Perpetuating Pre-Feminist Ideals

Perpetuating Pre-Feminist Ideals

Miniaci Performing Arts Center

Society escapes the drudge of everyday through film. Young girls often attempt to emulate what they see on the big screen. Everyday films that are geared toward the younger female audience often champion pre-feminist ideals. Even films that are meant to empower women do so only by reaffirming a stereotypical feminine character or by allowing them to achieve something in the context of winning acceptance from a man, typically a father figure. This sort of story line reinforces the necessity of male acceptance and entirely disregards feminism. With the plethora of films being released on this subject, the writer sought to expose these films for what they are. Typically one may view the film and not see these anti-feminist ideals, but they are there and part of a subconscious conditioning that one should be aware of. Hidden suggestion and reaffirmation of stereotypical roles is of serious detriment to a society that is based on the idea of open expression and progress. To achieve progress we must forget the clichéd gender roles of the past and reject films that attempt to maintain those ideals.