👩Feminism in Television Unit 9 – Feminist TV Creators: Writers to Showrunners

Key Concepts and Theories

• Feminist media theory examines how gender roles and power dynamics are represented and reinforced in television
• Intersectionality considers how multiple identities (race, class, sexuality) intersect with gender to shape experiences and representations
• The male gaze concept critiques the dominant heterosexual male perspective in media that objectifies women
  • Challenges the idea that this perspective is neutral or universal
• Bechdel test assesses female representation by asking if a work features at least two women talking to each other about something other than a man
  • Highlights the lack of substantive female characters and relationships
• Postfeminism describes a media trend that assumes gender equality has been achieved, often featuring empowered but depoliticized female characters
• Feminist TV criticism analyzes how shows engage with or subvert gender stereotypes, tropes, and ideologies
  • Considers both the content and production context of television
• Social constructionism views gender as a cultural construct rather than an essential biological trait
  • Examines how television contributes to the social construction of gender

Historical Context

• Early television in the 1950s-60s featured limited roles for women, often as wives, mothers, or objects of desire
• Second-wave feminism in the 1960s-70s advocated for women's liberation and equal rights, challenging traditional gender roles
  • Coincided with the rise of female writers and producers in television
• Mary Tyler Moore Show (1970s) was groundbreaking in featuring an independent, career-focused single woman as the lead
  • Reflected changing social norms and aspirations of women
• Women's movement in the 1970s-80s fought for workplace equality, reproductive rights, and an end to sexual harassment and violence
  • Informed more nuanced and empowered depictions of women on screen
• Backlash against feminism in the 1980s-90s coincided with a resurgence of traditional gender roles and objectification in media
• Third-wave feminism in the 1990s emphasized diversity, intersectionality, and individual empowerment
  • Influenced shows like Buffy the Vampire Slayer and Sex and the City

Pioneering Feminist TV Creators

• Lucille Ball was not only the star of I Love Lucy (1950s) but also a co-creator, producer, and studio head
  • Paved the way for women in creative and business roles in television
• Marlo Thomas created and starred in That Girl (1960s), one of the first shows to feature an independent single woman pursuing a career
• Norman Lear shows like All in the Family and Maude (1970s) addressed feminist issues like abortion and sexual harassment
  • Had female writers like Susan Harris and Pat Nardo in an era when this was rare
• Diane English created Murphy Brown (1980s-90s) about a successful news anchor and single mother
  • Addressed reproductive rights and political issues, facing controversy and conservative backlash
• Susan Harris created the female-led ensemble comedies Soap, Benson, and The Golden Girls (1980s-90s)
  • Featured older women and LGBTQ+ characters in central roles
• Roseanne Barr created and starred in Roseanne (1980s-90s), groundbreaking in its depiction of a working-class woman and domestic life
  • Addressed feminist issues like women's labor, reproductive rights, and domestic violence

Challenges and Barriers

• Systemic gender inequality in the television industry, with women underrepresented in writing, directing, producing, and executive roles
  • Limits opportunities for women to create and shape content
• Male-dominated writer's rooms and networks that marginalize women's voices and perspectives
  • Can lead to stereotypical, objectifying, or dismissive portrayals of female characters
• Pressure to appeal to assumed male audience preferences, leading to hypersexualization and limited roles for women
• Gendered assumptions about women's abilities and authority in creative and leadership positions
  • Women face additional scrutiny, dismissal, and backlash compared to male counterparts
• Pay disparities between male and female actors, writers, and creators
• Lack of mentorship, sponsorship, and networking opportunities for women in the industry
  • Makes it harder for women to advance to influential roles
• Sexual harassment and assault in the workplace creating hostile environments and limiting women's opportunities
  • Me Too movement has raised awareness but the problem persists

