Heroine Led 2000s Movies Taught Us That Women Rule - So Why Are Women Still Shaming Other Women? | The Odyssey Online
Start writing a post

Heroine Led 2000s Movies Taught Us That Women Rule - So Why Are Women Still Shaming Other Women?

We all grew up watching movies about girls who don't fit in, who stood out, and who fought against society's norms. So why are all of us still labeling & still judging one another? Didn't Elle Woods and Sydney White teach us better?

25
Heroine Led 2000s Movies Taught Us That Women Rule - So Why Are Women Still Shaming Other Women?

Too loud, too fat, too weird, too optimistic, too aggressive, too skinny. All of these are things that women hear daily. Whether it be the voices in their own head or people verbally telling them, negative thoughts occur throughout every woman's mind. Why? And why have we let this continue for so long?

I grew up watching all of the early 2000s chick flicks/romantic comedies. They were my break away from the real world; I got to step into the world of Elle Woods, when she proved everyone wrong and kicked butt at Harvard Law; into the world of Anna Coleman, when a fortune cookie forced her to switch bodies with her mom; into the world of Viola, when she transformed into her brother Sebastian just to play men's soccer; into the world of Sam Montgomery, when she tragically lost her dad & her freedom, but still managed to get the happy ending we all want.

All of these movies are heroine led and when looked at closely, have feminist aspects. In "Freaky Friday", Anna Coleman taught us that it's okay to dress like a punk rockstar, to be in a rock band as a girl, and to not want to be friends with the "popular" girl. In "She's The Man", we had to watch Viola literally transform into her brother just to prove that women are good enough (and that we don't have to like debutante balls). In "Sydney White", Sydney taught us that a rating system should never determine the rank of anyone, that it is okay for your closest friends to be known as the nerds, and that you don't have to look like the perfect "sorority girl" to fit in in college. Elle Woods, in "Legally Blonde", defied all of the odds that were against her and excelled amazingly at Harvard Law.

Majority of women my age grew up watching these films, watching these characters prove that women rule, that we all need to be nicer to one another, but here we are - still judging one another, still having low self confidence, and still concerned about what people think of us. When we see other women out at the bar, why do most of us immediately judge what she's wearing, or who she's talking to, or how she did her hair? Why does any of that concern us? Instead of judging someone right when they walk into a room, we should be broadening our horizons and perhaps introducing ourselves -- you never know if its your next best friend walking in.

Report this Content
This article has not been reviewed by Odyssey HQ and solely reflects the ideas and opinions of the creator.
Lifestyle

10 Signs You Work In A Restaurant

There's always chaos in the restaurant business.

622
10 Signs You Work In A Restaurant
Brisanis

Working in the restaurant industry is possibly the most fundamentally challenging occupation I have ever experienced when it comes to hospitality and customer service. When you go to a five-star restaurant you expect the time of your life, a two hour getaway, a walk through another time period (rustic Italy, France, Spain, etc), or simply a honeymoon undergo. What you don't see are the behind the scenes scut work: carrying trays, polishing glassware and silverware, kitchen chaos, the list is endless. Now, I'm not saying being a host, server, or bartender is the worst thing in the whole wide world, there are definitely worse things. But the fact of the matter is that it isn't always sunshine and rainbows. In the two years that I have spent in restaurant and customer service, I have spoken my share of expletives, yelled at kitchen staff, and dealt with not-so-happy guests. It isn't easy to keep a bright and shiny smile on your face when all you want to do is choke every person who walks near you. Anyone who has spent even two weeks working in a restaurant understands the rigor and stress that comes with it. Restaurant culture is a tiny world in and of itself that operates on its own principles and creates its own society. It even has its own language. The sayings "runner", "corner", and "on a bus" wouldn't make sense to anyone otherwise. My mother and I both work in a restaurant and the best advice I can give someone going out to eat is to treat us like people. Yes...believe it or not we are people, people. Say "please" and "thank you", or stack your cleared plates before a busser gets to the table. Trust me, the gesture goes a lot farther than you may think.

So, if you work in a restaurant, you can relate with the following points. If not, check out how the brain of a restaurant service (or any customer service) worker actually works. See if you can identify any crazy weird habits your friends have a tendency to partake in.

Keep Reading...Show less
Adulting

11 Things I Learned My Freshman Year of College

Not everything you learn in college can be found in a textbook.

475
Breanna Vogel
Breanna Vogel

One of the scariest things we will ever face in our life is going to college. Many of us move away to a new town, join new organizations, and make new friends. We are expected to study, have a social life, relationships, maybe work, and be healthy. It seems pretty easy to do, and in high school all we wanted to do was graduate and move on to this next chapter of our lives. If you are in high school, here are some things that you can learn from before you get to college. If you have already been through your freshman year of college, hopefully you can relate to the things I have learned in college.

Keep Reading...Show less
how to get away with murder
Tumblr

It's about that time where we are too tired to do anything productive, too cold to leave bed, and too lazy to find a new show to watch so we result to re-runs.

For all of you home-bodies, for all of you cold weather haters, here are my suggestions for this holiday break. Let the binging begin!

Keep Reading...Show less
Relationships

12 Long-Term Relationship Milestones

You've got a keeper if you've made it to any of these milestones.

821
couple on the beach
Pexels

You've been together for so long. It's great. And as the time spent in your relationship grows, you hit certain milestones where you know it's real. These can be make-or-break moments, or just little things where you finally realize that you're both doing it. Everybody hits these milestones, no matter how long it takes; they're inevitable.

You know you've made it when you hit these long-term relationship milestones.

Keep Reading...Show less
10 Of The Best Shows To Binge Watch Over Winter Break

As the semester is coming to an end, most of us are going to have more free time on our hands. This calls for binge watching a new show on Netflix and really using this break to relax from the stress of school. Here are some of the best shows on Netflix that you should be watching.

Keep Reading...Show less

Subscribe to Our Newsletter

Facebook Comments