Hollywood is capable of transporting us to fantastical worlds and making us believe the unbelievable. Despite this, it is also notorious for portraying women far from their actual reality.
Some tropes need to be noted and taken out of industry discourse as they are both incorrect and, at times, offensive.
1. Women Are Meek
Of course, we’re not talking about the Ellen Ripleys and Imperator Furiosas of the silver screen, but many women in film have been depicted as weak and submissive.
On the contrary, with everything they go through on a daily, you’re more likely to come across a Ripley during your day-to-day than a Princess Buttercup.
2. They Only Want to Date Older Men
People seem to think that all women in Hollywood want to date older men. It’s not necessarily the belief that women like older men that’s harmful, but the idea that these women pursue older men for their money.
This tired trope is damaging to women who fall in love with older men.
3. Endless Hair Ties
It’s common to see women on screen hand each other their hair ties, saving the day while making sure the other is adhering to beauty standards. Where are these coming from?
No matter the woman or the circumstances, they always have accessories aplenty. Most women I’ve met have one hair tie on hand at any given time – the one she’s using – and she would rather die than give it away. The bottomless hair tie well has run dry.
4. Waking Up Flawless
Ah, the classic Hollywood trope of the perfectly well-kempt woman, even when rolling out of bed! When was the last time you woke up with airbrushed skin, perfectly coiffed hair, and already-brushed teeth?
And if you ever have, did you call the police immediately because a licensed cosmetologist broke into your house? Unfortunately, life is not a Beyonce song. We wake up with messy hair, bad breath, and tired eyes.
5. Baby Factories
It’s like clockwork – a woman hits a certain age, and her uterus begins to take center stage. Whether she is a high-powered CEO or a teacher in a small town, her ultimate goal is to bear children.
If she is unable to, cue the violin and sappy backstory. At least, that’s what movies and TV shows lead us to believe. On the contrary – women have bodily autonomy and can decide to shut the shop down without a single spawn.
6. Man-Centric Mania
Forget about careers, hobbies, goals, or the worldly state! All ladies want to talk about is how much they need a man in their lives.
Whether it’s a group of friends meeting for tea or a bunch of detectives working on a case, the conversation inevitably comes back to who they’re dating, marrying, or breaking up with. Far too few movies pass the Bechdel test, but plenty of fabulous, female-centered films do.
7. Wine Not?
From breakups to breakdowns, marital woes to job losses, it seems the only companion in distress is a glass of wine. It may be time the writers start exploring some other creative coping mechanisms and not the stereotypical pint of ice cream! Let a gal break things in a wreck room or spend the day playing lambasting terrible teammates in Call of Duty.
You know, the fun things that men are allowed to do when they’re not having a great day.
8. Fluffy Fiddle-Faddle
Two women and a room full of pillows. We’re sure only one thing comes to your conditioned mind—a pillow fight! Sorry to break it to you, but women seldom engage in them.
In reality, it simply doesn’t happen, though they tend to be bountiful on the silver screen. Sure, pillows are feathery and soft, but who wants to deal with the messy aftermath? Also, if you have a feather pillow, it wasn’t cheap and there’s no way you’ll risk tearing it open.
9. Rise & Robe
If Hollywood’s version of reality is to be believed, then every woman wakes up wrapped in a luxurious silk robe. The truth is not all women even own a robe, and even if they did, it would be the same one from five years ago, filled with coffee stains.
That’s not to say women don’t want to be draped in a comfortable fabric from the moment they wake up, but it kind of gets in the way of the morning routine. So, T-shirts and PJs for the win!
10. Beyond the Rom-Com
Contrary to popular belief, women are not spending their days wishing, hoping, praying, and thinking about that one man who will sweep them off their feet, away from life’s troubles. Women are multi-faceted beings with a capacity for more than just romance.
Do you think Hollywood knows that women contribute to society by working? They even have opinions on important topics like climate change and how to solve the homeless epidemic.
11. Shop Till You Drop?
Despite popular belief set forth by movies like Clueless, not all women like spending hours trying on clothes and shoes. Some would pick the first suitable item instead and call it a day.
For the ones who do fancy it, they don’t run on an unlimited budget to purchase luxurious accessories and clothes. Women understand budgeting and purchasing functional apparel over high-priced outfits.
12. Fuzz-Tastic Fallacies
It’s no secret that Hollywood tends to perpetuate unrealistic beauty standards. The most laughable is that women don’t grow hair anywhere other than their lashes and eyebrows!
There’s nothing wrong with a bit of fuzz, and if you’re a woman with even a hint of Mediterranean blood in you, the fallacy that women are naturally hairless is hilarious.
13. On Wednesdays, We Wear Pink
It’s a cliche that never seems to die: the mean girl. From Sharpay Evans in High School Musical to Regina George in Mean Girls, the world of cinema has you believing girls are shallow, catty, and vindictive by nature.
Apparently, they all talk in the same Valley girl way. While there are likely a few Burn Books out there, the mean girl persona typically stems from miscommunications or conflicting personalities.
14. One Size Fits All
A considerable disservice has been done by depicting women as one-dimensional beings. You can be a girly girl who always wears pink or a tomboy who doesn’t know a thing about dressing up.
Women can easily rock a pair of sneakers one day and strut in heels the next. Or even suit up when you least expect it! They’re dynamic beings with a lot more to offer the world than a pretty face if you can believe it.
15. Matchy Matchy
There’s this idea that women always wear matching bras and underwear, and if they were ever caught in mismatched clothing, that would be so embarrassing. But in reality, that’s not a thing.
That would cost a lot of money and take way too much planning. Some days, the outfit of the day is whatever is on top of the hamper.
