Why don’t more TV shows focus on female friendships?
For the past few days I’ve been staying up until damn near three AM to binge watch My So-Called Life. I watched a few episodes years ago when it re-aired on Teen Nick, but I never finished it. So, with the power of streaming and some added wisdom that the years have given me, I finally watched the one and only season of a cult classic that everyone agrees was cancelled way too soon.
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Last week, I wrote about teen shows that are ridiculously unrealistic. You know, the ones that basically act as if homework doesn’t exist, money isn’t an object, non-stop melodrama is a way of life, and partying every other night is the norm. Don’t get me wrong, some of those shows are brilliant and deliciously entertaining, but it’s nice to watch a TV show about being a teenager that doesn’t involve werewolves or super hot 25-year-olds with amazing abs passing for 15-year-olds.
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While a ton of TV shows and movies might want us to wish we were the girls in those teen romances who ends up with a super cute, hunky dude…any weird girl will tell you, well… they’ll tell you, “Nah.” God, girls next door and boys next doors are so bland and boring to us. None of this Dawson’s Creek, CW style super hot girl and super hot dude stuff for us. Seriously, we’re bored to tears and insulted by the very notion that we’re supposed to swoon over these cookie cutter love birds. No thanks.
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Representation matters. Period. I don’t think that most people who have the privilege to be part of groups that aren’t marginalized–white, thin, straight, well off, etc–truly understand how depressing it is to never see yourself in the media. Oh, and to finally see yourself, only to be reduced to a token, a sex object or a stereotype? It’s disheartening. Sure, networks are getting better at making sure that there are more diverse perspectives shown on TV because, surprise surprise, thin straight white able-bodied people aren’t the only people in the world with stories to tell! But it’s a slow process, and we’re all getting impatient, for good reason. Like, why is Glee the show with the most diverse ensemble cast? Ugh.
But while we wait for the slow but hopefully sure progress to reach a level of normality, check out these 10 TV shows that actually do a pretty good job at that whole diverse narratives thing. Some will be familiar, others not so much, but all are worth checking out!
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"As Long As You're Healthy!" - You're probably wondering how caring about your friend's health is so offensive. Well, think of it this way: Overweight people are constantly being told that they way they look is wrong, the way they eat is wrong and they way they do everything is wrong...and it's all on them. So when that overweight friend of yours falls into something like fat-positivity, you might be inclined to support their positive body image with one exception: Be healthy. Listen, health doesn't have a certain look. There are overweight people who have "healthier" lifestyles than skinny people, but nobody is making sure to tell a skinny person to be healthy. Plus, this comes across as super condescending.
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8 Of The Worst, Most Effed Up TV Friendships Ever
Never hate your body: Okay, hear me out: A lot of people have an uncomfortable relationship with their body. It takes a lot more than a peppy "LOL OMG LOVE YOURSELF" to undo some of the negative thoughts we can have about ourselves. Also, let's be real, nobody loves the way they look in the mirror every day. But it's one thing to feel meh about your body sometimes and another to hate it and wish it wasn't yours. If you want to feel more empowered, check out some awesome plus size style blogs or, if you're interested in fat acceptance, check out the community on tumblr. Either way, we might not love our bodies every day, but let's try not to hate it, even if society says you should. Screw society, okay, and keep on twirlin'!
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We’re more likely to see blood from some dude who got gunned down on television than see a menstrual blood stain on some girl’s skirt. Off the top of my head, the only TV shows with a teen demographic that definitely tackled this has been Degrassi, Braceface and My Mad Fat Diary. Nothing else on those channels I watched as a kid really touched that little nugget of puberty. This fact just emphasizes the fact that periods are still such a taboo topic. I mean, it’s not that surprising, we can’t even deal with an advertisement selling us tampons and pads unless menstrual blood is represented by blue liquid....
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My Mad Fat Diary handles mental illness in such a refreshing, relatable way. Rae, our protaganist, suffers from binge eating and depression. Her friend, Tix, suffers from anorexia. What's so great about the depictions of their health problems is that they don't hold back or try to glamorize their struggles. At the same time, the show also acknowledges that these are teen girls and despite their problems, they aren't only defined by their disorders. They also care about crushes and friendship, like every other teenage girl on the planet.
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7 Underrated TV Shows You Need To Be Watching Right Now
"There are a few shows on air right now that are not getting the recognition they deserve. I know New Girl and Modern Family and The Big Bang Theory (ugh) are supposed to be great, but honestly, these other shows are way better. And they deserve to be seen by your beautiful faces!"