Advancements in cinematography anticipate that new, uplifting themes in television will replace old and outdated ideas by 2025. Though progressive principles constitute a supposedly modern environment that combats gender inequality, it still seems as if somehow we are going back in time.
The narratives that involve men always “having their way” and holding power over women have recently resurfaced in film. Elements of misogyny are still intertwined with the plots of popular movies and TV shows today, and people should be more concerned.
Sexism In Theaters Now
“Babygirl” (2024), directed by Halina Reijn, is an erotic film that focuses on Romy Mathis (Nicole Kidman), a female CEO of a robotics company, and her sex-driven affair with her much younger intern, Samuel (Harris Dickinson) who ends up drastically improving Romy’s poor sex life.
Romy secretly holds the desire for a man to dominate her, and without being given any evidence as to why, Samuel instantly understands, telling Romy, “I think you like being told what to do.”
The comment marks the beginning of Romy’s infidelity and is one of many sexist nuances that can be interpreted in her relationship with Samuel. For instance, when he forces Romy to kneel down in their hotel room, he compares her to a dog, which greatly satisfies her. This analogy persists to the end of the film when Romy is having intercourse with her husband, and she imagines Samuel and his dog in order to feel pleased. Samuel orders milk to Romy’s table in one scene while she meets with clients and watches her drink it from afar. They encounter each other later, and he calls her a “good girl,” creating a distinct power dynamic between the two.
This dynamic is an unrealistic marketed fantasy meant to suggest that even powerful and educated women desire subjugation at the hands of men. Writer Elissa Suh from the blog MoviePudding describes the milk scene as a “contrived fetish” that seems to be “engineered for the film — or perhaps TikTok — rather than genuine expression.” The milk, she adds, is a “symbol of innocence and purity,” which Samuel gets a strange kick out of after watching Romy consume it.
A one-star rating of “Babygirl” on IMDb referred to it as being an “example of the ‘pornification’ of modern media” and explained that it is a marketed piece of hypersexuality and toxic gender roles that people should “wake up” from. They also say the film is sexist by displaying an “outdated stereotype that paints older women as unhinged predators while glorifying the male gaze.” Romy’s odd attraction to Samuel gives the impression that regardless of her influence and power, she will always want to be controlled by a man — a motif of underlying misogyny.
The Wolf vs. The Lamb
“Nosferatu” (2024), directed by Robert Eggers, is another recent film that depicts a woman’s need to be controlled by a man. Lily Rose-Depp plays forlorn wife Ellen Hunter, who has a dark past of begging for a creature to please her on lonely days.
Her wish overtakes her when her husband Thomas leaves for Transylvania to meet client Count Orlok, leaving her in the care of his trusted friends, Friedrich and Anna Harding. With her husband away, Ellen begins to have disturbing sexual visions about Orlok, which she is ashamed of, but aroused by. These feelings cause her to loathe and repress her emotions out of “sin.”
Eventually, Ellen is swayed by the idea of “belonging” to Count Orlok and pledges herself to him after he tells her to surrender to him in three nights or Thomas will be killed. In the Forbes article “The Sensual Horror Of ‘Nosferatu,’ Explained,” film writer Dani Di Placido describes Count Orlok as being a “manifestation of Ellen’s repressed sexual desires” and “the answer to Ellen’s desperate loneliness, the companion she doesn’t want to want.”
The idea that Ellen’s sexual inclinations somehow created a monster’s presence in her life that caused her infidelity has an undeniably sexist ring to it. It suggests that women’s repressed sexual feelings are negative and that they ruin their lives along with those of their loved ones. The same concept exists in “Babygirl,” where Romy endangers her career and family structure for Samuel.
“Nosferatu” is not the first modern horror movie to employ misogynistic stereotypes. The “Terrifier” series, directed by Damien Leone, demonstrates similar themes and revolves around Art the Clown, who targets and brutally kills young women. Mallory Moore, a writer on the blog platform Medium, explains in her review of the franchise titled “The Terrifier franchise is misogynist,” that the films consist of “fetishism for grisly visuals and pornographic storytelling.”
Art the Clown mutilates the women he chases and writes objectifying words about them with their blood, such as “sl–” and “wh—,” establishing harmful aspects about torturing young and innocent girls and sexist thoughts escalating into a killing spree.
Misogyny Disguised As Entertainment
Many modern TV shows loved by audiences today also present unhealthy depictions of a woman’s role in a relationship. A notorious example of a series like this is the globally adored “Love Island,” where people are able to find their “soulmates” while on an extravagant vacation. Many of the challenges the contestants have to complete are degrading.
Assistant Editor at Glamour Magazine Emily Maddick writes that “The Kissing Game,” where women are rated on their kissing skills by men, goes against “feminism” and “equality.” She further clarifies this outlook by claiming that women are put to “perform” to satisfy the men. Maddick also adds that the women are “being pitted against each other” to win over the men.
Other instances of women being playthings for men in reality TV are shown in classics like “Jersey Shore,” where Vinny describes the women he has been with in a lowly manner, and everyone calls Angelina a “wh—.”
The Audience of the Future
What we choose to popularize in the media nowadays not only affects us, but it can have a significant negative impact on children. Misogyny and over-sexualization in the media confuse young girls and boys about their gender roles in society and may cause them to act in dangerous and regressive ways.
Author Dr. Stephanie V. Ng of “Social Media and the Sexualization of Adolescent Girls” finds that the sexualization of women is “rewarded online” often by men, yet women are shamed for exhibiting similar behavior in person, which facilitates “double standards that reinforce gender stereotypes.” She states that studies have shown these standards lead to “reduced cognitive abilities” and “worsened physical and mental health.” Dr. Ng adds that adolescent girls have admitted they would “compete” with their female friends online for “likes” and validation through “portraying themselves in sexual ways,” as society has made this behavior okay.
We must give importance to the fact that female devaluation has been normalized in the world, even as an art form. Confronting the way in which the media often glorifies misogyny, and taking steps to educate people about its detrimental effects will help to make a difference.
Subjugation being glorified on film can influence people to dehumanize women to the point where they are stripped of their autonomy and fundamental human rights. If patriarchal values continue to dominate the public and display women as submissive creatures, there is no room for advancement in our society. Misogyny is detrimental to the modern world, as it encourages dwelling in hatred and undermines the qualities an individual possesses based on sex.
Both men and women benefit from tackling misogyny, as realizing its iniquity helps us to embrace one another’s attributes and cultivate positive relationships. More women would learn the importance of promoting self-worth and love in their lives. More men would develop a deeper respect for women’s strengths and would help in overcoming ideas of violence and objectification towards women rooted in toxic masculinity. There are men that adore women and want to see them soar, which people should be reminded of. By choosing not to expose ourselves to detrimental content, we are not being blinded or negatively affected by unrealistic gender stereotypes.