Like many people, Orange
is the New Black is one of my favorite shows. If you haven't watched, it’s
a Netflix series about a fictitious women's prison. The main character, Piper
Chapman, is an upper middle class caucasian woman who has been sent to do hard time. It is the punishment for a decade old crime, committed with an ex-girlfriend, and
that ex-girlfriend, Alex, ends up imprisoned along with her. While I can appreciate
Piper's character for the contrast it adds, I don't really
care for her. And Alex will always be Donna from That 70's Show to
me. My favorite characters are definitely some of the other more odd inmates.
For me, I think that Pennsatucky is probably my favorite. If you're unfamiliar, Pennsatucky is a former abortion clinic shooter, who actually commits her crime because they insulted her during one of her own abortions. But the right-wing media ignores that aspect of her crime and instead sells her as an evangelical hero. She ran with it for a while, savoring the role even behind bars. A major component of her falling out of evangelicalism is the friendship she takes up with an atheist, lesbian inmate who ends up being her best friend in the world.
Clearly, this is a show that celebrates diverse women coming together. Other storylines, such as when "the blacks" take in an Asian girl with no other friends, support this notion as well. So, I was taken aback when I heard one of my favorite characters, Sophia, who, as a transgender, is currently transitioning from life as a man into life as a woman, say something dismissive of young women. It was during the third season of the series, while she giving advice to her son (from her marriage while she was living as a man). As NPR explains the scene:
For me, I think that Pennsatucky is probably my favorite. If you're unfamiliar, Pennsatucky is a former abortion clinic shooter, who actually commits her crime because they insulted her during one of her own abortions. But the right-wing media ignores that aspect of her crime and instead sells her as an evangelical hero. She ran with it for a while, savoring the role even behind bars. A major component of her falling out of evangelicalism is the friendship she takes up with an atheist, lesbian inmate who ends up being her best friend in the world.
Clearly, this is a show that celebrates diverse women coming together. Other storylines, such as when "the blacks" take in an Asian girl with no other friends, support this notion as well. So, I was taken aback when I heard one of my favorite characters, Sophia, who, as a transgender, is currently transitioning from life as a man into life as a woman, say something dismissive of young women. It was during the third season of the series, while she giving advice to her son (from her marriage while she was living as a man). As NPR explains the scene:
But the visit with her son, who is clearly struggling to process her transition, is just as awkward — especially when Sophia offers to provide advice on dating.
"You want some real advice?" she asks him.
"From my second mom or my used to be dad?" Michael replies.
Sophia is unfazed. "My dad told me, find a real insecure girl and practice on her. That way, you meet a girl you really like, you'll be good at it."
"You really want to be a lady in a world where men do that?" Michael asks.
Sophia doesn't hesitate. "God help me, I do."
Initially, this irked me. I was irritated with her character, thinking how dare
she identify as a woman and then tell her son to use women. Essentially, how
dare she appropriate what she likes about us, without respecting us and having
sympathy for the ways we are targeted.
I want to make sure I am clear that I'm
not saying I think this makes her less of a woman. I'm sure there are some odd moms
out that who were born female and have given their sons the same or equally weird advice.
If anything, I think that I expected more from her character, given
her own struggles to find compassion and understanding. Plus, it was disregard from someone who desperately wants to be recognized as
part of the group she was disregarding. For whatever reason, that seems to make it worse.
However, once
I thought about it, I changed my mind. I decided I liked that it was included. It was likely a realistic father and son type moment that she was trying to give him, something that really gets said in some households, and it's not okay. It shows that female value and victimization are painted in a different light than any other. If not, why would even someone who has to go through so
much to transition into a woman think it was okay to disparage young women like
that?
This
is why Netflix series are so great. Their dialogues often make you think, and make you talk. While growing up, it felt like every show was the same rehashed ideals and dialogue. It seems like some series
have evolved, led the way by HBO and Showtime, and now Netflix
and Amazon as well, to include new types of characters and conversations. This is good news because as we saw in The Electric Storyteller, what we watch
very much impacts our personal views.
