Throughout history gender has been a conflicting discussion, especially concerning power and dominance. It is evident that women lack the ability to hold power due to reinforced ideals from society. It was the patriotic society that generations before us have been taught and continue to enforce their social ideals on the generations to come. Echo’s of this male dominance era still ring in today’s generation in the media, politics and day-to-day social encounters. These ideals cause women to see themselves without identity. Women are continually suppressed and encouraged to discard any form of power they have. It is believed and encouraged that women cannot hold power, however, it is society that enforces women to be inferior and objectified.
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Women are reminded of how they should act and often put in their place. In Buffy the Vampire Slayer the couple Xander and Anya are fighting about their relationship. Xander reminds his girlfriend that she’s “turned into a real girl” (Hush 00:07:13-00:07:20). Xander say’s this in such a tone to insist to Anya that she is acting in a way that he does not find acceptable. In the same way the main character in When it Happens is too afraid to ask her husband for assistance because she believes she needs sufficient reasoning (Atwood 282). In both cases, the females are suppressed in their relationships and made to believe that it is justified. According to Haslam, “women’s social disempowerment is furthered by popular representations of women as passive objects who existed primarily for the pleasure of men” (Thinking Popular Culture 187). Male dominance in relationships overpower women and make them believe that they are objects. Once again, the couple from Buffy the Vampire Slayer are fighting. The female, Anya, complains that she is unhappy with their relationship being primarily about sex (Hush 00:07:35-00:07:55). Women are often sexualized. Media and society portrays women to be nothing more than property and trophies. In Buffy the Vampire Slayer, a group of women suggest only female stereotype fundraising ideas, and dismissed any other ideas that would …show more content…
As a last resort to solve any conflict is when a woman’s action is valid. In When It Happens the main character was placed in an apocalyptic world where she took care of herself (Atwood 287). According to Haslam, the main character could only see herself taking control of her own life by imagining her current world ending (Zombie Lecture One). Only then could she be her own hero and have her own power. Society will give power to women only when everything is broken. Therefore, a woman’s voice and opinion is only listened to in a time of crisis. In Buffy the Vampire Slayer it is Buffy’s scream that saves the town from the Gentlemen (Hush 00:40:15-00:40:40). In the towns chaotic demise, Buffy was allowed to show her strength and dominance. When Buffy was able to expose herself and her power, she saved the town from an unspeakable evil. Only then was it justified for her to expose herself as a strong heroine. Therefore, women can only have power when the ideal society is
Women are reminded of how they should act and often put in their place. In Buffy the Vampire Slayer the couple Xander and Anya are fighting about their relationship. Xander reminds his girlfriend that she’s “turned into a real girl” (Hush 00:07:13-00:07:20). Xander say’s this in such a tone to insist to Anya that she is acting in a way that he does not find acceptable. In the same way the main character in When it Happens is too afraid to ask her husband for assistance because she believes she needs sufficient reasoning (Atwood 282). In both cases, the females are suppressed in their relationships and made to believe that it is justified. According to Haslam, “women’s social disempowerment is furthered by popular representations of women as passive objects who existed primarily for the pleasure of men” (Thinking Popular Culture 187). Male dominance in relationships overpower women and make them believe that they are objects. Once again, the couple from Buffy the Vampire Slayer are fighting. The female, Anya, complains that she is unhappy with their relationship being primarily about sex (Hush 00:07:35-00:07:55). Women are often sexualized. Media and society portrays women to be nothing more than property and trophies. In Buffy the Vampire Slayer, a group of women suggest only female stereotype fundraising ideas, and dismissed any other ideas that would …show more content…
As a last resort to solve any conflict is when a woman’s action is valid. In When It Happens the main character was placed in an apocalyptic world where she took care of herself (Atwood 287). According to Haslam, the main character could only see herself taking control of her own life by imagining her current world ending (Zombie Lecture One). Only then could she be her own hero and have her own power. Society will give power to women only when everything is broken. Therefore, a woman’s voice and opinion is only listened to in a time of crisis. In Buffy the Vampire Slayer it is Buffy’s scream that saves the town from the Gentlemen (Hush 00:40:15-00:40:40). In the towns chaotic demise, Buffy was allowed to show her strength and dominance. When Buffy was able to expose herself and her power, she saved the town from an unspeakable evil. Only then was it justified for her to expose herself as a strong heroine. Therefore, women can only have power when the ideal society is