The Gender Games

            One of my favorite movies growing up was The Hunger Games. I loved the beautiful love story and dramatic fighting scenes. The emotional deaths and exciting parties. But now that I'm older and wiser, I have also grown to appreciate its progressive representation of gender roles. 


During the time in television this movie was produced, it was common for powerful women to be portrayed as mostly masculine. They cut off their long hair and only ever wore pants and boots. Whereas the mean-girly bully always sported a full face of makeup and preferred heels to all practical footwear. While there is nothing inherently wrong with a strong woman choosing to dress in masculine clothing, the lack of any girlish protagonists presented the idea that a woman cannot be powerful and also be feminine. Katniss was the exception to this rule. She was undoubtedly tough and impressive, not only was she an accomplished hunter, but the sole breadwinner for her family as well. Additionally she was rather aggressive and dominant, traits that made it difficult for her to make allies and win sponsorships during the Games. However, she also had incredibly strong maternal instincts. She took it upon herself to protect and care for both her sister, Prim, and her young friend Rue. Furthermore, Katniss is shown wearing beautiful gowns and even has her own stylist to amplify her natural beauty. Katniss was one of the rare female protagonists I saw growing up that I could actually relate to. She was able to be authoritative and capable without sacrificing her femininity. 

Comments

  1. Ingrid HuangFebruary 6, 2022 at 12:51 PM

    Yes I completely agree! Katniss was not only beautiful and maternal, but also competitive and aggressive. I really liked how they didn’t suppress either side of her character in the movie. In most movies now, women are only portrayed as a “sit still look pretty” type of character, not recognized for their smarts or bravery. I loved your diction especially describing gender like “girlish” and “mean-girly”. Great job!

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  2. Catie KrebsFebruary 6, 2022 at 4:04 PM

    Hi Charlotte! I loved reading your blog post because "Hunger Games" is one of my all-time favorite movies! I whole-heartedly agree with the fact that Katniss broke down some gender stereotypes, as she was the lead role and the winner of the games while also maintaining her iconic side braid. Good job!

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  3. Julia MowreyFebruary 6, 2022 at 9:06 PM

    Yes Charlotte! I could not possibly agree more on how Katniss commanded acknowledgment for how women could be both powerful and feminine. Although Hunger Games isn't the first movie that comes to mind when discussing unconventionally portrayed gender roles, it is a perfect example. I. also really connected with how I also idolized Katniss when I was younger. She has definitely been an upstanding role model for many children in how femininity is not limited to weakness.

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