I
think for any formerly awkward teenage nightmare, such as myself and many other teenage girls, what Sophia
said was disgusting. She has no idea what it is like to navigate a world of
aggressive teenage boys, no more than I do what it is like to be transgender.
The difference is, I have learned to consider hers. Why has she not mine?
This post is incredible! I watched the series and actually do not remember this scene but I was definitely angry after I read it. After you explained why you got over it, I kind of did too. However, I still feel as though it still is not okay. Hit television shows such as Orange is the New Black should be leading examples underneath all the comedic aspects of it. The same way they incorporated police brutality in the seriousness it deserves during troubling times between minorities and police, they should be taking the issue of female inequality serious as well. With Sofia giving that advice, it can be read that since it is coming from a woman, it is okay. I think the show's writers should be more focused on progressing the character which will in turn teach viewers a good lesson instead of not moving the message as well as the character at all.
ReplyDeleteHi, thank you for the comment! I was torn on this as well, at first. I thought they at least should have come back to it to address it at some point, or maybe later show a scenario where Sophia learned why telling her son that was not okay. But then I thought about all the things in the show that have to get left unsaid in order to give this non-melodramatic feel, if that makes sense. I guess in other words, the show has never been a direct "after school special" type program, like that tells you exactly what's right or wrong, but one that usually just leads you to water and hopes you will drink. I do think that the show maintains a certain level of credibility and genuineness for that exact reason. At the same time, it does infer a lot. Think of all the messaging about the privatized prison system, which is probably the most overt opinion they display, but still they make you come to the conclusions through scenarios and dialogue. Same thing with the character of Lorna, we come to see she has mental health issues, but it isn't because she says, "hey, I have mental health issues" or because it is just plainly stated by a prison official in a side scene. We learn she has issues from her behavior, and by learning through her we kind of see it through her lens and it helps us to understand better. I think the show was maybe trying to show how hard it is to break away from old way of thinking, especially when it is something passed down to us, and, obviously, that respecting women in our society is something that still needs a lot of attention. What I found most interesting is after this episode, I googled around to try and see if anyone else had the reaction to it I did, and while it was brought up some, everyone seemed scared to react. Like in the NPR article I linked to, all they would say is that it was “awkward.” We are all so sensitive these days, or should be, to LBGTQ issues, I think that sometimes we don’t want to seem like we are attacking a member for not being fair when they see so much unfairness… but it does need to be said.
DeleteI love your post and agree with it for the most part. I remember this scene thinking why is that ok with you as someone who identifies as a woman to say that about women but wrote it off because of my biased love for the character. Thinking back on the scene I take a slightly different perspective than you (Keep in mind I am male and not transgendered). What if that scene was just to show that Sophia knows and sees the many struggles of women and despite the problems and controversy she will have to deal with wants to be one and accepted as one. Also keep in mind she just got acceptance from her son and she wants to be seen as a cool and open parent that you can talk about anything with and in the process a little of the sexist man in Sophia came out though in my opinion she went too far teaching a boy he can do whatever he wants with women as long as he doesn’t care about them. All and all I still love Sophia and sympathize with all the struggles she goes through and can forgive this little bit of misogyny.
ReplyDeleteWith this post I couldn’t help but be reminded of Caitlyn Jenner. Specifically by hypocrisy sometimes encountered by transitioning/newly transitioned people. In 2015, when Caitlyn spoke to Ellen DeGeneres, Caitlyn said, “I’m a traditionalist. … I kinda like tradition and it’s always been a man and a woman.” This doesn’t make sense for a member of the lgbt community to believe. There are values many people grow up believing in and Caitlyn has only recently stopped denying herself of womanhood. Being lgbt is something someone is born with, but they do not necessarily realize what they are from birth. Often someone is raised and lives most of their life with beliefs that contradict their true identities because they do not recognize their true identities yet. But eventually after transitioning, people tend to correct their beliefs. In 2017, Caitlyn said on 20/20, “I am 100 percent behind gay marriage.” There may be some growing pains, but after fully realizing who one is, whether it is Caitlyn or Sophia, they will eventually right themselves.
ReplyDeletehttp://ew.com/tv/2017/04/20/caitlyn-jenner-gay-marriage-diane-sawyer/