Erin Brockovich and Todays Mainstream Female Leads

International Journal of Science Commerce and Humanities Volume No 2 No 8 November 2014

14 YEARS ON: ERIN BROCKOVICH & TODAYS MAINSTREAM MEDIA FEMALE LEADS

Aaron Rao Lecturer TMC Academy Singapore

Abstract

Some films deliver something beyond momentarily escapisms. In the case of the 2000 film Erin Brockovich, starring Julia Roberts, this corresponding influence relates to a modern approach of feminism, upholding a positive image of the average working woman. Feminists, past and present, have done their part in combatting media sexism. This intrinsic toughness that the average woman truly possesses is hardly glamorized in film and mainstream media, and at times, it is even frowned upon and associated with the role of a bitch or villain. Nevertheless, the character of Erin Brockovich in the 2000 film is an exception to such stigmatization. Erin Brockovich has paved the way for prominently displaying a variety of strong women all over mainstream media, especially in television. Keywords: Film, Media, Feminism, Erin Brockovich.

INTRODUCTION Everyone watches films. There is no denying that films captivate our attention and allow us to momentarily escape reality and enter a fabricated yet ridiculously believable version of it. However, some films deliver something beyond those objectives – a degree of impact in society that will garner more followers of a certain way of thinking. In the case of the 2000 film Erin Brockovich, starring Julia Roberts, this corresponding influence relates to a modern approach of feminism, upholding a positive image of the average working woman. Feminism is described in the New Oxford American Dictionary as “the advocacy of women‟s rights on the grounds of political, social, and economic equality to men.” The primary motive is to effect change in a pre-existing system that displays a bias in favor of men, and hence, this involves engaging with the government, public figures, prominent leaders, and even common citizens. Additionally, engrained in this concept is the empowerment in women of responsibility and independence, free from the reins of any sense of patriarchy. Historical Breakthroughs in Feminism Throughout history, there have been courageous women who believed that their sex was no reason for being regarded as weaker of human beings than men. These women stood up and fought for their basic rights at home (against domestic violence), at work (against lowered wages), and in public (against political suppression). The following events over the past half-century are considered milestones in successful advocacy for feminism:

International Journal of Science Commerce and Humanities Volume No 2 No 8 November 2014

November 1, 1961 – 50, 000 American women united in support of the movement called Women Strike for Peace, declaring their opposition to the use of nuclear weapons and involvement in war all around southeast Asia by the U.S. government (About.com). June 10, 1963 – President John F. Kennedy signed to pass on The Equal Pay Act of 1963 June 30, 1966 – The National Organization for Women, a.k.a. NOW, was founded in Washington, D.C. The organization subsequently implemented task forces to handle key issues pertaining to women‟s rights. 1986 – Women took a step forward in obtaining employment-related equality, as sexual harassment, as declared by the Supreme Court, was a form of illegal discrimination. 1994 – The Violence Against Women Act applied heavier penalties for sex offenders, as well as provided services for women falling victim to rape or domestic violence. Three waves of feminism Following the historical breakthroughs above, feminist movements has been divided into the following three waves. First-wave feminism occurred in the circumstance of liberal politics and modern society, there is a linkage together with the liberal women‟s entitlements campaign as well as initial collective radicalism that extended across the late nineteenth century to early twentieth century, across the United States (US) and various countries in Europe (Krolokke& Sorensen, 2005). Apprehensive about rights and equivalent breaks for womenfolk, the first wave sustained to have effect on feminism in both Western and Eastern cultures through to the twentieth century. Succeeding the first wave, is second-wave feminism that arose during the 1960s and continued into the 1990s. The beginning of the second-wave arose in the 1960s and continued on into the 1970s, in the postwar Western welfare civilisations, while further subjugated divisions such as Blacks or homosexuals stood demarcated, and when the New Left was on the increase (Krolokke& Sorensen, 2005). This wave is closely associated with the radical opinions of women‟s enablement and disparity entitlements, and during 1980s through till the 1990s commenced the developmental self-consciousness by women of colour and third-world women (Rampton, 2008); Krolokke& Sorensen, 2005). Lastly, the third wave of feminism occurred from the mid 1990s till present times that sprung from the materialisation of a modern post colonial and post Marxist thinking, in the circumstance of knowledgeable society and neoliberal, worldwide politics (Krolokke& Sorensen, 2005). Third-wave feminism demonstrates its feminist movement in „grrrl‟, a word invented by singer Bikini Kill and activist Kathleen Hanna, is a spontaneous young feminist play on the word „girl‟ (Garrison, 2000). „Grrl‟ aspired to empower fairness or difference and progression or insurgency, whilst eschewing the notions of discriminating worldwide womankind, and embracing inexactness, variety, and diversity in transversal politics (Rampton, 2008).

