The Mob Wife: Why We Demonize Femininity
Throughout the history of literature, pop culture, and myth, women have been simplified to their bare and innate traits that have been characterized as “evil.” Simple traits from simple scenarios of female history, and yet simplicity somehow spirals into something elaborate within the divine feminine.
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Women are thought of as “malevolent” when portrayed as seductive and beautiful in a plethora of films, books, and texts. This remains true as even in modern-day society, where women are abhorred for what they do and what they fail to do, and therefore embodying sources of evil.
Why are women demonized, and why do women carry this certain stigma that men are often not held to?
It starts within dramatic literature and texts, dating back to Ancient Grecian – Roman times. Succubus, Harlot, and Witch were all terms used in these societies to describe women who revolted against men, or women in texts that were otherwise considered “strong” and “powerful.” Societies feared women and therefore demonized female sexuality and independence.
What’s worse is that this stigma is ancient and has never truly gone away. Dating back to Medieval London, the menstrual cycle for women was thought nothing short of malicious activity by religious institutions, including Ancient Grecian, Roman, and Catholic standards.
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In modern day, we see women in multimedia, films, and plays portrayed as symbols of evil or betrayal. Some recent examples of this are Regina George, Cruella, Catherine the Great, or literally any role of Helena Bonham Carter.
This poses a great issue in modern times as well. A lot of women antagonists are not evil on their own terms, yet are manipulated by the perspective of their male director. This gives the audience an unfair gaze of the divine feminine from a perspective that is unable to capture the entirety of femininity.
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As a society, women bear the brunt of accountability on their shoulders. Pop culture prioritizes the ability or failure of women more than men, often leading to women being interpreted as “evil.”
So why try to beat it? Since ancient times, women’s beauty has been seen as good and evil and everything in between, but never satisfactory. So why try?
It’s time to reclaim all that demonizes women and romanticize it. If someone says you’re something for so long, you might as well become it.
To all women struggling with labels and their only representation on screen being called a literal “witch”, be that witch. Who’s stopping you? Certainly, not men.
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Reclaim that aesthetic, become the mob wife and witch. Be evil and encourage your sisters to act the same. Once women stop being so nice, maybe then will popular culture realize what they lost in the kindness we gave out for granted, and representation can be served for the first time since Ancient Greece.
However, this dream seems a long time coming, and I see no point in waiting for something that may never come to fruition. What I can see, though, is something men have manifested and will soon regret.
To all women out there, be the best version of yourself you can be, live up to those myths and literature that weaponize your emotions, and turn them into something wicked.
Strike Out,
Orlando
Written by Arsheeya Garg
Edited by Sarah Franquelo & Delaney Gunnell
