Modern media hates women…
….and it’ll gaslight you into thinking you’re crazy for believing that.
Media is the easiest tool for society to use to perpetuate the unfortunate patriarchy that we sadly still live in. Not only is media easily accessible, but it’s also extremely simple to deduce into simple terminology, flashy headlines, and fabricated drama.
Feuds between popular female celebrities, athletes, and politicians have always been a source of entertainment for the general public — think Marilyn Monroe vs. Jaynes Mansfield, Nancy Kerrigan vs. Tonya Harding, Britney Spears vs. Christina Aguilera, Hillary Clinton vs. Monica Lewinsky, Victoria Justice vs. Ariana Grande, Olivia Rodrigo vs. Sabrina Carpenter… the list stretches on for miles.
It doesn’t matter what actually happened behind the scenes, because the media’s main focus isn’t to uncover the truth, even if that’s what’s said — it’s to pit women against one another as a means of distraction and entertainment. In other words, the feuds are the ones painted as the ultimate tomfoolery, not the group of aging men in some dingy, low-lit room making decisions on women’s reproductive rights.
This obsession of women being pitted against one another (many times over another male) keeps up the image that women are just gossiping, catty creatures whose existence is never complete or worthy of attention without the involvement of a man. Sure, you won a Grammy at only 19 years old and can sing across four octaves, but have you ever fought another woman over a man? No amount of beauty, intelligence, or talent a woman has will put her close to the stature of a man, because of the existence of the patriarchy. It will always ensure that men will always have more social capital and power than women.
In recent years, media outlets have done a better job at highlighting moments in pop culture involving women supporting other women, brought on by the voices of other fed-up women. Perhaps certain media outlets have been doing that for years. Even if this is true, and there has been the production of positive media this whole time, which media source is the majority of the population consuming and therefore learning from? Chances are it’s the one that is going to put teenage girls against one another because that one will garner the most attention.
All that to say, it’s not our responsibility to “fix the patriarchy” nor is it fully possible to address this societal issue on such a small scale, but rather, we can choose to consume media that is mentally healthy, well-rounded, and showcases issues in an educated and critical manner. Have fun while consuming media, but also recognize when there’s a limit and a boundary.
So no, you’re not crazy if you also think that the media hates women.