“Tyzhedevochka”: 5 images and attitudes that women refuse

As you know, mass culture, like a mirror, reflects social changes. To find out how the image of a woman in the media space is changing, the TLC TV channel conducted a semiotic study. After analyzing films, commercials and publications in the press, the experts identified 31 codes – a stable set of characters and their combinations that allow us to trace the transformation of familiar images.

“Certainly, stereotypes about women are still strong and it is impossible to speak for the whole country: in Moscow it is one thing, outside it is another. It is important to take into account national and religious characteristics,” says psychologist Larisa Surkova. In general, women are indeed gradually becoming more free from the pressure of society and are discovering new opportunities for themselves in various areas of life. Let’s see how this manifests itself in popular culture.

1. Happy wife

Every girl has heard at least once that the main thing for a woman is to get married successfully. Of course, someone had enough critical thinking to build a life based on their own desires and beliefs, and not on the opinions of others, but many have grown up and continue to live with the conviction that marriage is the main happiness, and if they fail to marry before 30 years old, feel like a loser.

This stereotype, in turn, gave rise to judgments “Don’t eat a lot, don’t laugh out loud, don’t be too active – you have to be feminine, you’re a girl”, “Don’t be too smart, no man wants to look stupider than his woman”, “Be fragile and gentle – men love to be protective”, “Always be obedient and patient, they need to feel in charge in a relationship, otherwise their self-esteem suffers.”

These messages are promoted by the mass media. Advertising often depicts the image of a girl whose thoughts are on how to be attractive to a partner and take care of his comfort. Such a girl loves pink, does not like to think too much and is rather clumsy, but her man is condescending about this. For example, in an advertisement for a beer brand, a housewife sheds tears because she burned lunch and hears from her husband: “Don’t worry, dear, you didn’t burn the beer.”

Trainings to awaken female power teach that only a married woman can be truly happy, which means that it is important to direct all your efforts to inspire and support your partner, create comfortable psychological and living conditions for him, and always remain feminine and attractive. and recognize the headship of the husband.

The image of a timid, defenseless, submissive and very diligent girl as a standard of behavior that will certainly lead to a wedding with a prince can be traced in such series as Poor Nastya, Don’t Be Born Beautiful, and in the film Cinderella.ru.

There is another category of stereotypes, generated by the idea of ​​marriage as the main dream of any woman.

It suggests a more pragmatic approach, which is no longer to get a prince on a white horse, but to become a “trophy wife” of a wealthy person. But even here there are a number of prescriptions: “Always look perfect”, “Be an interesting companion, but do not load and do not try to seem smarter”, “Be gorgeous in bed and satisfy all the desires and fantasies of a man”, “Be mysterious and mysterious”, “ Be easy to communicate, give a man attention and affection.

These principles are followed by the heroines of the films “How to Marry a Millionaire”, “Gentlemen Prefer Blondes”, “Heartbreakers”, and video trainings and books telling about what needs to be done to get a wealthy husband are calling for them to be adopted.

In both cases, the interests and desires of the man are put at the forefront, and the woman is asked to adapt to them first of all. Recently, the idea of ​​marriage as the highest happiness for any woman is weakening. Instead, the media is increasingly promoting the image of a confident woman who sets goals outside the field of romantic relationships and strives for them, despite obstacles. Even if she marries, this fact does not become a decisive criterion for her success and happiness.

2. Ideal housewife

One of the eternal images is the keeper of the hearth. Most often, this is how a woman is described who has fully realized herself in the role of an ideal housewife, who devotes herself to caring for her husband (earner and head of the family) and children, maintains impeccable order in the house, cooks with pleasure, is always well-groomed and in a good mood. This image is depicted in the novel “The Stepford Wives” and the film adaptation of the same name, in the film “Pleasantville”.

The domestic variation of the image is the hostess-superhero. She is allowed to work (but not to the detriment of everyday life), not to look her best, and not even to have a very meek disposition, although she is obliged to know her place. The spouse and children should feel behind her like behind a stone wall. Such a woman will stop a galloping horse, enter a burning hut, like the heroines of the series “Olga” and the clip of the “Leningrad” group “Not Paris”.

