Olivia Pope is the leading lady of the hit ABC drama, Scandal. The show follows Olivia around as she works to protect Washington DC from all the dirty little secrets politicians and other important figures try (and fail) to cover up. In other words, the person to call when your affair is leaked or you accidentally killed someone is none other than Olivia Pope. Is Olivia a role model though?
Yes: She is a powerful woman and doesn't let anyone forget it.
It's about time a powerful woman was portrayed on prime time television. She represents a woman who is focused on her career. In America today, almost half of the households within the nation consider the mother to be the breadwinner in the family. Furthermore, Olivia is a powerful black woman. Olivia Pope redefines gender and racial norms. Not only is she a woman dedicated to her career, she is a woman who is in the leadership position at her office. She is in charge of a number of people below her, she is not just someone who works under someone else. She gives orders and demands respect--and she gets that back. She tackles the tough issues and never backs down from a case, no matter how stressful or time consuming it may be.
Eh...maybe not: Her love life makes her look weak at times
Olivia's biggest flaw is her on-again, off-again relationship with the President of the United States, who also happens to be a married man. Olivia struggles with her feelings towards the president, and has sworn him off a number of times. However, no matter how many times he hurts her, no matter how many times he blatantly screws her over in the long run, no matter how many times Olivia tells him to go straight to hell, she always gives in to him. Is it possible that this is not merely an affair and it is true love? Is it good for a strong woman in her career to also carry over that strength to her love life, while also showcasing how important love is to any person, regardless of their gender? Maybe.
Olivia's flaws in her love life go to show how important it is for women to have a role model who is still human. Even though she accomplishes great things in her career, she still has some room for improvement in other areas of her life, just like any other individual. Olivia Pope is a role model not because of her affair with the president, but in spite of it. She's a great role model because she's amazing in her accomplishments, but she's still human enough to be attainable.
