Compartmentalization: “The division of things into categories, which remain immovable”
Upon posing for the prestigious and highly coveted Hollywood spread on Vanity Fair, Emma Watson [Beauty and the Beast (2017)], has come under fire from many who believe that her spread – or at least one of the photos from the spread – is detrimental to feminism, as it is advertised for the male gaze. Not only is this belief anti-feminist in nature but contributes to the ongoing compartmentalization of women.
It is anti-feminist as it insists that the choices of grown women to wear bikini’s to the beach, routinely paint their faces, or in Miss Watson’s case be photographed with slight cleavage, are to appeal to men and the patriarchy. Possibly I’d like to enjoy the the feel of the sun in 35 degree weather in my $100 trinkini for me. Maybe I have time one morning to do a full face of makeup after weeks of cramming and fulfilling student duties and want to look good – for me. Women have their own objectives, besides garnering attention from Billy from down the street.
To Compartmentalization of women is to assume that it is right to deny us the ability to be dynamic people.It is to assume that if a woman deviates from her regularly viewed, regularly shared appearance, the world will dissolve – at least, that is what this Vanity Fair spread is proving. The compartmentalization of Emma Watson and the issue with this shoot stem from how the masses view her, not that this excuses the act. However, it does allow for a useful discourse on patriarchy and the roles prescribed to women, which are often binary.
Emma Watson was first introduced to the world as a young Hermione Granger, a smart, eloquent and promising student at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry in the Harry Potter movies. Throughout the the nine-part series, she was shown as conservative and studious, and sex appeal was rarely used with regards to her character After the completion of the series, she maintained this appearance, solemnly refusing roles in which she was perceived as sexual, completing a degree at Brown University, and acting as the United Nations Women Goodwill Ambassador. Emma Watson is smart, and to many it is unfathomable that she can be sexy too. She is a feminist, thus cannot have sex appeal. This is problematic.
These characteristics are not exclusive of nor dependent on another. Feminism does not require that feminists maintain a role or performance. Rather, how one chooses to perform feminism is subjective; it is a spectrum . It is time that we acknowledge the fluidity of women, and stop compartmentalizing them. We are capable of being sexy and smart, not either or.
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