by
Sarah Parry
such a riveting repertoire of TV to watch throughout my time growing up. I believe that TV
undoubtedly has to take a lot of credit for a third wave of feminism forged within an electronics,
technology-saturated culture. What do you do to keep feminism alive among the youth of today?
You sugarcoat it, and wrap it in a layer of shiny trappings, to entice them towards the cause. This was
how the medium of TV re-instated feminism in youth culture. Decades ago, books were the
mainstream mode in which that epoch's impressionable youth gathered their information, but
feminism, like any other cause, has to move with the times and evolve with our fast-paced society, to
stay alive and well.
I would even go as far as to say that TV has almost saved a "flagging" feminism, or at least
re-invented it under the glare of TV screen static, into an almost "techno wave" feminist movement.
As soon as the TV was embraced into mainstream culture and it became the nucleus of our living
room, its programming shaping the schedules of our days, it was instantly branded as simply an
effective tool for pumping out propaganda. However, I am going to steer away from the dominating
"dangers" of TV - the brainwashing theory linked to the likes of the Frankfurt school's studies, and
take a positive stance towards the birth of this marvelous piece of technology. I am taking an
optimistic attitude because yes, messages can be transmitted to mass audiences, and yes the TV has
become one of the most influential forces in modern society, but why does this TV revolution
necessarily have to be a bad thing?
I believe that TV has successfully forged a fleet of twenty-first century, modern day feminists via the
positive power it possesses to educate; and, of course, the only individuals that this political process
would upset would be a patriarchal nation. The men of the world did not want their housewife's busy
schedule of waiting on them hand and foot to be interrupted by TV transmissions telling the women
how they could have a much better life! A section of the public, mainly men or deluded females
scared of change, preached the dangers of television because they did not want this intrusion of
independent female characters on soap opera broadcasts, and professional females at the pinnacle of
their careers, presented on their screens and seeping out into their oppressive homes.
In my opinion, a damn good reason to take a pro-TV stance is that TV offered a guide rope to a lot of
women who only knew of the immediate patriarchal-friendly attitudes within their own
neighborhoods. TV reported on women who were doing something with their lives; modern women
who were interested in fashion, music and art, not just how to cook a nice pie for a husband, and all
that other housekeeping claptrap. Women no longer had to receive messages solely through
conversations with close friends and family. Women of the TV epoch tuned in to watch their favorite
shows, and adopted new attitudes, norms and role models from this invigorating voyage. Women
were witness to examples of other women liberating themselves by deciding to postpone the
"conventional" nuclear family and travel the world, get themselves a career, or an education. TV may
have received a hell of a lot of bad press regarding its "society soiling" side effects, but to a lot of
frustrated females it provided liberation. Patriarchy would condemn this as priceless propaganda, yet
women called it enlightenment.
As the years went by, post-TV's introduction, modern technology dominated more and more of our
leisure time, and children focused more and more towards this electronic culture. Instead of whining
about this technology-oriented direction, why didn't we just use this cultural change in direction to
our advantage? Not all programming is trash TV. TV does possess the potential to educate the youth
market of this technology-based era. TV can play a prime part in an individual's journey to piece
together self-identity. Has anyone considered that if TV was all that kids watched, and if they were
shown the right type of programming, perhaps a good set of scruples could be taken as a social
souvenir from their TV addiction?
The TV stands as one of the most monstrously powerful tools of today, although nowadays it must
share its pedestal with the revolution of the Internet. TV changed my socialization process in a
positive way, and I thanked America earlier for its fantastic television because the cult sitcom
"Friends" was one of my favorite TV shows growing up. I feel that the undertones of "Friends" helped
viewers of my era to relate to feminist attitudes. Feminism had not been attractively packaged and
sold to an audience for years, but now it was set to hit the world with a vengeance in the most
beautiful, radiant wrapping possible. The character of Monica struggled to be an independent
woman, overtly exhibiting her single-hood, and offering her friends emotional support. This was
feminism. Well, in my eyes, this is real feminism. Not the fake, high calorie, crazy kind that the press
constantly reported, where feminist women refused to let a man pay for meals, or hold open a door in
chivalrous politeness without being branded a "sexist pig". I felt that "Friends" stood for what
feminism really is all about - taking an interest in women's issues, taking care of each other, and
looking out for how fellow females are being treated.
These female protagonists did not spiel off dialogue about how that weekend they shaved their head
bald, or how they had gone on a feminist protest march, or how they made a stance by not letting
men pay for anything. The characters Phoebe, Monica and Rachel showed that feminism was
human, and that feminism was not about being anti-men, but about knowing what rights women
have, and having a damn good time together along the way. This 90s trio showed a worldwide
audience that women could cohabit and have fun, and that there was no need to be rushing straight
into a world of marriage, children, and the whole nuclear family sha-bang.
In the very first episode, Rachel Green is the runaway bride, jilting fiance Barry at the alter. In this
very first episode, immediately, the politics of this scene were crying out that the ground rules are set,
and this show stands for a whole new breed of young women who shall not stand for patriarchal rule.
This trio made feminism cool again, and constantly incorporating Ross, Joey and Chandler into their
social circle displayed that feminism was far from being based around a shared hatred for the male
species.
"Friends" is often labeled trash TV, yet I feel that there could not be any other statement so far from
the truth. The sitcom was a phenomenon which breathed a new set of lifestyles and attitudes into a
dreary society, showing my generation that there was much more to aim for than to just become a
replica of your homemaker mother. Women had options, and the way the likes of Kudrow, Cox and
Aniston acted them out, they looked rather appealing!
Overall, I think my generation is a morally richer place to be, as we have been blessed with far more
female members on TV show production teams, to make sure that women are never un-represented
again. I think that TV can be given a chunk of credit for doing something positive for society,
something more than "rotting people's brains". The press can deem feminism anything they want,
slinging their mainly male-biased views in our direction, but something which appeared to be trash
TV has embedded feminist foundations into youth culture, and I love it!
break into the market of print-based media. Ms. Parry has written for football fanzines, and has had poetry-based
writings published in magazine publications. Ms. Parry would like to gain as much experience in the journalism
sector as possible, as she has a passion to research and discuss issues she feels strongly about, issues which can
be as diverse as corporate campaigning to the love in her life... football.
