Our culture has created a competition between women that has existed for far too long.
It almost impossible for two women to share success at the same time In Hollywood. Even in everyday life we see women feuding. Do they they have to compete against one another? Two tremendously talented and successful women can’t coexist peacefully. Our culture turns this scenario into a girl-on-girl cat fight.
The media make it difficult to appreciate successful women. Feuds overshadow their talents and tear them down. The media may have created this trend but people have learned to feed into it. Some have even grown to love it. Women feuding is one of the main forms of entertainment in the music industry, between actresses, and especially in reality television.
How often have we seen this storyline? We have seen this many times with Nicki Minaj. She was first pitted against fellow New York rapper Lil Kim, then against rapper Remy Ma, when Remy was released from prison. And then against Bronx rapper Cardi B., when Cardi first began to become extremely successful.
Recently it has been Kim Kardashian and Beyoncé. Beyoncé’s pictures from the Grammy’s went viral. The very next day Kim Kardashian posted plenty of nude photos on Instagram. Although the pictures have nothing to do with each other, the two women were immediately compared. This narrative has even extended to their children. We have seen both Beyoncé and Kim Kardashian’s daughters, Blue Ivy and North, being compared to one another.
Media & Communications professor Laura Chipley calls this is a “tried and true hollywood trope.” These are story lines that attract attention which is why they are recycled over and over again. According to Chipley, the underlying message for women is that they need the acceptance and validation of men. When we look at these disagreements in film or reality television it often centers around who’s prettier or sexier, traits that are very specific to women. It pressures them and ties them to their sexuality, the center of what makes them a “powerful person.” . These celebrity rivalries are largely manufactured by publicists to enhance the storyline, generate excitement, and attract attention.
Why does our culture support women being against each other rather than for each other?”
For Professor Chipley, this is about stereotypes and not reality. It is a simplistic way to look at things. We have to think about the forces that work to oppress people and keep women “in their place.” Chipley thinks this helps us to understand how power is structured as a competition and as a cultural norm. It tells us that women can get ahead only by stepping on someone rather than rising to the top together.
These feuds and rivalries divide women making them less powerful and less threatening. It diverts from a more dangerous narrative. female comradery is dangerous. For example, the current movements of women who have banded together to address issues like sexual assault. According to Chipley, any group of oppressed people coming together can be a terrifying force. She concludes that if you keep people fighting amongst themselves you can keep them at bay. Our cultural promotes the theme of women as enemies because when women are friends the possibility of collaboration and advancement is created, threatening the power structure in place.
