Representation Of Gender, Class And Sexuality In Romantic Comedy The Other Woman

Compare a recent romantic comedy – one that was released in the last five years – and consider how its representations of gender, class and sexuality diverge from more patriarchal social norms of the past (and present).

It is a known fact that the world is dominated by patriarchal societies where women have little to say in matters relating to politics, business, life or any other area. Similar has been the case with people coming from marginalized class. Patriarchy refers to the social setting where the men enjoy the highest power. Although patriarchy is viewed as a system that oppresses women, it should be known that the patriarchal social norms subjugate other minority classes and sexuality.  Artists from different spheres have however, tried to break these rigid traditions through their work. Films have a major influence in changing these traditions.

The aim of this essay is to analyze the film The Other Woman and understand the way it has represented gender, class and sexuality and the way it has diverged from the social norms of the patriarchal society. The main aim is to demonstrate the way the female characters in the film have tried to break away from the social norms that demand women to remain subjugated but failed. The essay will first provide a short summary of the film’s plot and then analyze the representation of gender, class and sexuality in it. This will be followed by a discussion on the way the film has diverged from the patriarchal social norms.

The film The Other Woman (2014), tells the story of three women who have been cheated by a man and how they come together to avenge him (Imdb.com, 2018).  Carly Whitten (played by Cameron Diaz) is planning to move ahead with her relationship with Mark King (played by Nikolaj Coster-Waldau). However, while trying to pay him a surprise visit and seduce him, she finds that he is already married to another woman, Kate (played by Leslie Mann). The two then decide to collaborate to find whether Mark is cheating on them both. They find their doubts to be true as Mark is found dating another woman named Amber (played by Kate Upton). The revelations are then made to the new woman and the three team up to teach Mark a lesson. In the end, Mark loses everything, his wife, his job and his money as well.

The film, although a romantic-comedy, gives an important message that women are not bound by any social norm and they have the freedom to go out, get drunk and do whatever they want to do. This does not mean that the film has portrayed women in strong and powerful roles despite it being an all-women film. The idea of teaming up and avenging a man with crude schemes like putting laxatives in his cocktails or adding Nair to his shampoo or other petty tricks does not portray feminine strength. Moreover, the entire plot of the film is flawed because it shows the three women dedicating precious times of their lives on avenging a man.  The film is revolutionary in terms of showing woman having a drink at a club together or holding a higher position in the office.

Social norms and patriarchy in film

The movie does not have much scope for class representation because it shows most of the characters belonging to the more or less similar class. The film has some moments where the audience could find a strong relationship between the two women particularly Carly (Diaz) and Kate (Mann). In a scene where Carly tries to control a drunk, Kate while she runs around like a child is adorable to watch. In this particular scene, Carly plays the role of what a man would usually play, consoling and controlling a broke and drunk woman. Amber (Kate Upton) on the other hand, represents the typical, stereotyped woman who has nothing to show except her bulky bodily features. Her only role in the film is to seduce and sleep with Mark so that the other two could plot against him. This representation of woman in a women-centric film demonstrates the influence of the patriarchal society. Likewise, to portray an independent and powerful corporate woman like Carly wasting much of her time and skills into avenging a man makes her weak.  The film could have shown the woman giving legal advice to the wife or herself taking legal actions. Moreover, since she held a strong position in her office, she could have collaborated with Kate (Leslie Mann) to avenge Mark (Nikolaj Coster-Waldau) in ways much more fulfilling than those shown in the film did.

As the above discussion shows, the film has diverged in many ways, from the social norms that are impressed upon woman in a patriarchal society. Makama (2013) considers the concept of ‘social norms’ as a new weapon for the men to demonstrate their patriarchy and subjugate women even further. According to the author, imposing social norms have become a fashionable way to subjugate women in the contemporary era. In many communities, Muslim in particular, the social norms state that a woman should prove her virginity on the first night of her marriage. When she fails to do so, she is subjected to brutal tortures and might even be killed. The same however, does not apply on the men. Earp (2014) conducted a study on hymenoplasty – a surgery that restores “presumed physical marker of virginity prior to a woman’s marriage”. In this study, the author found that most women who requested the surgery stated that they “wanted to ensure that blood is spilled on their wedding night sheets”. These disturbing revelations establish the fact that women are continuously pressurized to follow strict social norms set by the patriarchal society while the men enjoy all the freedom.  

In history as well, men used the social norms to oppress the weaker class in any way they deemed possible. The adult suffrage allowing women to vote was seen as a contemptible demand since it was against the social norm then (Higgins, 2018). Similarly, women coming to work or going to any public place wearing slacks was against the social norm as only men had the right to wear ‘pants’. Oppression in the name of social norms is also done on people with mental illness or who are in any way different from the so-called powerful men. As Cummings, Lucas and Druss (2013) note, providing separate accommodations for mentally ill employees does not empower them rather, it labels those employees as minorities and not fit for the so-called normal world.