But the idea that her highest mission is to be the guardian of the hearth is losing popularity. In the media, there is an idea that a husband and children are not the only way of self-realization, and household duties can be quite combined with work and hobbies or entrusted to others. At the same time, the idea of ​​an equal distribution of housework and the image of a housewife husband are being popularized.

3. Shock worker

This image gained popularity in the last century, when many male professions were opened to women, and the state stimulated the desire to serve society. We are talking about workaholic women, for whom the main thing is work: for the sake of it, they sacrifice their personal lives, communication with children (if any), interests and hobbies.

This is how the heroines of a number of films appear: the lonely careerist Lucy Hill from Frozen from Miami, who at first does not care not only about her own personal life, but also about the fate of her subordinates who are threatened with layoffs; journalist Andy from The Devil Wears Prada, who at some point prioritizes her career over relationships; investigator Kamenskaya, who basically does not want to have children so that criminals cannot use them for blackmail, and many others.

It would seem that this is the complete opposite of the keeper of the hearth, but there are similarities between the images. They are brought together by the idea that the main thing for a woman is to serve, no matter, family or society, and she has no right to personal interests.

However, the image is also losing popularity. The media focuses on women who successfully combine work, family and hobbies, primarily realizing their goals and desires and enjoying life. These include such star mothers of large families as Natalia Vodianova, Victoria Beckham, Heidi Klum, half of the female bloggers on Instagram and the heroines of the films “I don’t know how she does it” and “Julie and Julia: Cooking happiness according to the recipe”.

4. La femme fatale from the glossy cover

Until recently, the image of an impeccable beauty remained popular – a “femme fatale” who looks perfect in any situation. She wears stylish clothes that accentuate her impeccable figure (the result of regular training in the gym or plastic surgery), her hair is always perfectly styled, her makeup is bright, and she does not part with high-heeled shoes even at home. It is assumed that men hover around her, and she skillfully manipulates them, while they are not even aware of it.

This image is found in the films “Fatal Beauty”, “Star”, “Breakfast at Tiffany’s” and paintings with the participation of Marilyn Monroe. It is clear that it is almost impossible and very tiring to always comply with it, but visual advertising, articles in the glossy and the Internet, manuals from the category “How to become a femme fatale” veiled and directly urged women to strive for this.

Recently, the media are abandoning this image in favor of naturalness. Leading designers believe that everything that is comfortable is fashionable, casual hair and natural makeup are at the peak of popularity, and monotonous staged shots on Instagram are boring in many ways. Diversity aesthetics and body positivity are becoming more popular. Being different from others, not hiding scars, burns, skin features, non-model sizes and non-standard appearance is not shameful today. Uniqueness is welcome.

5. In 60+ – only a grandmother

Stereotypes and social expectations accompany women from birth (“girls – pink, boys – blue”, “girls – dolls, boys – cars”) and to old age. For a long time, popular culture has painted such an image of a “correct” woman 50-60+: she bakes, prepares jam and pickles, knits or embroiders, takes care of her grandchildren, dogs, cats, and her house is always clean and tidy. This image is found in the TV series “The Medicine for Grandmother”, “Matchmakers” and in many others.

But now the media are promoting a different lifestyle for women of mature age, active and socially significant. Representatives of this category conquer many areas that were previously inaccessible to them: they go on the catwalks, become the main characters of television programs, series, advertisements and articles, play sports, their favorite work and even happily marry, sometimes even for men much younger than themselves. Such, living a bright life, appear the main characters of the films “Hello, my name is Doris”, “Harold and Maude”, “Grandmother on demolition”.

The study of the TLC channel speaks of a gradual departure from the above stereotypes, primarily in popular culture. Mass culture is sensitive to the slightest changes in society and reflects them, moreover, the influence is mutual, many women try on certain behaviors that are popularized by the media.