Mark Harris, writer of the column "The Final Cut" for Entertainment Weekly, deserves a big feminist pat on the back.
While at work yesterday flipping through the usually vapid magazine, I stopped to read an article which discussed the issue surrounding Katherine Heigl and her Hollywood faux-pas of saying that she didn't feel herself worthy enough of an Emmy nomination this year for her work on the show Grey's Anatomy. Many people responded to this situations by calling Heigl out, claiming she was ungrateful for the work the writers of the show had done for her, while many others speculated that her character will simply be killed off next season for showing so little appreciation for her role. Mark Harris, however, is standing up for her - and all actresses.
In his column, he wrote:
Little has changed, except the coarseness with which celebrities can now be discussed - and the rules actresses must obey. Among them: Have a "positive body image," but also a killer body. Stay within the two-poung weight range that will not reveal you as either anorexic or a pig. Age gracefully, but never get older. Don't have wrinkles, but don't use Botox. Be modest, but when you win an award, weep as if a gold statuette is a personalized gift from heaven. If you get pregnant, be prepared to let a dozen news outlets act as your ob-gyn. Express concern about your carbon footprint, but don't be "political". Talk about how living a normal life is important to you, but smile while every aspect of your life is scrutinized. Criticize no one. Never speak off the cuff. Smile for the cameras. Don't cross the women on The View . And above all, maintain a stance of deep gratitude while expressing opinions about nothing.
Harris found it a relief to see that Heigl was an actual human being with actual opinions - imagine that, a woman that thinks?! But the points he brings up here, especially ones specifically relating to fame in a way most feminists might not consider, need to be more openly discussed in the media. Young women and men the world over look to these stars as their inspiration, but what exactly is our celebrity culture inspiring young people to become? In the same issue that this article ran in, the cover story (an interview with Christina Aguilera) completely disregarded the double standards brought up by Harris and went right into asking Christina important, hard-hitting questions like "How did you get back your pre-pregnancy body so fast?"
Are you rolling your eyes, yet? Because I certainly am.
It's a two way street. Women like Katherine Heigl are starting to speak up. Sure, she's gotten shit for saying what she did, but she actually spoke her mind, a no-no for those possessing vaginas in Hollywood. But until we have both vocal women and publications who want to ask their interviewees questions with actual substance, Hollywood will not know gender equality.
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Aack! You beat me to the post! I was going to post on this exact article tomorrow, but thanks for saving me the trouble with this excellent post.
Generally, Entertainment Weekly is more feminist-leaning than other top entertainment and popular culture magazines. Next to Bitch Magazine, it's the only one I've seen take on gender in Hollywood with any real substance. They often lead the battle cry in demanding more complex roles for women of all ages and providing the statistics that refute that women characters cannot sell movie tickets.
But yes, this article in particular had me cheering. I remember the articles that came out after Heigl's "faux pax" at both the comment about Emmy consideration and about Aptow's portrayal of women. The media acted like she should be sucking Hollywood's dick in gratitude for making her a star, never mind she's been working since she was a child on movies and television shows. She's an actual human and says things that people don't like or wished they could ignore. She's the only one who called Isaiah Washington on his homophobia.
Heigl is a real person and isn't afraid to show it by having opinions that people may not agree with. It's amazing that something so basic as a personality can be so reviled by the media.
Great post!
I loved seeing this article! I'm not sure if I'd call Entertainment Weekly feminist-leaning, though. They had a blurb by Camille Paglia in the Sex and the City movie issue and they called her a feminist. Paglia may call herself a feminist, but I don't exactly think that bashing feminists and telling women that rape is their fault makes you deserving of the label.
I have that issue right in front of me, and the cover is the Watchmen movie--the Christina Aguilera story you're thinking of is probably in Glamour. I've been reading EW for at least a decade, and 'How did you get your pre-baby body back?' stories are not their thing. Which is one reason I've subscribed for so long.