Since it’s debut in 2013, critics and amateurs alike have heralded it both groundbreaking and revolutionary.
The hit Netflix series "Orange Is The New Black" brings the storied pasts of Litchfield’s inmates into a humorous, heartbreaking, gut-wrenching view.
However, as the show enters its fourth season, the vivid stories revealed in each are not without controversy. With a cast that is almost entirely female, individuals are quick to tout "Orange Is The New Black" as a feminist triumph. Armed with a diverse cast and a story that navigates the complexities of the female spirit, “feminist,” is an adjective that can easily slide off the tongue when describing the show. At the same time, its representation of certain women can also veer on the side of caricature, putting the show at a cultural crossroads.
To view the show through a feminist lens, it’s first helpful to get a definition of feminism. While the definitions are many, Bell Hooks’ definition of the word is simple and concise: “feminism is a movement to end sexism, sexist exploitation, and oppression.” With this definition of feminism in mind, it’s a tall order for a TV show — let alone any pop culture phenomenon — to accomplish the task of being a representation for feminism and feminists everywhere.
The merits of "Orange Is The New Black" are owed largely to its diverse cast. Although Piper Chapman is the character on which the show is based, various (and far more interesting) characters radiate from the dystopia she’s forced to inhabit.
There’s the lovable Poussey and Taystee, the outstanding performance by Laverne Cox as Sophia Burset, the mandala-loving Yoga Jones and the annoying (though charming, as we see in season four) Brook “Soso”, among others. The characters are dynamic and interesting, and the show is undoubtedly entertaining, but as Roxane Gay, author of "Bad Feminist," writes, the show “is diverse in the shallowest, most tokenistic ways.”
The show’s representation of women of color veers into the territory of what Bell Hooks might see as “sexist exploitation.” Many are caricatures and stereotypes of their races or ethnic groups.
Black women are viewed as aggressive, crazy and masculine; Latino women have attitudes and way too many children.
Somewhere in the midst of "Orange Is The New Black" falling back on stereotypes and classic television tropes, the kind of feminism we praise the show for becomes muddled. All forms of oppression are connected, and the racist tropes are anything but a feminist victory.
Of course, "Orange is the New Black" is just a show, and while it falls short in representing women in truly diverse ways, its brand of feminism reminds us how messy feminism is and that there are great strides we need to take to raise our standards of female representation in the media.
In spite of its shortcomings, the show does a good job at raising awareness for trans rights, as a recent Salon article points out, and addressing prison conditions and safety concerns, even if the conditions are exaggerated in the show.
Watching the show, we rally around the characters, root for them, and want to hear their stories; but, we only know their stories only because the show revolves around the wealthy white protagonist, Piper Chapman.
While the show may be described as “feminist” because of its diversity and tackling of tricky and taboo issues, this brand of feminism deserves no crowns if its attempts at diversity and inclusivity are superficial at best.
We can, and should, demand more from the media and its shallow representation of women, demand more from tepid and superficial strains of women’s empowerment that we are told to be grateful for.
Feminism is not a contest, nor has "Orange Is The New Black" claimed the prize.
