Today I felt like diving into the topic of “film sexism in the 2020s.” I mean, we’re well into the 21st century, and I was curious to see if Hollywood had finally gotten its act together. So, I grabbed some popcorn and got to work.
First, I started by just browsing around, trying to get a feel for what people were saying about sexism in recent movies. There were a bunch of articles and opinion pieces, and, honestly, it was kind of a mixed bag. Some folks were saying that things had gotten a lot better, while others were arguing that not much had changed.
Then I dug a little deeper. I stumbled upon some research that looked at the actual numbers – you know, how many women were in leading roles, how often they were portrayed in stereotypical ways, stuff like that. And, well, the findings weren’t exactly sunshine and rainbows. Apparently, benevolent sexism is still a thing. It’s like, women in movies might be shown as needing protection, reinforcing those old-school gender roles.
I saw some stats that said in 2019, about two-fifths of films had women in significant roles. That’s something, I guess, but it’s not exactly parity. And get this – even when women are playing powerful characters, like a boss or something, they’re still often treated as eye candy. What’s up with that?
- There is a thing called benevolent sexism, which is sneaky and puts women in boxes.
- Hollywood is moving at a snail’s pace towards gender equality in films.
- Even when women have big roles, they are still shown in a sexualized way.
Key Observations
I also read about how this whole #MeToo thing a few years back shook things up in Hollywood. Powerful guys were losing their jobs left and right. But, has it really made a lasting difference in how women are portrayed on screen? I’m not so sure.
The more I looked, the more I realized that this is a big issue. It’s not just about who’s getting the lead roles; it’s about how women are being represented. Are they just there to be wives, lovers, or moms? Or are they shown as being independent, intelligent, and capable? From what I could gather, it’s still a lot of the former and not enough of the latter.
I mean, don’t get me wrong, there are definitely some positive changes happening. More women are getting into the film industry, both in front of and behind the camera. But it’s like, for every step forward, there are two steps back.
So, what’s the bottom line? Well, after spending a good chunk of time looking into this, I’ve come to the conclusion that sexism in Hollywood is still a very real thing in the 2020s. It might be a bit more subtle than it used to be, but it’s definitely there. And it’s not just about the movies themselves; it’s about the whole culture of the industry. It is a big mess, and we got to keep an eye on it.
I will keep looking into this because I feel like this is something that needs to be talked about more. And not just in academic papers or industry reports, but in everyday conversations. I might not be a filmmaker or an expert, but I think I can make my own contribution.
Alright, that’s my brain dump for today. It wasn’t the most uplifting research session, but I think it was an important one.
