or smiles, never seeming to lose eye contact no matter what you say to her.
She received backlash for being too powerful and self-confident in her career, which some people feel threatens other aspiring actors’ confidence in their own talent.
This perception is harmful not just for young artists but also older professionals that value authenticity over perceived popularity.
It can be difficult to perceive differences between having strong leadership skills and being “power hungry.”
But aside from any symbolic meaning attached to certain traits, there are actual effects that come along with displaying more dominant behaviors.
The media often portrays feminine women as not being able to have fun
Recent examples of this include stories about Taylor Swift allegedly throwing her birthday party in an exclusive setting because she was too busy with work, reports alleging that Beyoncé cancelled her concert due to exhaustion, and many publications accusing Kylie Jenner of only eating sweets for money.
These stories portray beautiful, successful women as having no time to enjoy themselves or take breaks because they are so focused on their careers.
They also seem to suggest that if a woman does happen to take some down time, then she is probably missing out by not doing more at work.
This attitude towards over-working doesn’t just hurt individuals, but it can contribute to workplace inequality. If we live in a culture where people feel like they don’t deserve to take care of themselves unless they are working hard, than why would anyone put in extra effort at home?
We need to teach our children that taking good care of yourself includes resting and pursuing your hobbies outside of work.
The media often portrays feminine women as not being able to be happy
Recent examples of this include stories about Ariana Grande needing to take time off work due to her mental health, reports that Jennifer Lopez was asked to leave a movie set because she did not feel comfortable in her own skin, and constant comments depicting female professionals as less than professional because they do not “dress like a leader” or are not “dramatic” enough.
This is an example of what we call internalized misogyny - when men (or sometimes just one individual) treats parts of yourself with disrespect. In this case, it’s assuming that only certain types of clothing look good on you, that you should always dress in flashy clothes or expensive brands, and that your job does not deserve proper respect unless you look like you have done lots of things after college.
These assumptions make you feel bad for not living up to these standards, which then compels you to change some part of your life to match them.
You may spend hours every day making an effort to look like a successful business person, but you will never be fully satisfied by your looks. This can cause more depression and stress, which can lead to quitting your career all together.
The media often portrays feminine women as not being natural
Recent examples of this include having to use too much bronzer or blush, using very high contour makeup such as darker eyeliner and heavier eye make up, and wearing very little clothing under their dresses or skirts.
All of these things seem unnatural or fake for normal people. Therefore, they are perceived as something that only rich beautiful people do not look like themselves but rather put on the image.
This is an example of cultural appropriation. When people take elements and ingredients from other cultures without acknowledgement, it is considered derogatory towards those cultures.
By doing so, they assume credit for the culture’s success and fail to give proper respect to the original creators.
The media often portrays feminine women as not being honest
Media depictions of strong, confident, intelligent female characters are few and far between. In fact, they’re so rare that when you do find one, it can feel like an anomaly.
A recent example is TV show Sex And The City 2, in which its main character Carrie Bradshaw receives praise for her fashion sense but also frequent criticism for her “fake” or “ditzy” appearance.
Carrie typically wears tight leather pants with high-heeled boots, long earrings, and lacy underwear - all very attractive looks. But some viewers may find her wardrobe too flashy, too sexualized, or just plain expensive.
She’s frequently accused of using her style to gain attention by spending money on brands she represents herself as liking. This theory even got picked up by other fans who refer to themselves as the “Saving Carrie Campaign.
The media often portrays feminine women as not being confident
Recent examples of this include beauty products with ridiculous names that are targeted at young, aspiring professional women - such as “Pro-Strength Builders” or “Sensitive Nails” - who want to feel more powerful just by using them.
Another example is when fashion magazines tell their readers that it is impossible to be fashionable if you do not have an expensive wardrobe.
Yet another example is when films contain scenes where female characters cannot figure out how to accomplish simple tasks because they do not know what tool to use. For instance, in the recent movie Suicide Squad, Harley Quinn could not open her laptop computer due to its complicated software technology she needed to access it.
These types of stories show that many people in the media believe that it is not okay for feminine women to lack confidence.
They think that these individuals must be made to feel bad about themselves for not knowing how to perform basic tasks like working with computers or grooming themselves properly. This can easily lead to internalized misogyny that hurts the individual and society as a whole.
The media often portrays feminine women as not being attractive
Recent examples of this include portrayals of very beautiful, ultra-feminine women that are shown to have ugly or uncomfortable interactions with men.
These stories seem to imply that no one but heterosexual males find these types of women physically appealing and/or that they feel insecure around them.
The stories frequently play upon sexist themes like “lack of desire” for a woman who does not appear to be trying hard to appeal to men. This is sometimes accompanied by accusations of her being inauthentic or fake about how much she wants a romantic relationship.
Such stories reinforce harmful stereotypes about what it means to be a female human being and contribute to the culture of sexism that we already know too well.
Furthermore, they influence other people - especially young girls -about what kind of bodies are considered acceptable and normal. Bodies that do not fit this stereotype are either discouraged or taught that such things will not get you loved and accepted. This can lead to self-hate and body shaming.
So why should you care? Because beauty is a source of strength for both men and women.
Men and women alike develop internalized concepts of what makes someone pretty at an early age. These ideas include standards of attractiveness that are influenced by society and marketing.
When parents and others tell children from an early age that something is unattractive, it can affect their perception of themselves later in life.