Why is this show being held to the higher standard when there are so many television shows that have long ignored race and class or have flagrantly transgressed in these areas?There are so many terrible shows on television representing women in sexist, stupid, silly ways. Movies are even worse. Movies take one or two anemic ideas about women, caricature them, and shove those caricatures down our throats. The moment we see a pop artifact offering even a sliver of something different-say, a woman who isn't a size zero or who doesn't treat a man as the center of the universe-we cling to it desperately because that representation is all we have.
Roxane Gay raises an important question about the scrutiny placed on certain television shows compared to the broader entertainment landscape, where many shows overlook issues of race and class. She points out that numerous series perpetuate sexist and reductive portrayals of women, while films often rely on oversimplified stereotypes that fail to offer authentic representation.
When a show dares to break this mold and presents even a small shift in representation, such as featuring a woman with diverse body types or independent agency, it is met with both hope and desperation from audiences. This is because such representations are rare and highly valued in a media landscape dominated by one-dimensional portrayals.
