I'm picking back up where I left off with Gender Roles & the Media Part 2: Jane the Virgin (I took a brief break to write about this). The Mindy Project sneakily tackles a lot of female gendered stereotypes, especially those regarding how many sexual partners a woman should have without becoming a "slut"--a term that should basically be thrown at the window since there is no male equivalent.
Anyhow, here are a few gifs to illustrate my point:
[rebelmouse-proxy-image https://media.rbl.ms/image?u=%2Ffiles%2F2016%2F12%2F03%2F6361636989504084731338438736_tumblr_mgq531921G1qj13q4o3_250.gif&ho=https%3A%2F%2Faz616578.vo.msecnd.net&s=640&h=f12263d969dd774d93b3d683e92d351aebe41c7699d4c81f453618225270f4ca&size=980x&c=2408997618 crop_info="%7B%22image%22%3A%20%22https%3A//media.rbl.ms/image%3Fu%3D%252Ffiles%252F2016%252F12%252F03%252F6361636989504084731338438736_tumblr_mgq531921G1qj13q4o3_250.gif%26ho%3Dhttps%253A%252F%252Faz616578.vo.msecnd.net%26s%3D640%26h%3Df12263d969dd774d93b3d683e92d351aebe41c7699d4c81f453618225270f4ca%26size%3D980x%26c%3D2408997618%22%7D" expand=1]
Women don't have to be automatically good with kids.
[rebelmouse-proxy-image https://media.rbl.ms/image?u=%2Ffiles%2F2016%2F12%2F03%2F636163860625056669-660770549_i%2520mean%2520rich%2520women_zpsofocsnh6.gif&ho=https%3A%2F%2Faz616578.vo.msecnd.net&s=479&h=02f93fd015953f29d5e593846c1648f2ec684a2f58d23b38098488f8e9a3069f&size=980x&c=2904622209 crop_info="%7B%22image%22%3A%20%22https%3A//media.rbl.ms/image%3Fu%3D%252Ffiles%252F2016%252F12%252F03%252F636163860625056669-660770549_i%252520mean%252520rich%252520women_zpsofocsnh6.gif%26ho%3Dhttps%253A%252F%252Faz616578.vo.msecnd.net%26s%3D479%26h%3D02f93fd015953f29d5e593846c1648f2ec684a2f58d23b38098488f8e9a3069f%26size%3D980x%26c%3D2904622209%22%7D" expand=1]
Exactly what she said. And when Danny doesn't agree? She dumps him and takes their baby with her.
[rebelmouse-proxy-image https://media.rbl.ms/image?u=%2Ffiles%2F2016%2F12%2F03%2F6361638620188223221330041809_m2.gif&ho=https%3A%2F%2Faz616578.vo.msecnd.net&s=205&h=877f980c70cb9b69825aa3db1b5d322c3e48b28ba3d1dbb30fb39234148a0fbe&size=980x&c=2432239188 crop_info="%7B%22image%22%3A%20%22https%3A//media.rbl.ms/image%3Fu%3D%252Ffiles%252F2016%252F12%252F03%252F6361638620188223221330041809_m2.gif%26ho%3Dhttps%253A%252F%252Faz616578.vo.msecnd.net%26s%3D205%26h%3D877f980c70cb9b69825aa3db1b5d322c3e48b28ba3d1dbb30fb39234148a0fbe%26size%3D980x%26c%3D2432239188%22%7D" expand=1]
Instead of making a big deal of this "pivotal" milestone, Mindy glosses right over it (unlike Jane[rebelmouse-proxy-image https://media.rbl.ms/image?u=%2Ffiles%2F2016%2F12%2F03%2F6361638633526927111402958432_1424705261-mindy-kaling.gif&ho=https%3A%2F%2Faz616578.vo.msecnd.net&s=441&h=4548c813eec5ad25ed2e8e1eb5ae37de6d5807c7be31f1ede2a444753a11dffe&size=980x&c=963023803 crop_info="%7B%22image%22%3A%20%22https%3A//media.rbl.ms/image%3Fu%3D%252Ffiles%252F2016%252F12%252F03%252F6361638633526927111402958432_1424705261-mindy-kaling.gif%26ho%3Dhttps%253A%252F%252Faz616578.vo.msecnd.net%26s%3D441%26h%3D4548c813eec5ad25ed2e8e1eb5ae37de6d5807c7be31f1ede2a444753a11dffe%26size%3D980x%26c%3D963023803%22%7D" expand=1]
