I have something to say about the Robin Scherbatsky niche and it might be hypocritical-- I will refrain from treading in deep water for too long here. Even though I finished America's beloved show, "How I Met Your Mother" a month ago, I continue to struggle with a few aspects of the show: one of which is Robin's dislike of women.
Robin is casted as the perfect woman on the show. Why else would Ted, the good protagonist who painstakingly longs to have a family, spend so many seasons falling in and out and in love with her? The gorgeous Robin is made out to seem so perfect, in fact, that even Barney Stinson, a man who does little more than objectify women much less fall in love with them, falls in love with her too! When men aren't falling helplessly in love with her, Robin enjoys her time smoking cigars, drinking scotch, and sports. You know... bro stuff. In fact, she was raised as a son in Canadian wilderness and an ideal date for her is going to strip clubs with her man. Can she get more bro-hot?
(Oh and don't worry, she's too hot to fall into butch territory).
But that's not the problem. Good for her, she's a beast (in the best sense of the word)! What's problematic is how much she "can't be friends with women." How she's "not like other girls." As though she's the only woman who likes hockey or good alcohol. As though she is some Superwoman who cannot relate to mere mortals.
As if the perfect woman isn't supposed to be friends with women.
Pardon, unless it's Lily, the only other woman with substance on the show who is friends with Robin somewhat on the basis that Marshall didn't fall in love with Robin too and found his monogamous life partner on his first day at college. Worth noting here is that even Lily is sexually drawn to Robin! Regardless, Robin draws the line with Lily. In one episode, our heroine explicitly complains about female friendships (and girls with bangs which makes me wonder what I'm really angry about here). She mocks female conversation, female laughter, and women's problems as she sips her scotch, as though she isn't a barren ex-pop star with some serious boy problems.
So, CBS. So, Netflix. So, friends. So, America: is the perfect woman really a misogynist? Is the perfect woman really just a man with the body of a hot brunette? Is the perfect woman above the petty problems of normal women? Is the perfect woman someone who yells at women like Patrice who are just trying to be friendly?!
She's not. So let's stop celebrating the putting down of women by women.
