Girl Power Movement in America

B. Girl Power Movement in America

Girl Power ideology and movement or usually just called Girl Power arises in America in 1990s until today. This movement is a part of postfeminist movement or third wave feminism. This phenomenon gives a big influence to many girls and women in the U.S. even around the world. It gives a big change Girl Power ideology and movement or usually just called Girl Power arises in America in 1990s until today. This movement is a part of postfeminist movement or third wave feminism. This phenomenon gives a big influence to many girls and women in the U.S. even around the world. It gives a big change

Women have been trapped in these traditional feminine values for many centuries. They are required to be ‘good girl’ who are tender, submissive, pacify, passive, and weak as if all of these are their original natures. Opposing these values is considered wrong and rude. For unmarried girls, it is thought distancing them from men who will marry them. While for married women, it will lead them to be unwanted wives. Marriage is everything for women with traditional values. Perfect marriage is their main goal and desire. To actualize this, being ‘good’ is really required.

Girl Power emerges in society and gives new values for girls and women. Ideal women are no longer passive, submissive, and vulnerable women but those who are confident, tough and have power to achieve success. To be cool women does not need to be pacify, lovely, and tender. Aggressive, manipulative, and even mean women can also be considered cool and adored as long as they have power. What is meant by power here is not physical strength but rather such achievement as success, status, and fame. It can be said that today marriage no longer becomes every girls and women’s main goal in their life because success, status, and fame have replaced it (Hopkins, 1993, p. 4). It does not mean that they consider marriage unimportant. Girl Power ideology and movement make girls and women Girl Power emerges in society and gives new values for girls and women. Ideal women are no longer passive, submissive, and vulnerable women but those who are confident, tough and have power to achieve success. To be cool women does not need to be pacify, lovely, and tender. Aggressive, manipulative, and even mean women can also be considered cool and adored as long as they have power. What is meant by power here is not physical strength but rather such achievement as success, status, and fame. It can be said that today marriage no longer becomes every girls and women’s main goal in their life because success, status, and fame have replaced it (Hopkins, 1993, p. 4). It does not mean that they consider marriage unimportant. Girl Power ideology and movement make girls and women

Unlike the first and second wave feminism of which the movements are actualized through convention, protest, and other actions that are sounds political, Girl Power movement is actualized by personal empowerment shown by each individual. Media has a great role in this movement because many girls and women imitate the images of Girl Power which are shown by media. About this, Susan Hopkins in her book entitled Girl Heroes: the New Force in Popular Culture has stated:

This is not just a matter of virtual role models replacing real ones, but entails the recycling of media images and illusions into lived realities. Increasingly, reality is folded into media productions and the media is folded into real life (1993, p. 1).

It is clear that what are shown by media really infiltrate into reality. No wonder if the heroes of Girl Power movement are not feminist activists like in the previous waves because whom many women and girls adore in this era are female celebrities. Female celebrities’ fame and success make many girls and women admire them and make them their role models. They embody their desire upon fame and success by imitating the images of Girl Power in media shown by female idols.

Madonna, the queen of pop, is often claimed as the pioneer of Girl Power movement in America. Through media, she has inspired many women and girls to

be tougher, more confident, even more aggressive in the way of thinking, behaving, and achieving their goal. The traditional femininity created by be tougher, more confident, even more aggressive in the way of thinking, behaving, and achieving their goal. The traditional femininity created by

Since her first appearance in 1983, Madonna had attracted many people. With her white skin, slim body, blond hair, beautiful voice, good ability to dance, hard works and ambition, Madonna had fulfilled what were needed to be accepted in mainstream media at that time. During her career, she had had transformations, from ‘slut’ to ‘saviour’ and from ‘object’ to ‘subject’, as if she wanted to say that ‘it’s never too late to reinvent oneself’. Madonna is aware of her sexual power, but she does not let herself become merely an object of male gaze. She successfully takes advantage from that sexual exploitation (Hopkins, 1993, pp. 40-6). She uses patriarchy as much as patriarchy uses her. Madonna uses her sexual power as a way to self-determination and self-actualization.

After Madonna era, many Madonna wannabes colors the world. The female groups like Spice Girls, TLC, All Saints, Atomic Kitten, Girl Thing, Destiny’s Child, etc, reinforces the fact that the era of vulnerable women has ended. Success and popularity have replaced marriage as the destination of many women because success and popularity are proves that they have power.

