Femme Fatale

Stop Hating Teenage Girls

4/17/2023

      Obsessive, over-reactive, lovesick: these are the words that teenage girls are all too familiar with. With misogyny creeping its way into every crevice of the internet, the hatred of teenage girls and female-dominated interests is nothing new. From makeup to teen-dramas, to YA romance, why is it that American society hates the things that teenage girls love? 

       Let’s begin with a textbook young-female interest: boy bands. From the classics of New Kids on the Block to BTS, the stigma and hatred around the genre is ubiquitous. Even an anonymous Grammy voter admitted that they did not cast their vote for Harry Styles’s “As It Was” because “he’s from a boy band, and I never took those acts seriously.” While the Oxford Dictionary defines a boy band as “a pop group composed of young men whose music and image are designed to appeal primarily to a young teenage audience,” a raging debate surrounds numerous bands—The Beatles, The Monkees, The Jackson 5, and more—what qualifies a boy band? Can they play their own instruments? Can they have older / aging members? If a band has all male members, are they technically a boy band? Somewhere on the very wide spectrum between Metallica and One Direction, the faint line of boy band vs. not a boy band lies. If all boy bands are stupid and “cringe,” why is the gray area so subjective? Why are The Beatles considered a cultural phenomenon while BTS, a band that has arguably achieved a similar amount of success, remain an outlet for obsessive teenage fangirls?

       The contrast between boy bands and other music lies in the simple fact that boy bands have majority young-female fanbases, while “smarter” music has majority older male fanbases. Society hates teenage girls, and by extension, anything that teenage girls like. The fanaticism surrounding boy bands is traditionally feminine, making them largely considered unworthy of success, immature, and unsophisticated.

       While the boy band craze has died down since the 2010’s, the misogyny surrounding female-oriented passions remains. Whether subconscious or not, it spreads to all areas of teenage fanaticism; teenage dramas like “Gilmore Girls,” “Pretty Little Liars,” and “The Vampire Diaries” frequently face harsh criticism from adult men, a demographic far outside of the intended audience. Although constructive critiques of these shows are valid, most comments are purely sexist in nature. Traditionally female hobbies, such as shopping, fashion, and makeup continue to be stigmatized. On the other side of the coin, the textbook tomboy could never fully experience a traditionally male interest in the way that a scholarly, educated, critical man could.

       The double standard regarding fandom / fanaticism traps women in a world where they cannot truly express themselves without being ridiculed. Social media allows society to feel more connected to celebrities than ever before, and, as all humans do, it is natural for fans to develop parasocial attachments to their favorite singers, actors, and influencers. However, women are the only ones criticized for  “shallowness” and being unable to control themselves when surrounded by celebrities. Take Harry Styles as an example; he’s a worldwide pop star, he’s conventionally attractive, he’s feminine, and he’s all the rage with young women and teenagers. As a result, men and mainstream media (such as the aforementioned Grammy voter) reduce Styles’ talent and musicality as simply an outlet for teenage girls to project their sexuality onto. 

        It’s important to note that the same level of fanaticism exists in majority male fanbases, such as a sports team or a popular video game. A man can acceptably paint his face green and jump up and down with excitement when the Eagles score a touchdown; he’s just passionate. His manliness is not questioned because the NFL is a traditionally masculine—and by extension—correct interest. In contrast, if a woman dares to spend a chunk of cash to see Taylor Swift, she’s an obsessive fangirl living vicariously through celebrity culture.

        Unsurprisingly, the hatred of all things teenage girl does not aid the crisis of declining teenage mental health and self-esteem. The mainstream’s loathing of traditionally feminine qualities, attributes, and hobbies led to the dire “not like other girls” trend in 2020. By comparing themselves to the traditionally feminine woman—someone who likes the color pink, shopping, doesn’t wear hoodies everyday, etc.—girls began to separate themselves from femininity. By performing as “one of the boys,” they could become socially accepted and gain approval from men. The trend’s origin lies in the internalized misogyny integrated into women by the very same men the trend was made to please. While very likely unconscious of what they were doing, the “not like other girls” trend perpetuated the stigma around teenage girls and femininity. 

        With many women identifying the internalized misogyny underlying the trend, “not like other girls” has calmed down exponentially in the last three years. In fact, there seems to be a new wave of women embracing femininity and “girly” things. Speaking from a personal standpoint, I used to pride myself for being a “tomboy” because I liked video games, didn’t care how I looked, and I would never listen to lame pop music. I know, my dark days, but that’s just how my 12/13-year old self thought. Once I became less concerned with other peoples’ opinions of me and less sensitive to criticism, I became more feminine. I started to wear skirts and dresses—not because I had to look fancy—but because I liked how they looked. Pink is my favorite color. I listened to more Taylor Swift last year than any other artist. Every day, I try to connect a little bit more with my feminine side and to reject the internalized, underlying misogyny that lies in myself and so many other teenage girls.

       Teenage girls are a demographic like any other and deserve to be treated with the same respect by society. Moving forward, I hope everyone can be a little kinder towards them and their womanhood. Whether it’s the hot new boy band or the newest Selena Gomez makeup product, nothing should stop a teenage girl from pursuing her passions. 

Feminism & Pop Culture: It's Complicated

5/1/2023

Most people can agree that any social movement needs its share of help, even from those not directly impacted by the cause or goal. The boiling debate surrounding men and the feminist movement is one of ongoing discussion and a valuable conversation to have. While one side argues that men can be valuable allies in the fight for gender equality, others contend that mens’ involvement will simply stand as an adversary to the feminist cause. How have men contributed to the feminist movement? How does the media promote men as “feminist icons” or the very opposite? And how does internet and celebrity culture impact the fight for gender equality?

