My love-hate relationship with the portrayal of female characters in TV series and movies

Blair Waldorf, portrayed by Leighton Meester, in the television adaptation of “Gossip Girl”.

Blair Waldorf, Elle Woods, Kat Stratford, and Regina George. What do they have in common? They’re all such iconic figures. And they’re among the many female characters across sitcoms, shows, and movies contributing to this very article’s title, “My love-hate relationship with the portrayal of female characters in TV series and movies”.

TV series and movies have often perpetuated gender stereotypes by portraying women in limited and stereotypical roles, such as love interests, damsels in distress, or objects of sexualisation. Women have also often been reduced to one-dimensional characters defined solely by their intelligence, beauty, or other stereotypical characteristics; one example of this is what I’d like to call the “smart girl” trope.

The “smart girl” trope typically features a female character who is portrayed as highly intelligent, academically gifted, and often socially awkward or nerdy — often depicted as having exceptional problem-solving abilities, an encyclopedic knowledge base, and a sharp wit. Notable examples? Hermione Granger from the “Harry Potter” series, Alex Dunphy from “Modern Family”, and Rory Gilmore from “Gilmore Girls”.

This particular trope, although at times empowering and showcases the value of intelligence, can also sometimes perpetuate stereotypes or limited portrayals of female characters — for instance,

1. The “smart girl trope” often perpetuates stereotypes by portraying female characters as socially awkward, socially inept, or lacking in conventional attractiveness, therefore reinforcing the idea that intelligence is an undesirable or unattractive trait in women and that they must ‘compensate’ for it in some way.
2. The “smart girl” trope tends to focus solely on intellectual abilities, disregarding other aspects of a character’s personality, skills, or interests. This limited representation can give the impression that intelligence is the sole defining characteristic of a female character, diminishing the complexity and depth of her overall portrayal.
3. Characters of the “smart girl” trope are sometimes depicted as lacking in other important qualities like social skills or physical attractiveness, which often implies that being smart comes at the expense of other ‘desirable’ traits.

This limited portrayal of female characters isn’t just restricted to the “smart girl” trope. There’s the “dumb blonde” trope — blonde-haired women who are presented to be attractive but unintelligent (e.g. Cher Horowitz from “Clueless”), the “mean girl” trope — attractive and popular girls who are portrayed as cruel and aggressive towards other girls (e.g. Chanel Oberlin from “Scream Queens”), and even the “model minority” trope — characters built on stereotypes applying to minority groups (e.g. Lane Kim from “Gilmore Girls”) among many others.

I do think that there are so many great and inspiring female characters, but often these characters are unfortunately limited to certain traits and cliché storylines. And I know I’m not the only one who thinks so. There’s a growing awareness and demand for more diverse and well-rounded female characters who are not defined solely by one trait.

Limited representations of women greatly contribute to the marginalisation and erasure of diverse experiences.

When TV series and movies fail to represent the diversity of women’s experiences, it can reinforce biases and the idea that only a narrow range of stories and perspectives are ‘valid’ or ‘worthy of attention’.

Which is why I strongly believe that it’s important for TV series and movies to provide a more balanced and authentic representation of women, one that reflects the diversity, complexity, and aspirations of real women. By doing so, the industry can challenge harmful stereotypes, empower women, and promote gender equality.