Cardboard Women

Cardboard Women

I've been wanting to make a post about this ever since I watched Tavi Gevinson's TED talk, but I guess after watching Frozen  and not really thinking it was the feminist film that some people have made it out to be, it sort of seemed important to me.

I am not implying that Frozen was a terrible film, but the idea that it was inherently feminist swooped straight over my head. *vagueish spoiler* Not everyone, and more importantly, not every female ended up in a couple, and yes, that is an important message. But the fact that the protagonist (Anna) did end up in a couple and was shown to possess no judgement of her own undermines this somewhat. As discussed by this article we see that a film does not just need to have female characters to be feminist.

Tavi speaks about "cardboard cutouts", arguing that female characters need flaws to be truly feminist, because "people are crazy and women happen to be people". If a female character is perfect - for example, Anna in Frozen is seen to be feminist, then real life feminists have to live up to her which sets us up to fail. We need to judge our fictional role models in the same way we would judge our real life ones - as fallible, imperfect and as good because they attempt. I can't articulate this as well as Tavi Gevinson does in her TED talk, so I highly recommend you watch that. Instead, I thought I might list a few of my fictional female role models and explain why they are so amazing.

Buffy Summers, Willow Rosenburg, Faith Lehane, Tara Maclay, Dawn Summers, Anya Jenkins et cetera, Buffy the Vampire Slayer
Considering they were created by Joss Whedon, notorious for writing strong female characters - "So why do you write these strong female characters?" "Because you're still asking me that question." the list above is barely surprising. Buffy Summers has long been considered an incredibly feminist character but the entire television series is incredibly good at reflecting real women. The opening sequence of the first episode (Welcome to the Hellmouth) immediately reverts the trope of horror movies, as we watch the frightened, petite blonde girl become the villain. Buffy has been criticised for being unrealistic and cardboard, and granted she has many more powers than the average woman - being the Slayer with super strength and majorly fast reflexes.

Real life women cannot live up to these expectations, just like they do not have the Wiccan powers that Willow and Tara posses. What is important about the program is that the characters are fallible like real life women, and that they are fallible in similar ways. Buffy is forced to make sacrifices in terms of her education and potential love life, because of supernatural causes, but the problems that she faced are more universal. The fact that she experiences depression, that Willow experiences what is essentially substance addiction, that Faith becomes addicted to power are all real life problems that real life people face. Tara has both a dysfunctional relationship and family and struggles with involving herself. Dawn worries about her self worth. Anya spends the majority of the show as addendums to other characters - girlfriend, fiance, employee before attempting to break free.

The fact that all of the women face entirely different problems makes them inherently feminist. So many films and television shows and books follow the same problems. The women will struggle with relationships, with other characters, but they all have similar problems. Women all have separate strengths, and separate problems and Buffy the Vampire Slayer encapsulates that incredibly well.

Ruby Redfort, The Ruby Redfort Series by Lauren Child

Despite the author denying that Ruby Redfort is "about being a girl", that is what makes her so real and so feminist. The books are not about Ruby Redfort's love interests - a theme so commonly explored with female characters - but instead about her hanging out with her friends, solving crime Nancy Drew style, playing basketball, eating cookies and figuring out her overbearing parents. Despite this, she is not a perfect character nor is she an entirely masculine character. She has a personal sense of style and cares about the clothing she wears, which is important because so often are "feminist characters" made into fighters, with entirely stereo-typically masculine traits. Ruby reiterates that there is nothing wrong with being feminine, but that is doesn't hinder you from making a difference. She has flaws - she can be tactless, boastful, claustrophobic, a know-it-all, and she can barely see without her glasses.

These books make it so clear - it is only because of the heteropatriarchy that we need "strong female characters". All we need are "strong characters", but of course we have been indoctrinated so far that we need characters to prove to us that women can be strong.

Jo March, Little Women
I must comment that whilst in Little Women and Good Wives Jo came across as strong, I have not read Little Men or Jo's Boys so cannot pass judgement.
I did just say that one of the aspects that makes Ruby Redfort so strong was the fact that she was both feminine and strong. Jo March begins Little Women as a tomboy, and still strong - she finds pursuit in a range of activities both stereo-typically female and incredibly masculine - proving that neither is completely right or more feminist than the other. She is the least preachy of the sisters, and is incredibly quirky and likeable.

However, she is far from perfect. She can be shown to be vindictive, with a fiery temper and occasionally a little cruel. She holds grudges, but is ultimately forgiving, passionate, creative and selfless. Like Tavi, Jo March is figuring it out, with her desires to fight in the war with her father, to become and author.

Selfless, emphasis on the "less" might be a little off. Whilst she is incredibly self sacrificing - cutting off her hair for her father's sake, going without a Christmas present for the sake of her mother - she also has motivation. Unlike many female characters who's main goal in life seems to be to please others, and to go through life without upsetting anyone, she knows where she is going. When Laurie, a boy she doesn't love asks her to marry him, she declines, to his and everyone's chagrin. When her sister ruins her manuscript she does not immediately forgive her like much of the family but instead mourns her own losses, as she truly values her own work. She understands that sometimes she must come first, is her own person and must on occasion make unpopular decisions.

Elle Woods, Legally Blonde: The Musical
Despite the fact that much of this musical is seen to see Elle realise her potential and confront the low expectations that other have of her, she is a strong female character from the start. She is an incredible role model of how you can be a fashion merchandiser, and how being content in that role is completely acceptable.

However, the fact that she uses her intellect to expand her horizons past this, moves on from her obsession to have a husband and goes to law school also gives a powerful message in that if you are not happy where you are then you can always move past that to further places, reinforcing the message that hard work and not looks are more likely to get you to where you want to be. It also uses the powerful message that whilst you may partially conform to a stereotype, that we define the labels and the labels - as well as other's definitions of those labels - do not define us.

The play has been criticised because ultimately, Elle does end up with a man, but the fact that she spends the majority of the play on her own, forming her own self dependence means that this is irrelevant! There is nothing wrong with being in a committed relationship, with getting married, but instead the musical shows that it should not be your only aspiration if you do not want it to be.

There are so many more I could list, maybe I will sometime, but for now, that's it. Toodle pip!
Bella Fern x