Let's set the record straight: women don't have to settle just because society thinks we need to grab the first man who wants to marry us lest we become *gasp* spinsters![rebelmouse-proxy-image https://media.rbl.ms/image?u=%2Ffiles%2F2016%2F12%2F03%2F6361638642096602301918660871_tumblr_nkbv5fjyjk1r5o09so1_500.gif&ho=https%3A%2F%2Faz616578.vo.msecnd.net&s=448&h=acc54ff699802f5415c01c9c10b54e98dfde4b5e641abe5f844a42a64cb32cff&size=980x&c=4183819505 crop_info="%7B%22image%22%3A%20%22https%3A//media.rbl.ms/image%3Fu%3D%252Ffiles%252F2016%252F12%252F03%252F6361638642096602301918660871_tumblr_nkbv5fjyjk1r5o09so1_500.gif%26ho%3Dhttps%253A%252F%252Faz616578.vo.msecnd.net%26s%3D448%26h%3Dacc54ff699802f5415c01c9c10b54e98dfde4b5e641abe5f844a42a64cb32cff%26size%3D980x%26c%3D4183819505%22%7D" expand=1]
Normalizing sugar cravings for all women (not just the super-model thin ones!).[rebelmouse-proxy-image https://media.rbl.ms/image?u=%2Ffiles%2F2016%2F12%2F03%2F6361638649015817381552986482_Mindy-11.gif&ho=https%3A%2F%2Faz616578.vo.msecnd.net&s=389&h=6f887325d54923dcc67266a66221990d080de62457ee225bb6ec1801a4bf6612&size=980x&c=1952504161 crop_info="%7B%22image%22%3A%20%22https%3A//media.rbl.ms/image%3Fu%3D%252Ffiles%252F2016%252F12%252F03%252F6361638649015817381552986482_Mindy-11.gif%26ho%3Dhttps%253A%252F%252Faz616578.vo.msecnd.net%26s%3D389%26h%3D6f887325d54923dcc67266a66221990d080de62457ee225bb6ec1801a4bf6612%26size%3D980x%26c%3D1952504161%22%7D" expand=1]
Again, this entire show supports the fact that Mindy is NORMAL-sized, and on the trimmer side of normal to be honest.[rebelmouse-proxy-image https://media.rbl.ms/image?u=%2Ffiles%2F2016%2F12%2F03%2F636163865967119076-390721102_mp-72.gif&ho=https%3A%2F%2Faz616578.vo.msecnd.net&s=312&h=1eda68ccfe42ccf79e1591e7d829d54261571c08eeb0c5b6eadf3a71502a96aa&size=980x&c=2036473463 crop_info="%7B%22image%22%3A%20%22https%3A//media.rbl.ms/image%3Fu%3D%252Ffiles%252F2016%252F12%252F03%252F636163865967119076-390721102_mp-72.gif%26ho%3Dhttps%253A%252F%252Faz616578.vo.msecnd.net%26s%3D312%26h%3D1eda68ccfe42ccf79e1591e7d829d54261571c08eeb0c5b6eadf3a71502a96aa%26size%3D980x%26c%3D2036473463%22%7D" expand=1]
She asks of her date, because women have less shallow and hurtful concerns (like wishing you made more money).[rebelmouse-proxy-image https://media.rbl.ms/image?u=%2Ffiles%2F2016%2F12%2F03%2F636163866661273812-340023133_200_s.gif&ho=https%3A%2F%2Faz616578.vo.msecnd.net&s=661&h=e990fd4b90a760a6ce18fe1a52745bee74e8df487029ed415534182972d90a76&size=980x&c=1815376790 crop_info="%7B%22image%22%3A%20%22https%3A//media.rbl.ms/image%3Fu%3D%252Ffiles%252F2016%252F12%252F03%252F636163866661273812-340023133_200_s.gif%26ho%3Dhttps%253A%252F%252Faz616578.vo.msecnd.net%26s%3D661%26h%3De990fd4b90a760a6ce18fe1a52745bee74e8df487029ed415534182972d90a76%26size%3D980x%26c%3D1815376790%22%7D" expand=1]
Don't even get me started on 'society,' those sons of bitches!Plus, in one of the most recent episodes, "Mindy Lahiri Is a Misogynist," Mindy struggles with the office hiring another female doctor. The male doctors all claim that she is just jealous--which is fair, because as she says, "I was raised in a system created by men that has pitted women against each other. It was true in 6th grade and it's still true today. I was taught to believe that men can only handle one woman at a time, so it's not my fault that I was threatened by Anna, it's the fault of the patriarchy. "--but also she just doesn't like Anna. And that's the thing about feminism: we don't have to all like each other. The solidarity lies in allowing each other to be who we want to be and hating each other all the same, with the same freedom as men do.
And overall, doesn't this prove how freaking hilarious women are? Especially since Mindy Kaling writes and produces the show. Talk about girl power!
For more like this, see my author profile!