Breakthrough Shows and Characters

• The Mary Tyler Moore Show (1970s) featured a single career woman as the lead, inspiring future female-led sitcoms
  • Addressed workplace sexism and reproductive rights
• Cagney & Lacey (1980s) was groundbreaking as a female buddy cop drama, depicting two complex professional women
• Murphy Brown (1980s-90s) featured a successful news anchor and single mother, facing off against conservative critics
  • Addressed abortion, single parenthood, and political issues
• Buffy the Vampire Slayer (1990s-2000s) subverted the blonde victim trope with a complex female action hero
  • Depicted a range of female relationships and feminist themes
• Sex and the City (1990s-2000s) frankly depicted female sexuality and friendship, though limited by its white, upper-class perspective
• The Golden Girls (1980s-90s) was groundbreaking in featuring older women as sexual beings with rich interior lives
  • Tackled issues like ageism, sexism, and LGBTQ+ rights
• Scandal (2010s) featured a complex black female lead in a position of power, subverting stereotypes
  • Depicted interracial relationships and addressed systemic oppression
• Orange is the New Black (2010s) featured a diverse ensemble of women, depicting the experiences of incarcerated women
  • Addressed issues of race, class, sexuality, and gender identity

Impact on Industry Practices

• Success of female-created shows has helped to incrementally increase opportunities for women in the industry
  • But systemic barriers and inequalities persist
• Feminist TV criticism has raised awareness of representational issues and the need for diversity both on and off screen
• Advocacy organizations like Women in Film and Television have provided resources, networking, and mentorship for women in the industry
  • Aims to increase women's representation and leadership in all aspects of production
• Time's Up movement has advocated for workplace equity and against sexual harassment in the entertainment industry
  • Led to some high-profile firings and accountability, but change is slow
• Inclusion riders and diversity initiatives aim to increase representation of women and marginalized groups on sets and in writer's rooms
  • But their implementation and effectiveness have been limited
• Streaming platforms and niche networks have provided new opportunities for female-led and feminist content
  • But disparities persist in funding, marketing, and creative control compared to male-led projects
• Persistent gendered assumptions and biases continue to shape industry practices and limit opportunities for women
  • Change requires ongoing activism, awareness-raising, and structural reforms

Contemporary Landscape

• Increased awareness of the need for diversity and inclusion in the television industry
  • But progress has been slow and uneven, with ongoing underrepresentation of women and marginalized groups
• Emergence of prominent female showrunners like Shonda Rhimes, Jenji Kohan, and Phoebe Waller-Bridge
  • But women still face additional scrutiny and barriers compared to male counterparts
• Expansion of platforms and niche content has created new opportunities for feminist storytelling
  • But also fragmentation of audiences and resources
• Complicated and contradictory portrayals of feminism in shows like Girls, The Handmaid's Tale, and Killing Eve
  • Reflecting ongoing debates and challenges within feminist movements
• Persistent tension between empowerment and objectification in depictions of women
  • Especially for women of color, who face intersecting forms of marginalization and stereotyping
• Reckoning with the Me Too movement and the need for systemic change in the industry
  • High-profile cases have raised awareness but the problem of sexual harassment persists
• Importance of intersectionality and the need to center marginalized voices and experiences
  • But mainstream feminism in television still often defaults to a white, middle-class perspective

Future Directions and Debates

• Need for ongoing activism and structural changes to address systemic inequalities in the television industry
  • Including hiring practices, pay equity, and accountability for harassment and discrimination
• Importance of intersectional approaches that center the experiences and leadership of women of color
  • Challenging the default of white feminism in the industry
• Potential of new platforms and technologies to democratize content creation and distribution
  • But also risks of fragmentation, precarity, and exploitation in a gig economy
• Debates around the feminist potential and limitations of different genres and formats
  • From soap operas to science fiction to reality television
• Questions of authenticity, representation, and appropriation in depicting feminist stories and characters
  • Especially when created by those outside the communities being represented
• Challenges of balancing entertainment value with feminist messaging and education
  • Risks of watering down or depoliticizing feminism for mass appeal
• Importance of feminist media literacy and criticism in shaping public discourse and industry practices
  • Need for diverse voices and perspectives in television criticism and journalism
• Globalization of television and the need for transnational feminist solidarity and analysis
  • Recognizing how gender intersects with colonialism, nationalism, and global capitalism