I'm not a lady

The media often times reflects viewpoints that occur in society. According to researchers, the Heterosexual Script describes the standards society places on sexual encounters and interactions. Men will do anything for sex, while women are gate-keepers who do not have sexual desires and do not demand anything of a man in a sexual relationship  (Kim et al., 2007). In recent years, there has been a shift to second wave feminism, which has been implemented into the media. According to Gale Markle, second wave feminism challenges standard stereotypes regarding men and women in a relationship. Women are not only in a sexual relationship to please the man, but rather they possess the liberty to desire sex beyond the confines of pleasing a man (Markle, 2008). Although the idea of sexual wave feminism has increased its presence in the media, there are still stereotypical storylines that push back against this achievement.

HBO’s Girls tells the story of four girls and their everyday lives in New York City. The show depicts the struggles surrounding the women and their relationships, work habits, sexual encounters, and all-around hilarious moments. A large part of the storyline depicts these characters and their struggle with sexuality. Although they are all white, heterosexual, and economically stable (for the most part), the characters do not all fit in within the ideal standard of beauty, and they are not extremely wealthy, making them relatable for viewers. The characters in the show also often challenge second wave feminism as they engage in a lot of casual sex. That being said, many characters in the show believe in a woman’s sexual liberty, while others remain much more traditional in their beliefs. Below is a prime example of this struggle:

In this video, Shoshanna, Hannah, and Jessa discuss recent sexual encounters and relationships over frozen yogurt. When Hannah shares her confusion on whether a man has feelings for her or not, Shoshanna steps in to offer suggestions from what she has recently learned from a book, “Listen Ladies: A tough game approach to the tough game of love.” She confirms and agrees when the author says that if a man does not ask a woman on a date he is not into her, meeting up with friends is not considered a date, and that sex from behind is degrading because women deserve someone who wants to look at their beautiful faces. Jessa immediately argues, saying “what if I want something else?  … This woman doesn’t care about what I want” (YOUTUBE). Jessa then tells Shoshanna she can’t force her to be a lady.

The directors of Girls show the struggle between two friends with completely opposing viewpoints on feminism. Shoshanna portrays the average woman who believes in virginity loss as a gift and in traditional roles between men and women. On the other hand, Jessa’s views are much more liberal, and she challenges Shoshanna’s beliefs, as she feels that sex is just as much for the woman as it is for the man. This reveals the difficulty many women struggle with; they try to conform to a more second-wave view of feminism, while also continuing many traditional roles (Kim et al., 2007).

Although show lacks discussion around contraception and safe sex, the characters possess many modern viewpoints on sexuality that are interesting for viewers to pay attention to. The show does not tell women that they must conform to traditional roles, but rather that they have the freedom to make their own choices.

References: 

Girls: Season 1 - Episode 2 Clip "we're the Ladies" (HBO) (2012, April 20th). Retrieved December 5, 2015. from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8ozi3oEiSY0&index=3&list=RD9n6HtOGY_pY.

Kim, J. L., Sorsoli, C. L., Collins, K., Zylbergold, B. a, Schooler, D., & Tolman, D. L. (2007). From sex to sexuality: Exposing the heterosexual script on primetime network television. Journal of Sex Research, 44(2), 145–157. http://doi.org/10.1080/00224490701263660

Markle, G. (2008). “Can Women Have Sex Like a Man?”: Sexual Scripts in Sex and the City. Sexuality & Culture, 12(1), 45–57. http://doi.org/10.1007/s12119-007-9019-1