Amy Schumer has taken the comedy world by storm the past year. Her unapologetic humor encourages girls to be proud of their bodies and to not be afraid to laugh at themselves. Here are five times Amy Schumer made fun of society and stood up for all women.
1. “Milk, Milk, Lemonade”
There is nothing wrong with women being proud of their butts, but the constant sexualization of them can get a little annoying. This catchy song, featuring Amber Rose reminded everyone the actual purpose of the caboose.
2. “Football Town Nights”
On Schumer’s show, Inside Amy Schumer, she parodied the hit show Friday Night Lights. Just like on the original show, a new coach came to town; but what was vastly different is that on Schumer’s parody the coach comes in and instructs his players on a new rule: “Do not rape.” This skit showed the absurd excuses people make for rape are such as: “She changed her mind at the last second,”; “She has a reputation,” or, “It’s Halloween and she was asking for it by wearing that costume.” Seeing this in the light of comedy exposes how senseless these excuses are, and how they are no justifications for rape.
3. “Focus Group”
This skit from her show exposes the constant remarks made about the female body. The segment includes an all male focus group reviewing her show, Inside Amy Schumer. When asked questions about the content on the show the members of the focus group answer by discussing how good her butt or breasts look. At the end when asked to rate how funny the show is from 1-10, none of the members of the focus group ranked the show but instead filled their papers with what they do and don’t like about Schumer’s body. One guy drew breasts another guy wrote “bad dumper.” Through this segment Schumer presents the sad truth about how often a woman’s work and accomplishments are disregarded because people would much rather comment and criticize her physical features instead of her intelligence.
4. Trainwreck
Schumer’s first feature film, which she wrote, explores the life of a real girl in rom-com style. Her character, also named Amy, is not a typical female in a move of this format. She does not go to bed with a full face of make-up, she’s promiscuous, and she’s not waiting to be saved. This movie proves not every girl is waiting to be swept off her feet, but instead is able to create her own destiny while still making a few mistakes along the way.
5. Her speech at the Gloria Awards and Gala
In May 2014, Amy Schumer spoke at the Gloria Awards and Gala hosted by the Ms. Foundation for Women. I wish I could quote it in its entirety. She spoke of her freshman year of college where she was discovering this whole new world outside of her comfort zone that she had in high school. She went to college gained weight sand felt lost, like most girls do. She felt unlovable. Finally, a boy showed her attention and she waited for him to profess his love to her. One morning he tells her to come see him, but it wasn’t for a Sunday brunch. He was wasted and just needed a girl, any girl. After hooking up with him she realized she deserves more and she deserves to feel beautiful and be around people who want her. She concludes the speech with words that every girl should repeat to herself when straying from her true self: “I am not who I sleep with. I am not my weight. I am not my mother. I am myself.”
