Gossip Girls
Girls
The New Girl
Golden Girls
Gilmore Girls
2 Broke Girls
Now, don't get me wrong, I love girls! Girls definitely rock! But I am confused.
Bat Girl
Super Girl
Working Girl
Girls Gone Wild
In the last list, none of these characters, movies or shows are about girls, aka young females. They are all about grown females, aka women. So why not rename the characters or retitle the shows as such? What is it about the word "girl" that is so important? I started thinking that perhaps the fear is that if we address women with respect and value as women, perhaps the fear is that the public will resist and the show will not get the ratings it needs.
Well, the word woman is not entirely missing from mainstream media as I had originally thought. The following list proves this:
2. Wonder Woman
3. The Bionic Woman
So, it is certainly possible to use the word woman and still gain popularity. This makes me wonder: why does mainstream media continue to refer to woman as girls?
What do you think?
I've recently started to try blogging and I am also a feminist. I find your blog super entertaining and it almost exactly what I want to do as well. Funny thing is, I wanted to name my blog "Thought from a Feminist" but turns out it has already been taken. haha
ReplyDeleteanyways. I also wanted to respond to your post about the obsession with the word "girl" as opposed to the "woman." I've actually never noticed that so many shows and movies use the world "girl" rather than "woman" so bravo for noticing! I actually watch a lot of those shows myself (so shame on me). But I think our society has always been obsessed with "girls." From naming our shows, to promoting that women should shave EVERYTHING (to look like girls), to learning how to be obedient, and especially the patriarchal ideal that girls/women should be passed from their father's house to their husband's house. Girls are younger, naive, and definitely much more powerless than women. Our society wants our women to be like girls so we can tell them what to do and control them. However, of course it's never meant to be like "these women are girls so control them," Instead, the underlying idea is more like "girls are so powerless and helpless, so we should help 'protect' them."
What do you think?
Jessie, Thank you for finding, reading and responding to my post. I am glad that it resonated with you.
ReplyDeleteI agree with your perspective on the word girl and our obsession to use it to disempower female adults in both overt and covert ways.
I think about different gendered couples and wondering why they would introduce each other as "My man" and My girl." I am not suggesting that they are intentionally creating this subtle "power over" dynamic. I am suggesting that they could be more intentional about sharing with others that they have a "power with" dynamic in their relationship.
BTW Jessie, what is the name of your blog? Did you find something that fit? Please let me know as I think you have some great ideas, and I would love to read your blog.
And finally, please don't "shame" yourself for watching what is available. Although it is called mass media, the selections are few.
I've always found the notion of introducing your significant other with "my girl" or "my man" extremely weird. But even the idea that boyfriends are "my man" and girlfriends are "my girl" is extremely troubling to me. no matter who uses it, the man in the relationship has more power even in his title.
Deletemy tempt name is My World With a Twist. I might change it later when I find something else I like.
http://worldwithatwist.blogspot.com/
it would be amazing if we can keep bouncing ideas off each other. i'm studying Gender Studies right now so I love hearing what other feminist have to say. Especially since all topics are so debatable even within the feminist community!