Post Feminist Discourse

Lindsey Morgulis

December 11, 2014

Professor Keith

ENG 310

Final Paper

Feminist Discourse

Recently, in aired television or online steaming, a post-feminism theme has been current and on the rise. Post-feminism generally is about the goal of ameliorating sexism and inequality between the genders. It stemmed from the feminism movement of the 1970’s and claims they have succeeded in achieving what they set out to do. Post-feminists wish to distance themselves from the feminism movement in order to officially be accomplished because society must move on from the issue to accept it into normalcy. Shows such as Girls or Orange is the New Black depicted the struggles for women on the inside and on the outside of society and portrayed these

women in a new light that did not conform to culture’s definitions. Feminism in television has been remotely based on the prerogatives of straight white women that were first epitomized in shows such as Sex and the City and later on, Girls. The main characters, all female, are shown strongly going up against everything life throws at them. The difference between Sex and the City and Girls is that one portrayed the ideal figure that society recognizes (thin) and the other had its main character flaunt a larger body that did not correspond to society’s norms.
Girls takes Sex and the City’s feminist standard to a post-feminist world.

The familiar themes of gender issues, love and struggle are apparent but there is a new outlook the audience is experiencing from. The main characters are no longer the perfect depiction of different types of women, but are now imperfect and flawed, representing the real women of our society; even if these women are not socially acknowledged in popular culture. Girls created a discourse on what was seen as normal. Lena Dunham (the shows creator) created a reality where skinny and perfect is not everything. However, the show only created a discourse to a certain degree because it did not include the minorities that make up our

society.
Orange is the New Black takes this discourse a step further. It is a show surrounding all different types of women. Taking place in a women’s penitentiary, the characters are cast-offs, those who have been taken out of society and grouped together in solitary. The show focuses on Piper Chapman, a white female, who struggles between her love for her male fiancé and her female ex-girlfriend. What separates the romantic relationships we see on this show from the typical depictions on others is how it is not formed around attracting the eyes of men but instead it is an honest and real representation. This strays from the norm because on average the point of view is of a male perspective, and this show is not only using feminine lens but also involves the audience into this feminine world. Another aspect that differentiates this show from others is the amount of gay relationships, more so then heterosexual, and they also involve a mix of races and gender. Again, they are not shown to be pleasurable to man but to be seen as real and meaningful.
As the show progresses, it stems away from Piper as a main character and more towards the intertwining relationships of all these women.

Racial groups throughout the women divide the penitentiary and this allows them to discuss amongst themselves racial stereotypes that have been inflicted upon them. By doing this, Orange is the New Black acknowledges the separation between races, gender and sex and the obvious labels that arise. They do not try to cover up these issues, which results in the audience identifying with the characters. With every race and type of women represented in this show, the post-feminist society uses the characters as representatives and voices of the feminist movement. Now feminism is more then the majority of women (i.e. heterosexual Caucasians) but involve every race and every sexual identity or

occupation.
Although this discourse that the show has ensued is limited to the female community, it is growing and expanding to all minority causes. Diane Guerrero, one of the stars from Orange is the New Black, fights for the rights of Latinos in the United States who struggle for citizenship. She lost her family at the age of fourteen and through the success of the show has brought light on this subject to the public and popular culture. Another star of this show, Laverne Cox, who plays a transgender female has exponentially gave the transgender community strength and recognition in the feminist community. These characters and others involved with the success of this show have gained the power of recognition and therefore the power of a following fan base. Through success and love from the public and all those who feel as if they are being represented by the show, those actresses and creators have the voice and influence to make a change in the feminist society but also culture in general. They have started the process of changing how women see each other but also societal norms as to what is considered a “woman”.