The cultural identity of women in the west has changed considerably in the last couple of decades. That statement may seem underwhelming to many, as they would posit, when has that cultural identity ever stopped evolving throughout history? It seems to me, however, that if we look at the depiction of women in Hollywood movies, we see gun toting pseudo-males, hell bent on killing just as many baddies, as all those badly drawn cartoon characters that went before them. In the corporate sector, we witness many female executives acting in a similarly aggressive and tone-deaf manner in the workplace. Women have stepped up to power by aping the behaviour of men. Women’s sports are increasingly played hard and tough to great acclaim, and are garnering TV exposure on this basis. It leaves one asking, what is the ultimate prognosis for female identity in the 21C?
The Perceived Role of Women in Today’s Society
There has been a great push in the arts and in the social sciences to present women with a far greater range of roles to play in our societies, today and into the future. Female characters are no longer the soft nurturing support roles they were in movies of yesteryear. Now, they are out front and centre with gun in hand. In American films, as we well know, carrying a gun is the answer for, virtually, all of life’s adversities and challenges. Female identity in the 21C is big on being seen to be as out there and more so than men. Research data suggests that women are not paid as much in the corporate sector because they do not aggressively ask to be. It may sound simplistic, but it may, also, be true.
Nurturing Is on the Wane
Female beauty remains an integral part of the female identity in the 21C, but it is a leaner and meaner version of the gender aesthetic. Breast sizes are smaller and more suitable for athletic behaviour. Nurturing is on the wane; and whacking people is on the scriptwriter’s brain, especially if you are female. Women have been, generally, smarter for most of the last half century, if you go by academic results in our schooling systems. The Hollywood model for women today, is super smart, lithe, good looking, and ready to blow your brains out.
Harvey Weinstein Watch Out
Women, also, have ethical principles and moral standards. This puts beauty at whatever the cost, as an outdated attitude, as consciousness permeates consumer decisions in the beauty industry. Girls do not want animals to get hurt, just, so, they can look great. Many women are eating less meat and turning vegetarian, and, even, vegan. Harvey Weinstein better keep looking over his shoulder, however, because Uma Thurman still looks pretty angry. Which is ironic, really, because it was his Quentin Tarantino films that got the whole gun toting babe thing going.