The Feminist Review

I don’t understand how one article can leave me feeling such delight and such anger simultaneously! Johann Hari’s “Where Have All the Stong Women Gone?” is a searing and straightforward critique of patriarchy’s destructive and completely unfair expectations of women.

Hari reminisces about Bette Davis’ bad-ass characters on-screen, and her boldness off-screen. I’ve never seen a Bette Davis movie, but I’m going to rent one this weekend. But, Hari wonders, “Who are our female icons now? Nicole Kidman, whose career is epitomized by her role in ‘Moulin Rouge’, where she plays a limp, passive prostitute, waiting to be saved. Julia Roberts, whose only iconic role is as a screwed-up prostitute, waiting to be saved. The women of ‘Desperate Housewives’ - chaotic ditzes, who are either jobless, or have jobs where they merely spread chaos. The women of ‘Sex and the City’, who are obsessed with shoes and - in the end - have to compromise their careers for men. The popular women are numb blondes or bony little girls with submissive smiles. If a female star becomes too ‘tough’, she becomes box-office poison: Demi Moore was seen after G.I. Jane as too hard, too ‘male.’ Even Thelma and Louise had to drive into the Grand Canyon in the end.”

Hari credits Aaron Sorkin with the toughest female characters on TV these days, though points out some disappointing developments in the West Wing, for example, “C.J. has to be given a sick father to humanise her - unlike any of the men - and in the end has to choose between Washington and love.”

He also discusses Hillary Clinton’s approval - “when we found out her husband was cheating on her, and in New Hampshire, when she cried. When Hillary is strong, we loathe her. When she is weak, we warm.”

Particularly impressive, Hari names his own privilege through a reader’s comments: “I think it’s great that you, as a man, write about these issues. But imagine a situation where you were exactly the person you are now, but female. Imagine you were comparably overweight, took comparably little care over your appearance, were comparably aggressive in your opinions, admitted to a history of depression, and were a lesbian. You would not be writing for a national newspaper at all.”

This is the sort of analysis that makes me proud to be a feminist! I feel a bit giddy to read someone just lay it all out there, no shame or ameliorating about it. While the facts are disturbing as ever, the article’s forthrightness is empowering. As Hari quotes Ariana Huffington, “For a man to be called aggressive, he has to be Joe McCarthy. For a woman to be called aggressive, she has to put you on hold.” Hari’s gender is certainly a primary reason why he writes this way.

I realize I’ve pasted a bunch of quotes - they’re just so juicy I couldn’t resist. But I guarantee there’s more - check out the full article.

Filed under: articles on April 3rd, 2008 by Anna Lisa