Today our lovely Mama Lisa writes about reality TV and how it depicts women. What are your thoughts? Sound off in the comments!
Lately, I've been on an reality TV kick. I always watch Deadliest Catch and Wicked Tuna because they're cool, but I'm not taking about those. I'm talking about the shows where women act like maniacs. We all have that kind of crazier-than-spit days but we don't go so crazy that we start to beat each other with our fabulous Jimmy Choos.
Enter Married to Medicine on Bravo. Holy hell! These 'ladies' dress up to the nines, flawless makeup ready, but put on furs only to pull their hair out and try to drown each other in a pool at a dinner party. Perhaps this isn't the most shocking part. The most shocking part is that this kind of behavior is now socially acceptable. Yes, it's totally cool to beat the snot out of each other because "she didn't invite me to her dinner party." Really?! Is that what the medicinal community in Atlanta is really like? Huh. I guess I'm out of the loop.
Then, there's Real Housewives of Atlanta. Siiiiigh! Don't get me wrong, I actually like the ladies. They are all interesting but when they go lunatic,
they make my brain hurt. Is this what ladies nowadays do? They call each other names, knock each other down, fight loudly, and belittle their significant other? Is there a new definition of 'lady' I don't know about?
Here's what bothers me. I don't like that this is accepted by the world at large as good behavior. I don't like that these women are representing women of color everywhere. I don't like that some small-minded idiot somewhere will turn on their TV and make all kinds of generalizations based on the behavior they witness by a select few on TV. Is this what we have come to? To let some producer or ratings decide how we will behave that day? Do we all change that much when in front of a camera? Wow.
I've often said that all women should seek to raise the rest up, to be a shoulder to lean on, to lend an ear, and be a model for the rest to follow and learn from. This is difficult when we are bombarded with images that say it is ok to be the opposite. Gone are the days of women banding together to achieve a common goal and be sisterly. Now it is perfectly ok to bitchslap someone just because they look at you funny. My question is: Why? Frustrating.
Truth is, I'm watching a train wreck and I can't peel my eyes from it. I'm watching someone create a social experiment and infecting a select group(women) with new norms of behavior. The behavior is bad but you are still a lady. Doesn't matter that your husband just had to pry you off another female. Society says it's ok to do this. There are no consequences. Have at it.
Don't get me wrong, we are allowed as women to get mad at the world and rage. I just don't think that perpetuating bad behavior does us any favors as a group and as individuals. How can you be taken seriously otherwise?
Watching these shows kill me. They really do. I'm better off reading a book. Fifty shades, anyone? ;)
Have you watched a reality TV show that made you upset? Do you think women are portrayed fairly? Sound off!