Spice Girls, a women group from U.K., is often claimed as the most prominent among the other groups. Their slogans, ‘Hold tight, get ready, Girl Power is coming at you’ and ‘Silence is golden but shouting is fun’ which represent Girl Power inspire many girls and young women around the world that they can do and reach what they want. Spice Girls’ Girl Power is based on the mixture of influences of Madonna’s naked ambition, punk’s irreverence and Spice Girls, a women group from U.K., is often claimed as the most prominent among the other groups. Their slogans, ‘Hold tight, get ready, Girl Power is coming at you’ and ‘Silence is golden but shouting is fun’ which represent Girl Power inspire many girls and young women around the world that they can do and reach what they want. Spice Girls’ Girl Power is based on the mixture of influences of Madonna’s naked ambition, punk’s irreverence and

The influence of Girl Power does not only infiltrate into music industry but also TV shows and movies. The traditional archetype of girl in TV shows and films who always becomes victim has been left. Today, girl can also become the savior. TV show like Buffy the Vampire Slayer (1997-2003) and movie like Charlie’s Angels (2000) serve audiences with girl who can fight again her enemy as the main character. They show the main character can kick, punch, and beat down her enemy.

As more and more Girl Power figures emerge in the media, women and girls have many options of role models. They begin to imitate the way the female singers get dressed, the supermodels wear their hair and accessories, the actresses behave in films or in their daily life, etc. This condition however gives profit to many industries like clothes, accessories, make-up industries as many girls and women spend more and more money to fulfill their desire in imitating the role models as an expression of their self-actualization.

C. the Concept of Heroine in America since the Nineteenth Century until the Present

Janice Hume in her article entitled Defining the Historic American Heroine: Changing Characteristics of Heroic Women in Nineteenth-Century

Media has written that dictionaries of the nineteenth century define “heroine” as “a female hero”, and they define hero as “illustrious, brave, courageous, noble, valiant, magnanimous, fearless, and a great warrior”. They also define heroine as “the chief female character in a work of fiction”. However, the definition of heroine in the dictionaries can result to confusing understanding as what Hume wrote, “What if moral standard for women and men were different?” (1997, p. 1).

In this case, of course we cannot define “heroine” as simply “a female hero”. A woman can be considered a female hero if she can fulfill the moral standard of becoming a hero of the era, in which, in the nineteenth century, a hero must be brave, courageous, noble, valiant, fearless, a great warrior, and many other characteristics which are considered the ideal moral standard of the era. Whereas, a woman can be considered heroine if she “would have required her own distinct characteristics representing the moral standards of women” (Hume, 1997, p. 1-2) of her era. Here, it can be concluded that “heroine” is different from “female hero”.

Fishwick has stated, that a hero must “satisfy the emotional and psychological needs of admirers” (as cited in Hume, 1997, p. 2). Wecter also has stated that a hero is “he whom every American should wish to be” (as cited. in Hume, 1997, p. 3). In the nineteenth century, a hero was supposed to be a man, not a woman, as in the era, a woman who involved herself in public concerns was considered “tainted” (Okker as cited in Hume, 1997, p. 2). In the era, the role and the involvement of women in public concerns were limited by tradition which required that women’s place should be at home and they were supposed to deals Fishwick has stated, that a hero must “satisfy the emotional and psychological needs of admirers” (as cited in Hume, 1997, p. 2). Wecter also has stated that a hero is “he whom every American should wish to be” (as cited. in Hume, 1997, p. 3). In the nineteenth century, a hero was supposed to be a man, not a woman, as in the era, a woman who involved herself in public concerns was considered “tainted” (Okker as cited in Hume, 1997, p. 2). In the era, the role and the involvement of women in public concerns were limited by tradition which required that women’s place should be at home and they were supposed to deals

The concept of heroine of one era is certainly different from another era. Then, what is the concept of American heroine or woman considered ideal, as she fulfill the moral standard of women, in the nineteenth century? We can trace back to the concept of American heroine in the nineteenth century through the most popular magazine in the era, The Lady’s Book. This magazine contains fiction stories representing the concept of American heroine in the era through their female main character.

According to Hume, “The magazine’s heroine, however, was not static; as the hypotheses for this study predicted, characteristics of heroic women portrayed in the magazine change right along with changing values for women” (Hume, 1997, p. 17). Here, the era examined are the era of ten years before (1837-1838) and ten years after (1857-1858) the Seneca Falls Women’s Rights Convention (1848), the main historical event of the first-wave feminism, as there is significant shift of heroine’s concept between both these periods in reality which then are followed by media, in this case magazine.

