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Description
Women today are inundated with conflicting messages from the mass media: they must either be strong leaders in complete command or sex kittens obsessed with finding and pleasing a man. Here, cultural critic Susan J. Douglas takes readers on a spirited journey through the television programs, popular songs, movies, and news coverage of recent years, telling a story that is the cultural biography of a new generation of American women. Revisiting cultural touchstones from Buffy the Vampire Slayer to Desperate Housewives, Douglas exposes these images of women as mere fantasies of female power, assuring women and girls that the battle for equality has been won, so there's nothing wrong with resurrecting sexist stereotypes--all in good fun, of course. She shows that these portrayals not only distract us from the real-world challenges facing women today but also drive a wedge between baby-boom women and their "millennial" daughters.--From publisher description.… (more)
User reviews
Douglas examines a vast array of shows and personalities to expose enlightened sexism. She cites others as good examples of feminist media. Just some that she discusses include: Murphy Brown, Beverly Hills 90210, Buffy the Vampire Slayer, Loreena Bobbit, Ally McBeal, Living Single, Grey’s Anatomy, Sex & the City, Cosmo and Vogue magazines, reality TV, Mean Girls, Clueless, celebrity culture (including the search for the ‘baby bump’), Hilary Clinton, Sarah Palin, Desperate Housewives and the dearth of lesbian characters and celebrities. This is a partial list, and she discusses many others.
Although I haven’t seen half of the shows she discusses, I still found Enlightened Sexism extremely interesting. At times it was so discouraging and depressing that I had to put it aside for a few days. However, Douglas has a great sense of humour, which helped to elevate the extreme bleakness of the material. She also writes in a conversational tone that makes for smooth reading.
This is a must-read for anyone interested in cultural studies, media studies or women’s studies. Also recommended for anyone who is female or knows anyone who is female.
...Oh, I feel bad even saying this. But it just gets kind of boring. She keeps saying the same thing over and over and over, using different media examples. Also, I found her chatty style a bit off-putting after a while. This is kind of a scholarly work - I guess I like to see a little more dignity in this kind of a read. But it IS interesting, really, and if you are a big fan of modern media, this is worth your time.
Douglas writes in a conversational tone that immediately pulled me into her writing and kept me interested. I also enjoyed reading the examples she cites of movies, tv shows, and popular culture in which embedded feminism or enlightened sexism are at work. This book definitely got me thinking more about feminism, and the role that it plays in my life. It's not something I've really considered before, and I'm definitely watching tv shows and movies in a new light now. Overall, I'd say that this book is illuminating and well-written, but be wary before picking it up if you're not completely interested in the subject material.
You can find my full review at Rantings of a Bookworm Couch Potato.