Movie Review

The movie I chose to review is The Devil Wears Prada. Most may not think this has anything to do with gender, but it could in many ways. The fashion industry is very influential in the lives of women. Does the fashion industry's standards have anything to do with low self esteem that we see in younger and younger children?

The main character in the movie is someone who is not obsessed with looks and fashion at first. However once she starts working for her boss, she becomes more and more obsessed with pleasing her and fitting in to the fashion world. Is that not what many women, and especially girls, go through all day at work or at school? Trying to fit in with your co-worker or peers at school for the latest in everything in style?

The readings for the week were about marriage and the deterioration of marriage, especially over the last few decades. I think it just has to do with people who do not take seriously marriage any more. My father and mother have been married for over twenty years, because they help each other out and try and work out any differences. Today, whenever something goes wrong, divorce is always brough up as an option. I think divorce is too easily sought now. It should not be that easy to get a divorce, unless there is abuse, physicall or psychological, going on or something to that effect. I do not believe one should be able to get a divorce just because they are having problems in bed or many of the baseless reasons some couples today actually get divorced!

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There are many negative ads that feature women, having to do solely with sex objectification. However, I think this is a positive ad for women who consider themselves feminists. The ad for Aeropostale shows a female by the phrase "I think a lot about world hunger, I think a lot about environmental issues, I think a lot about my hair." I think it sends an important message to women and especially girls that it is okay to be smart and be "girly."

As discussed in class, the stereotype of a feminist is always a rather butch woman who does not put any stock into her appearance and hates men. We see in this ad, a normal looking girl who pays attention to world issues, but is not what one would describe as a stereotypical, in every bad sense of the word, feminist.

I think whether or not one calls themself a "feminist" does not necessarily matter. Yes, it would be good if everyone self-identified as a feminist and gave it a more positive meaning, but I do not believe that is the most important issue when it comes to women and women's rights. Just the common belief that a woman can have a brain, pay attention to things like politics and influence it, and pay attention to her own self and her own beauty is a healthy thing. That is why I like this ad; it seems to be an example of that.