Sexism in Hollywood

Hollywood is not as perfect, safe, and fair as it has been disguised. After many failed attempts to completely abolish sexual abuse, it is still prevalent in Hollywood. Gender inequality is majorly reflected in two ways via Hollywood- 1) through inaccurate female representations and 2) through discriminatory treatment towards women (and in some cases, men too).

While recently released and upcoming movies like Moxie are trying to bridge the gender gap and awaken and promote a sense of feminism among the society, few are still based on gender stereotypes and gender-depiction of roles. To ensure accurate portrayal of women in fiction, the Bechdel Test was introduced in 1985. The test is named after American cartoonist Alison Bechdel. The test was first cited in her comic strip, Dykes to Watch Out For:

For a movie to pass the Bechdel Test, it must

1) have two (named) women.

2) have a conversation taking place between two women.

3) have a conversation taking place between two women about something besides a man.

Out of the 89 films awarded best picture at the Oscar, fewer than 50% have passed the Bechdel Test. From 1930 to 2010, the percentage of Oscar best picture films that passed the Bechdel Test per decade has dropped from 60% to less than 40%. Additionally, men speak most in best picture winning films such as Spotlight (2016), Birdman (2015), 12 Years a Slave (2014), and Argo (2013).

Women in Hollywood have been subjected to unwanted sexual comments, awkward and sexist questions during interviews, comparatively low wages, and less significant roles. Reese Witherspoon’s financial advisor warned her that she would make lesser money in her forties, especially after having played the role of a mother. This even highlights that women are greatly impacted by ageism. Women are even humiliated and not taken seriously, especially when they take a feministic approach to tackle a problem. Elisabeth Moss’ idea was rejected by her male executives and was declared incompetent for being “too feminine”. Emma Watson also said that she “had been directed by male directors seventeen times and only twice by women”. Rooney Mara was called “horrible things” simply for putting across her wise opinion. Women are not given credit for their work, as can be seen by the incident where Mindy Kaling was removed from the producer credit for her work in ‘The Office’. Women have been sexualized by every element of the media and criticized for their body figures. Rose McGowan was told she would only land roles if men found her to be attractive. Gemma Chan was discriminated against for being a woman of color. Emmy Rossum revealed that she was asked to wear a bikini so that it could be clearly seen if she had gained weight or not. Brie Larson said that she was asked to wear mini-skirts and heels to attract audience even when it had no relation with her role.

A survey featuring women in the entertainment industry was conducted by USA TODAY. It showed that 94% of the 843 women (= 792 of 843 women) have experienced or witnessed sexual harassment. This includes experiencing unwelcomed sexual comments, jokes, or gestures towards or about you (87%), seeing others become victims of unwanted sexual comments (75%), being touched in a sexual way (69%), being suggested for a sexual act (64%), being shown sexual pictures without consent (39%), having someone expose themselves to you (29%), being forced to perform a sexual act (21%) and being ordered to strip naked for an audition (10%). Only one in every four women report this, out of which only 28% of cases showed improvement in workplaces after reporting. In fact, more than one-third of women surveyed were unclear if what had happened with them would be called sexual harassment! Even renowned actors such as Jennifer Lawrence, Melissa Gilbert, and Terry Crews have not escaped the fate of sexual harassment. Jennifer Lawrence was insisted to perform a nude scene. Melissa Gilbert was forced to leave the audition when the director tried to make her do a “dirty” scene. Terry Crews was groped by a Hollywood executive. It has even been observed that sexual harassment is most visible in women between ages 18-29.

Taylor Swift Sexual Assault Trial

American pop-singer Taylor Swift has won a civil case against the ex-DJ David Mueller who she claimed to have groped her rear after sliding his hand under her skirt during a pre-concert photo opportunity in 2013. Though this incident took place in 2013, it was known to the public only in 2015 when radio personality David Mueller, who had been fired from his job after Swift’s team reported a groping claim against him to the radio station he worked in, filed a defamation lawsuit against Swift. She countered this with a sexual harassment lawsuit. Swift’s mother, Andrea Swift, stated in court that she did not want to report this case to prevent retaliation and backlash from the media and because she “did not want this event to define her [Taylor] life”. This is why she kept the situation “discreet and quiet and confidential”, therefore, emphasizing on the underreporting of sexual assault cases due to fear of humiliation and going unheard. Swift refused to back down and made a “sharp, gutsy and satisfying” argument. She continued to repeat that Mueller had “grabbed my bare a**”.

She managed to emotionally connect with her audience and the jury. The allegations against Swift were worth three million dollars. However, once the verdict was declared and she won the case, Swift only asked for one dollar as the damages done by Mueller and pledged that if more money be given it would be donated to organizations that help protect sexual assault victims. Thus, her case was symbolic, helped create impact, reminded men that there are consequences for their actions, and made women realize the importance of their voice even when they are constantly undermined by corrupt men.

Hollywood needs to create a better place for women. It needs to promise more opportunities. It needs to give the world strong and intelligent female characters, portrayed by equally bold, independent, smart, and beautiful women, to make girls realize their importance in the society.

Sources:

https://www.insider.com/women-sexism-experiences-hollywood-misogyny-entertainment-industry https://www.usatoday.com/story/life/people/2018/02/20/how-common-sexual-misconduct-hollywood/1083964001/