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1970s Gender Movement

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The 1970s was a decade of flashy outfits, progressive movements, Barbies™, Farrah Fawcett, and The Mary Tyler Moore Show. Television shows were popular at this time in the 21st century, as was the oversexualization of female sex symbols in the shows. At a time of progressivism in America, and at a height in the feminist and women’s liberalism movements, the presence of female lead characters in the show was important, but their portrayal as TV sex symbol women ultimately made their presence harmful to the movements. The TV’s sex symbols attracted viewers, but the dynamics of the television show ultimately strengthened the belief that men and women aren’t equal. This was actually harmful in the feminist development of those that viewed these …show more content…

Former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton launched her nomination for the Presidency in 2015, an important milestone in the history of feminism. At the White House Correspondent’s Dinner, which was held shortly after Secretary Clinton launched her campaign, "Saturday Night Live" cast member Cecily Strong reminded journalists in attendance that reporting on Secretary Clinton's appearance was not journalism. This is a reflection of modern society’s belief that focusing on the appearance of women in politics is inappropriate, especially considering how men in politics aren’t equally scrutinized on their looks. In the opening scene of the episode of the The Mary Tyler Moore Show titled What Is Mary Richards Really Like, main characters Mary Richards, a successful single woman with a prominent job, is struggling with what to wear. While conversing with her friend Rhoda, Mary goes through many different outfits trying to find a sexually appealing outfit. Rhoda tells Mary that there is no such thing as an outfit that is “too sexy.” This contradicts the principles of feminism today, which suggests that appearance shouldn’t be a …show more content…

When looking at the list of most admired women, one sees names like Hillary Clinton, Oprah Winfrey, Michelle Obama, and Ellen DeGeneres. This role modeling is usually positive, as it inspires women to not back down and reach their God given potential. Prior to television shows like the Mary Tyler Moore Show or Wonder Woman, there weren’t shows with female characters in prominent positions. Sitcoms like these allow women to see examples of their potential and strive to be anything they want to be. For example, prior to Wonder Woman, little girls watching superhero shows only saw male superheroes. At a time of early development, these girls were led to believe that they couldn’t be superheroes because there were no woman superheroes. Seeing women in positions of leadership in the news world, as superheroes, or in modern day running for the presidency, indicates to women that they can be anything they want to be. This is an important principle of feminism, that is aided through these

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