Popular television has long had significant power in instilling and challenging hegemonic social structures.
It has recently come to my attention that episodes of popular animated tv series The Simpsons have been exploring an increasing number of serious social issues.
One may say, how could this be true, its just a tv show. But for those of us who have dutifully sat down to watch, the show has been ‘upping the anti’ for addressing the topic of the day.
Tonight’s episode saw The Simpson’s ‘nerd’ child Lisa experience the frustrating and sexist (albeit it unconscious) attitude of her peers when reacting to her with and without braces.
Lisa noticed that when wearing braces that forced her to smile her peers automatically saw her as more likeable. And when the braces came off, that same popularity automatically decreased.
Society’s quest to make women feel the need to fit stereotypes of beauty and behaviour has continued to proliferate even in an era of ‘#MeToo’ and Equal Opportunity.
Where men can leave the house unshaven, wearing messy clothes and expressing their annoyance at a particular issue, when women do the same they are automatically deemed complaining, angry and ugly bitches.
Now of course this is not always the case. Of course men too are held up to ridiculous standards of how they ought to behave and appear.
But the need for women to look pretty, be nice and be happy is all too often tied into how we are perceived in terms of our strength and capability. And all too often connected to our abilities to gain attention from potential partners and friends.
Just prior to the new year I made a few decisions. Not to adhere to beauty standards decided by other people and not to enact these beauty standards purely because others thought it would increase my likeability.
Of course we need to make ourselves look presentable in certain environments. But if I don’t want to or feel the need to wear make up when going to the supermarket why should I?
The Simpson’s poignant analysis of how beauty standards and popularity demonstrates the pervasiveness of archaic standards of appearance.
So the next time you see me I may or not be wearing make up.
So please don’t assume I’m having a bad day, it could in fact be that I’m having a really good day. That just isn’t related to how I ‘look’.