Examples of films that diverge from patriarchal social norms

Films, although have been a powerful medium, especially in the recent years in demonstrating strong female characters, characters with mental illness but strong will, have also succumbed to the dominant social norms. Even films based on strong female characters tend to fall into social norms by making the female characters acquire male traits or behave like men. One example of that is the film G.I. Jane (1997) where the female lead shaves her head like other men to join the SEAL team (G.I. Jane (1997), 2018). It is hence evident that while portraying the woman as capable of competing with men and perform harsh trainings; the makers had to make her look more like men than a woman does. The film could have shown the strength and power of the female without making her look like a male. For long, films have normalized the superiority of the male gender and even influenced women to believe that they are supposed to remain under the protection of men. Almost all the James Bond films from 1960s until today have been the most visible examples of portraying women as inferior to men. In addition, the superhero films since the early times have also been at the center of impressing patriarchal social norms. The Avengers series is the most recent example of establishing male dominance. In contrast to these films, a few have deviated from the standard norms. One film of the last decade that stands apart in terms of breaking the social norms is the 2006 classic She’s the Man  directed by Andy Fickman ("She's the Man (2006)", 2018). It narrates the story of a female soccer player who is not allowed to join the men’s team despite being one of the best players. She then molds herself into the social norms, disguises herself as a man to play soccer, and proves that she is one of the best. In this way, the film manages to diverge from the patriarchal social norms although not completely but largely.

The Time magazine published an article regarding the changing gender norms, an important subsection of the social norms. The article refers to the statement made by Sigmund Freud back in 1924 where he stated that determining gender identity is based entirely on biology (Time.com, 2018). Years after Freud made that statement; critics have continued to consider body parts as the key predictors of an individual’s personal and professional idea – in culture as well as in law. However, in the present era, many believe that biology is not the only predictor but it has to combine with nurture as well. Freud’s notions are still alive though, as the bodies with which humans are born still govern their lives across the globe.

Social norms in the past forbade both men and women to have any romantic relationship with the same gender. Budgeon (2014) notes that people with different sexual orientation are coming forward boldly owing to the changing social and gender norms. In majority of countries, the government has granted LGBTQ rights. However, it is interesting to note that granting the rights to the people is also a power exercised by the patriarchs.

Coming back to the film, the characters seem to be stuck in between breaking the social norms and following those as well. Carly is a working person who is ambitious and who looks to enhance her career but when she find about the cheating, she invests all her energy into making the man feel pitiful. She could have moved on and established her career in a way that would itself be revenge. Kate, on the other hand, could have used her ideas that she used to give to her husband and establish her own career without having to depend on him or anyone. In case of Amber, there is no scope of improving her character because the makers of the film have given hardly anything for her to expose proudly.

In terms of sexuality, the film does not show any deviance from the social norms of patriarchy. While Kate is seen almost unable to distract herself from being intimate with her cheating husband, Carly develops some intimacy with Kate’s brother Phil (played by Taylor Kinney). Amber falls for Carly’s father Frank (played by Don Johnson). In all these scenarios, although there is implicit depiction of sexuality, it is mostly about woman being sexually attractive to men, which is a social norm of the patriarchal society.

The film, as many critics suggest, is not “exactly a feminist parable, and in some ways is surprisingly retrograde in its depiction of women” (Latimes.com, 2018). It is in some cases difficult to determine whether the film has diverged from the social norms or it has taken a few steps backward. Some observations made on the film also show that for the major part of its runtime; in fact throughout the movie, the three women talk nothing but about the man or men.

Conclusion

In conclusion, it could be stated that the romantic-comedy has been successful to make people laugh and fall in love with the characters. However, it has not succeeded in breaking away from the patriarchal social norms. Barring some scenes, the film has failed to break away from the social norms set by the patriarchal society especially in the present. It indulges in male bashing, which is in no way an indicator of empowerment. The essay provided an elaborate discussion on patriarchy, social norms and instance where it has been challenged. The analysis found that although the film has broken many of the past social norms, some present norms remained the same. The past norms like women cannot work or they cannot drink and have fun without a male’s company has been broken. However, the film has not broken some present norms like men’s predominance in women’s lives.

References:

Budgeon, S. (2014). The dynamics of gender hegemony: Femininities, masculinities and social change. Sociology, 48(2), 317-334.

Cummings, J. R., Lucas, S. M., & Druss, B. G. (2013). Addressing public stigma and disparities among persons with mental illness: The role of federal policy. American journal of public health, 103(5), 781-785.

Earp, B. D. (2014). Hymen ‘restoration’in cultures of oppression: how can physicians promote individual patient welfare without becoming complicit in the perpetuation of unjust social norms?. Journal of Medical Ethics, 40(6), 431-431.

G.I. Jane (1997). (2018). G.I. Jane (1997). Retrieved from https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0119173/plotsummary?ref_=tt_stry_pl

Higgins, C. (2018). The age of patriarchy: how an unfashionable idea became a rallying cry for feminism today. Retrieved from https://www.theguardian.com/news/2018/jun/22/the-age-of-patriarchy-how-an-unfashionable-idea-became-a-rallying-cry-for-feminism-today

Imdb.com. (2018). The Other Woman (2014). Retrieved from https://www.imdb.com/title/tt2203939/

Latimes.com. (2018). Los Angeles Times - We are currently unavailable in your region. Retrieved from https://www.latimes.com/entertainment/movies/moviesnow/la-et-mn-the-other-woman-progress-or-predicament-female-driven-film-20140428-story.html

Makama, G. A. (2013). Patriarchy and gender inequality in Nigeria: The way forward. European Scientific Journal, ESJ, 9(17).

She's the Man (2006). (2018). Retrieved from https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0454945/

Time.com. (2018). Future-gender-norms. Retrieved from https://time.com/3672297/future-gender-norms/