It shouldn’t come as a surprise that we live in a digital society where TV, film, and pop culture can subconsciously influence anyone. The methods that directors and writers choose to portray underrepresented or misunderstood groups can either add or take away from harmful stereotypes. Marvel, for example, is a beloved franchise that amasses 26.6 billion dollars across their superhero movies and continues to grow stronger than ever with new movies coming out all the time. The protagonist of a typical Marvel film has a tough exterior, aggressive nature, and a willingness to use violence to achieve his goals. These hyper-masculine superhero icons are then franchised as role-models, exemplar heroines, and aspirational idols. Even if unintentionally, Marvel emphasizes the physical strength and aggressiveness of masculinity, contributing to a culture that valorizes harmful behavior.

In addition to action movies' questionable portrayal of men, romantic comedies should also be analyzed for their questionable portrayal of women. Standing as one of the top-grossing genres of film and television, it’s hard not to feel engrossed in a happy love story, but it’s also worth noting the harmful stereotypes romantic dramas and rom-coms can perpetuate. In the rom-com, “How to Lose a Guy in 10 Days,” the career oriented, successful female protagonist, Andie, ends up falling for the male protagonist, Ben, ultimately giving up her career aspirations to pursue a domestic life with him. Similarly, free-spirited, independent, Allie of “The Notebook” gives up on her dreams to be in a relationship with the male protagonist, Noah. 

Traditional gender roles permeate through a slough of rom-coms: women stay at home while men are the breadwinners, women need a relationship with men to be truly happy, women are submissive and passive while men are dominant and active, and the list goes on. This narrow and unrealistic view of romance not only leads to disappointment and dissatisfaction in the future but also limits women’s potential and perpetuates harmful norms.

Of course, all media can’t be generalized as this sexist melting pot of evil. It’s worth noting that more progressive film and television's portrayal of men actually helps the feminist movement. Brooklyn Nine-Nine, a show following Jake Peralta and his lovable colleagues of the NYPD, defines the so-called “fourth wave of feminism,” a movement not only limited to women’s empowerment but also to the use of internet tools, intersectionality, and the importance LGBTQ+ freedoms. As Sanchi Mehra, a feminist writer, details, “Brooklyn Nine-Nine…highlights, examines, and challenges issues not only affecting women but also those affecting subaltern groups, such as the LGBTQ+ community, Latin-Americans, and people of color.” While Brooklyn Nine-Nine also has valid critiques thrown its way for glorifying the police, the series tackles diversity in a way that many sit-coms just brush over, and that contribution can’t be ignored.

Another piece of media more subtly contributing to feminism and fending off toxic masculinity is Moonlight, a poignant film exploring identity and race in America. Moonlight follows Chiron, a young Black man growing up in a rough Miami neighborhood, as he struggles to come to terms with his sexuality and identity in a culture that values the traditional notions of masculinity. Exemplifying the damaging effects of toxic masculinity on Chiron and the other male characters in the film, Moonlight highlights the importance of rejecting harmful gender stereotypes and promotes a more inclusive vision of what it means to be masculine.

Stepping away from television and film, real male celebrities also hold a weight in the feminist movement. Many celebrities on Twitter, TikTok, and Instagram use their large followings to raise awareness and bring about social change. From Chris Hemsworth to Prince Harry, celebrities across the board use their platforms to endorse women’s rights and call for equality. John Oliver of Last Week Tonight has discussed the gender wage gap, the hypocrisy around women’s sports, the objectification of women in advertising, and frequently promotes female voices on his weekly late-show. Through challenging sexist attitudes and his constant support of women’s rights, John Oliver stands not only as a hilarious talk-show host, but also as an ally to the feminist movement. 

Just like any other social movement, though, there are always two sides to the coin. TikTok “alpha males” have taken on TikTok. According to the Zella article, “The Alpha Male Explained: 9 True Signs You’re An Alpha Male,” alpha males are strong, confident, assertive, and natural leaders. The antithesis of this concept is the omega male, an overly-sensitive, introverted, romantic. Influencer @alphamofficial with nearly seven million followers on YouTube and 1.2 million followers on TikTok dedicates his platform to teaching men about how to impress women and embrace being an alpha male. Similar to Marvel’s portrayal of men, the alpha male phenomenon perpetuates the idea that men need to be dominant and aggressive to be successful, ultimately creating a culture that values traits typically associated with masculinity, such as physical strength and competitiveness, over traits typically associated with femininity, like empathy and cooperation. Being an alpha male will not score you a girlfriend, it will just make you an egotistical patriarch that reinforces the notion that men are the superior gender.

The role of pop culture in the feminist movement is a complex and multi-faceted debate that can both reflect and shape our understanding of gender roles. I’m not calling for a boycott of Marvel or The Notebook because they have some harmful stereotyping, but we should always try to recognize, acknowledge, and be critical of the things we enjoy. By critically examining the media, we can all gain a better understanding of how gender roles are constructed and continue the fight for gender equality.

Thanks for reading, everyone! Stay strong, stay informed, and stay committed.

Works Cited

Lewis, Julian. "The Alpha Male Explained: 9 True Signs You're an Alpha Male."

     ZellaLife, 11 Jan. 2023, www.zellalife.com/blog/

     the-alpha-male-explained-9-true-signs-youre-an-alpha-male/. Accessed 1 May

     2023.

Mehra, Sanchi. "Detectives Of The 99th Precinct: A Feminist Reading Of

     Masculinities In 'Brooklyn Nine-Nine.'" Feminism in India, 12 Oct. 2020,

     feminisminindia.com/2020/10/12/

     feminist-reading-masculinities-brooklyn-nine-nine/. Accessed 1 May 2023.