There were seven categories of heroines of 1837-1838. They were: the genius, the victim, the heroine of faith, the self-sacrificial heroine, the sensible There were seven categories of heroines of 1837-1838. They were: the genius, the victim, the heroine of faith, the self-sacrificial heroine, the sensible

In the era, the genius heroine, or the woman who had high intelligence, used her intelligence not for chasing admiration by others or popularity but to make the world or everything around her better and happier instead. In other words, the woman’s genius was not for herself but for others. Moreover, the genius heroine was hoped to not neglect domestic concerns although she had high intelligence. It could be said that the heroine sacrificed herself for others, for her parents, for her siblings, and even for other people outside her kinship. Self- sacrificial heroine was included as one of the categories of heroine in the era. Beside her intelligence, woman was expected to sacrifice her safety, comfort, and health for others. Woman should get rid of all her selfishness in her mind because by doing it, she would get reward from others. The other category was the victim. By becoming self-sacrificial heroine, woman so often became victim, the victim of her father, her brother, or their husband as well as the victim of the dangers of nature. Becoming victim, heroine in the era was depicted a weak, powerless being who really needed help from man. The man could be her father, her brother or her husband who was considered stronger than her as man was stereotyped as tough and strong being. In the era, brave woman who was physically strong was always connected to supernatural power and considered not ideal. The weak one was which was favored. Melancholy heroine appeared as one of the categories of In the era, the genius heroine, or the woman who had high intelligence, used her intelligence not for chasing admiration by others or popularity but to make the world or everything around her better and happier instead. In other words, the woman’s genius was not for herself but for others. Moreover, the genius heroine was hoped to not neglect domestic concerns although she had high intelligence. It could be said that the heroine sacrificed herself for others, for her parents, for her siblings, and even for other people outside her kinship. Self- sacrificial heroine was included as one of the categories of heroine in the era. Beside her intelligence, woman was expected to sacrifice her safety, comfort, and health for others. Woman should get rid of all her selfishness in her mind because by doing it, she would get reward from others. The other category was the victim. By becoming self-sacrificial heroine, woman so often became victim, the victim of her father, her brother, or their husband as well as the victim of the dangers of nature. Becoming victim, heroine in the era was depicted a weak, powerless being who really needed help from man. The man could be her father, her brother or her husband who was considered stronger than her as man was stereotyped as tough and strong being. In the era, brave woman who was physically strong was always connected to supernatural power and considered not ideal. The weak one was which was favored. Melancholy heroine appeared as one of the categories of

Being pious was also required for being respected woman in the era. Woman should be virtuous and becoming a model for her younger siblings. Her piety was not for admiration from other people but for getting reward from family. Sensible heroine was the other category. Woman was demanded to be wise and good person mainly toward her family. This is closely related to the main role of woman, nurturing. In most of stories in Lady’s Book, women were depicted as young women who were married or became wives during the course of the story as well as became mother. Women were depicted always nurturing others, their children, their siblings, even their parents. Nurturing was considered the role of women as women were called by nature to bear, so it was also considered the nature of women. Being wife and being mother as if considered the best role woman should be (Hume, 1997, pp. 4-7).

However, the characteristics of heroine in 1837-1838 described above changed gradually after the Seneca Falls Women’s Rights Convention in 1848. In the period of 1857-1858, ten years after the convention, the characteristics of heroines in The Lady’s Book which consisted of seven categories showed

significant changes although the changes were not drastic changes. The genius women who devoted their intellect for others were “tempered by practicality and common sense” (Hume, 1997, p. 10). The self-sacrificial heroine occasionally got reward from others, not merely became miserable victim who got nothing. The victim who got adversity all her life depicted overcoming the obstacles due to her bravery. In the era, bravery was no longer considered supernatural and it became a new value of women instead. Because of this, melancholy heroine was no longer favored in the era. Cheerful woman with smile always in her face even in hard moment was the portrait of ideal woman of the era. The woman had more spirit in overcoming adversity but her outfit was still modest, with few ornaments. The men in the era preferred the women who were more cheerful, brave, and had more spirit than the melancholy women with pale face, sad expression, which was fatalist. Pious woman was still well-liked but now the pious was not only as a model but also a person teaching other as well. In the era, practicality was more favored. Sensible heroine was eventually trusted to be money manager of family. By combining the characteristic of genius and sensible, woman could be a money manager which was competent. Finally, the role of woman to become mother and wife was added by the role of becoming sister and daughter. The role as a sister or daughter was not only nurturing but sometimes carrying hard duties of family (Hume, 1997, pp. 10-7).

