Last week I went to go see the new "Ghostbusters" movie with my somewhat (reluctant) dad. He grew up in the era when the original was first released, so I guess I can see why this one didn’t seem as exciting for him.
But I was ecstatic.
I know that as a blonde, blue-eyed, white woman I am not frequently discriminated against in the media. But that wasn’t the point. The point was that after the movie was over, I felt this feeling of pure joy. And while this joy felt good, it also bothered me that I was feeling it in the first place.
I found the movie to be hilarious. Four goofy gal pals, who just happen to also be wacky scientists that save the forever-endangered New York City. It wasn’t about their looks, it wasn’t about their love lives, it was just about them kicking some other-worldly butt. Here are some things that this movie included that completely obliterated feminine stereotypes in the mainstream film industry.
First of all, they were scientists. Something I’m not particularly inclined towards myself, but I’ve heard firsthand stories of the kind of sexism and discrimination that exists within the field.
It wasn’t about looks. In the original "Ghostbusters" – and most movies for that matter – it doesn’t matter how old, unattractive or fat the male lead is. He always gets the hot young woman, who falls madly in love with the man who could easily have 20-plus years on her.
Holtzmann is assumed to be queer and that has nothing to do with her character. This character stands out as a role model for young queer women, exemplifying to them that you don’t have to be the sexy, lesbian portrayed in most movies that include queer roles.
Chris Hemsworth as Kevin the receptionist was pure gold. Here’s one, ditzy, beautiful and completely boring male receptionist / secretary / (insert some traditional female job here) for the billions of women that have played this kind of role. Kudos to Hemsworth.
Now, the reasons for my feelings of resistance directly correlate to the fact that I shouldn’t be this overjoyed at a movie where women are portrayed as men. I shouldn't have to feel this way.
Sorry, my angsty teen emotions escaped for a second there.
And 2016 shouldn’t be the first year where we are seeing a movie like this. This movie shouldn’t need to be as big of a deal as it is, but looking back through history, it has only been about a century that women have become to be recognized as more than second class citizens.
It has been 96 years since women got the right to vote. It has been 53 years since Congress passed The Equal Pay Act and the "Feminine Mystique" sparked the contemporary feminist movement. It has been 43 years since Roe v. Wade ruled the banning of abortions in Texas was unconstitutional. It has been 19 years since Madeline Albright was sworn in as the first female Secretary of State. It has been two days since Hillary Rodham Clinton became the first woman to receive the presidential nomination from the Democratic Convention.
This is the sad reality of representation that we live in today, and this is only the beginning. While "Ghostbusters" does do an excellent job of portraying women in ways that young girls can look up to and not just compare themselves to, it still lacks a cast that everyone can identify with. While we have a long way to go before representation in mainstream cinema is equal across the board, this movie put us a step in the right direction.
