The present Gossip Girl has typically been criticized for normalizing sexism and poisonous relationships. The present which aimed to take a sensible have a look at how the one % reside, took some fairly absurd leaps with its storylines and a few of the developments had been so bizarrely problematic that viewers had been left baffled.
Nevertheless, there have been some fairly feminist moments on the present because it featured some highly effective ladies and made some main statements about ladies energy. Right here’s a roundup of a few of the most poisonous and most empowering moments on Gossip Woman.
10 Problematic: Minors Courting Adults
Nearly everybody within the Gossip Woman has dated adults once they had been minors and this obvious element was normalized all through the course of the present, a lot in order that it wasn’t even depicted as a difficulty. Sure, Nate was considerably hassled when he discovered that Sage was actually 17 and had a small argument however continued courting her anyway, and her father Steven knew about it.
Nate himself dated Catherine, an older married lady when he was nonetheless a minor. Catherine was the mom of Marcus who was seeing Blair at that time, and this complete factor was virtually too cringeworthy. Plus, Dan had a fling together with his instructor Ms. Carr when he was nonetheless at school.
9 Empowering: When Blair Saved Serena From Taking The Fall For Courting Her Professor
In academia, there exists a problematic tradition of feminine college students getting penalized for mingling with professors, whereas the male lecturers or professors normally simply get a light-weight swat on the hand. And that’s precisely what occurs when Serena’s relationship with Colin, her visitor professor at Columbia goes public and Dean Reuther accuses Serena of utilizing her physique to attain good grades.
Blair saves the day, by destroying the proof of their relationship in entrance of the dean, in order that nothing could be confirmed in a trial. Not solely was Blair’s transfer gutsy, however she made an announcement by throwing the USB in a glass of champagne to level out how the system was fairly blatantly misogynistic in opposition to its feminine college students.
8 Problematic: When Chuck Actually Offered Blair For A Night time
If somebody rounded up all of the toxic boyfriends from popular culture, Chuck Bass would undoubtedly be within the high 5. Not solely did he emotionally abuse Blair and led her to public humiliation, he was additionally dangerously possessive, a lot in order that he didn’t need Blair to be pleased if she didn’t find yourself with him.
In season 3, Chuck bought the teenage Blair to his a lot older uncle Jack, that too for the possession of a lodge; the worst half is that Blair was able to sleep with Jack to assist Chuck fairly unwittingly, when he had provided to present again the lodge. It was solely a lot later that she realized that Chuck had set the entire thing up.
7 Empowering: When Blair Needed Her Personal Legacy
Most belief fund children do not likely care sufficient to interrupt away from their inherited legacy, however Blair was very adamant about making it on her personal. Blair’s mum was a Tier-1 dressmaker who was globally famend, so it was all of the extra essential for Blair to forge her personal path in vogue.
And Blair has all the time been very keen about what she desires to do, and even when she was in faculty she had acquired sufficient sources to arrange her personal vogue label with out her mum’s assist. Her profession was additionally one thing she wished to perform earlier than she might marry Chuck as a result of it was an enormous a part of her self-fulfillment.
6 Problematic: The Classist Bullying
Gossip Woman normalized classism to an virtually ridiculous diploma. Dan and Jenny had been children of a well-known musician, and in actuality they might by no means be bullied or remoted in an elite non-public faculty simply because they had been from Brooklyn, or as a result of they weren’t belief fund children.
This perceived class discrimination turns into the crux of a number of essential storylines and because the present’s audience grew up, the plot design of Gossip Woman got here throughout as unrealistic and foolish. There’s no approach Blair could have bullied Jenny to an extent that she could be petrified of coming again to New York, or Dan not being a one-percenter would really drive a wedge between him and Serena, even after he finds astonishing literary success.
5 Empowering: Blair’s Burlesque Efficiency
Although a number of critics have referred to Blair’s impromptu burlesque jig as problematic as a result of Chuck manipulated her into getting on stage, in actuality, the efficiency was a way of her emancipation.
Blair had just broken up with Nate, who was the love of her life. She takes Chuck up on the problem to discover the adventurous aspect in her and are available to phrases together with her personal sexual id and needs.
4 Problematic: Serena Making A Intercourse Tape With Dan With out His Permission
This was one of many worst things Serena had ever done, and the followers had been shocked that it didn’t get an even bigger response out of Dan, as a result of the intercourse tape she made with out his permission was a transparent violation of his belief. This was a very massive shock as a result of in contrast to Blair, Serena doesn’t normally play soiled and shares an extended historical past with Dan.
Plus, she claims that she by no means stopped loving him. So utilizing Dan simply to get again at Blair and making a intercourse tape with out his data was a very unethical transfer.
3 Empowering: Blair’s Dealing with Of Her Breakup
Season 4 noticed Blair take management of her personal narrative, in her private and social life. Blair and Chuck’s break-up was powerful on her, particularly as a result of she realized that she nonetheless wished a bodily relationship with him.
Chuck and Blair did proceed to have intercourse however on Blair’s personal phrases, which was an influence transfer, particularly as a result of previously she has typically caved into Chuck’s priorities. Plus, the break-up additionally purchased alongside a transparent demarcation of their territories contemplating they’re A-lister socialites and Blair was adamant about not holding on to her selection of vogue weeks and main international occasions.
2 Problematic: Chuck’s Abuse Of Blair
Blair and Chuck’s relationship was a cry for assist as a result of they had been clearly making an attempt to fill their very own voids by lashing out at one another. However Chuck was in fact, the extra poisonous associate, who has not simply emotionally manipulated and blackmailed Blair for years however has additionally bodily assaulted her.
However probably the most unsettling factor about their relationship was their dynamic and the way a messy, abusive relationship was normalized by the present below the guise of an influence couple. Chuck’s therapy of Blair was appalling, particularly if one appears to be like at how he acquired considerably extra poisonous and possessive as he grew older.
1 Empowering: When Jenny Give up Waldorf Designs
Jenny stop Waldorf Designs as a result of it grew to become apparent that Eleanor was ripping off her designs, passing them as her personal and incomes all of the credit score. She didn’t need Jenny in conferences as a result of she didn’t need her to be the face of the corporate. That is really a disaster many proficient younger creatives face and might’t typically struggle again as a result of they don’t seem to be established sufficient and must earn cash.
However Jenny figures out the issue and calls out Eleanor’s unethical habits and quits the label and takes the gown that Eleanor wished to point out the purchasers as a result of she knew her abilities could be appreciated elsewhere.
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