The concept of American heroine in the nineteenth century however did not get any significant change until 1920s when America entered the era of so- called Roaring Twenties, the following era after World War I. In the era, younger The concept of American heroine in the nineteenth century however did not get any significant change until 1920s when America entered the era of so- called Roaring Twenties, the following era after World War I. In the era, younger

Newspaper, magazines, movies, and novels all told Americans that womanhood had changed again. Young, hedonistic, sexual, the flapper soon became a symbol of the age with her bobbed hair, powdered nose, rouged cheeks, and shorter skirts. Lively and energetic, she wanted experience for its own sake. She sought out popular amusements in cabarets, dance hall, and movie theaters that no respectable, middle class woman would have frequented a generation before. She danced, smoked, and flaunted her sexuality to the horror of her elders (1989, p. 175).

The changing lifestyle created a new heroine with a new concept called the Flapper . Thomas Gladysz stated in her article the Jazz Age: Flapper Culture & Style, the typical Flapper was a young woman with “short hair and a short skirt, with turned-down hose and powdered knees”, who generally offended the older generation because she resisted conventions of acceptable feminine behavior. The flapper must have seemed to her mother like a rebel because she no longer confined to home and tradition (Gladysz, 2001).

The flapper represented what acceptable feminine value rejected at the time. Tradition feminine value at the time required women's hair long but the flapper’s was short, or bobbed. She wore make-up which even she might apply in public area whereas according to traditional feminine value her attitude might be considered temptress. The dresses she wore were baggy dresses which often exposed her arms and her legs from the knees down. The flappers also often spent The flapper represented what acceptable feminine value rejected at the time. Tradition feminine value at the time required women's hair long but the flapper’s was short, or bobbed. She wore make-up which even she might apply in public area whereas according to traditional feminine value her attitude might be considered temptress. The dresses she wore were baggy dresses which often exposed her arms and her legs from the knees down. The flappers also often spent

The silent film star Louise Brooks was very much part of the era. Her personality and her role in film represented heroine in the flapper era, the era of the worship of youth. Her social circle included the prominent figures that helped define the era - such as the composer George Gershwin and the writers F. Scott Fitzgerald (Gladysz, 2001).

In 1930s, everything changed for America evidenced Great Depression which began in 1929 and ended until the mid of 1940s. People became penniless and hedonic lifestyle seemed no longer fit in the era. Despite the fact, values of the Flappers did not die out. The values enlarged the concept of the American heroine instead. This somehow gave influence to the concept of heroine in films in the following era.

In a study of the films from the 1930s and 1970s, historians had categorized four major categories of roles that women played. The first one was the role of woman as the “Pillar of Virtues”. This kind of role featured roles of mothers and mammies such as Hattie McDaniel’s character in Gone with the Wind (1939). The second category was the “Glamour Girl”. This category featured the sex goddesses like Marilyn Monroe in Bus Stop (1956) and the femme fatales such as Marlene Dietrich in Blonde Venus (1932). The third category, the “Emotive Woman” featured the roles such as sexually frustrated Rosalind Russell in Picnic (1955) and the seductive Elizabeth Taylor in Cat on a Hot Tin Roof (1958). The last category, the “Independent” woman, featured roles such as the In a study of the films from the 1930s and 1970s, historians had categorized four major categories of roles that women played. The first one was the role of woman as the “Pillar of Virtues”. This kind of role featured roles of mothers and mammies such as Hattie McDaniel’s character in Gone with the Wind (1939). The second category was the “Glamour Girl”. This category featured the sex goddesses like Marilyn Monroe in Bus Stop (1956) and the femme fatales such as Marlene Dietrich in Blonde Venus (1932). The third category, the “Emotive Woman” featured the roles such as sexually frustrated Rosalind Russell in Picnic (1955) and the seductive Elizabeth Taylor in Cat on a Hot Tin Roof (1958). The last category, the “Independent” woman, featured roles such as the

However, throughout film history, “women have been depicted as manipulative, sexually repressed, or sexually overt” (Stupor, n.d.). In the 1950s, especially, America entered the era of “reaffirming male dominance and female subservience; movies showed women as breasts and buttocks, again idealizing women who were ‘pretty, amusing, and childish” (Butler as cited. in Stupor, n.d.). Much of this negative representation somehow has endured and remained in present films, although it may not be as obvious as those in the previous decades. “Nowadays, we see more sensationalized sexual roles for women as the trend began in the 70s” (Stupor, n.d.). Whatever the trend and the era, until now, women are still taking less leading roles in films as patriarchal values still dominate mainstream society.