Feminism in Mainstream Media Nevertheless, feminist actions are not limited to the scope of the law or working environment. A vast majority offeminists believe that mass media blatantly paints a bad picture of women, accentuating the roles of many as cleaners, housewives, domestic servants providing comfort and support for men, a man‟s sex object to service men‟s sexual needs, etc. The concept of patriarchy – a man‟s world – is the primary driving force behind this, as there seems to be an unspoken yet timeless ideology that men, who are physically stronger, must be the worker and provider, while women must care for the home and children. Feminists, past and present, have done their part in combatting this media sexism. For example, actress Geena Davis has actively sought after roles that are normally of male characters, such as the U.S. president (typically the woman is the First Lady) and a professional baseball player (typically the woman is just the wife). When asked what she thinks of the media, she says that it feeds children an “image of society

International Journal of Science Commerce and Humanities Volume No 2 No 8 November 2014 where boys vastly outnumber girls in what they see from the very beginning, which really doesn't make any sense to me."

Erin Brockovich: A Woman of Strength

Figure 1: Julia Roberts as Erin Brockovich

While films like Geena Davis‟ that portray women in male-dominant roles vividly ignite support for feminism and frown upon sexism, the same can be said of those that incorporate females, appearing like the average woman at first glance, who sparkle with the “manly” characteristics of authority, assertiveness, and aggressiveness. Women can be both feminine and tough, and that is a message clearly exhibited in Steven Soderbergh‟sErin Brockovich. The movie centers on a divorced mother of three children in Van Nuys, California, who, while juggling the burdens of motherhood and job-hunting, seeks employment from Ed Masry, a lawyer and co- owner of the firm Masry and Vititoe. Erin eventually encounters files on a case against Pacific Gas & Electric Co. that Ed is taking on behalf of the residents in Hinkley, California. Erin steps forward to assist him, and throughout the film, she is seen collecting water samples, talking to residents to find out their health problems, and collecting their signatures to make plaintiffs. In the end, Erin and Ed‟s hard work pays off as it is ruled by the judge that PG&E will pay a sum of three hundred and thirty-three million dollars to answer to these plaintiffs, which is more than enough to cover the residents‟ medical bills and other expenses for a lifetime.

Female Stereotypes Challenged Many films are known for not only creating fabricated realities distorting views of the real world to its audiences, but also of grossly rooting numerous female characters upon stereotypes that dictate what qualities are pertinent to only men, and those to only women. This belief in certain “gender roles” imply that the male species is expected to exhibit independence, competitiveness, and assertiveness, while the female species is thought to evoke sensitivity, supportiveness, and passiveness. Sadly, such a belief has continued to prevail over the past twenty years (Hetherington & Parke, 2003), and hence, female stereotypes are still entrenched in cultures and societies. Ironically, scientific evidence presents the outlook that women actually have the mental capacity to outperform and outshine men, even though they may not be as physically strong in general. Researchers 57

International Journal of Science Commerce and Humanities Volume No 2 No 8 November 2014 have determined that women use more effective communication between the two hemispheres of the brain, and this enables them to establish connections between emotion and reasoning when pondering decisions (Vivian, 1997). Moreover, some findings reveals that men “have lower „arousal thresholds‟ than women, who are able to pay greater focused attention to events and more swiftly than men.” (Barker, 2003) This intrinsic toughness that the average woman truly possesses is hardly glamorized in film and mainstream media, and at times, it is even frowned upon and associated with the role of a bitch or villain. Nevertheless, the character of Erin Brockovich in the 2000 film is an exception to such stigmatization. Actress Roberts, director Soderbergh, and the writers have collaborated well in creating a woman who is both strong and inspirational, as well one who may annoy you at first but ultimately compels you to root for her. This character is believed to have challenged the following stereotypes:

#1: Women who depend on men to survive From the beginning of the film, Erin‟s ability to take good care of her children as a divorced, single mother brings about an aura of self-sufficiency towards the protagonist. She can do the housework, prepare food, and take the kids to and from school with relative ease. Naturally, she eventually defers to neighbor George at some point to watch over them once she begins work on the Hinkley case, but she doesn‟t appear howsoever as a damsel in distress. #2: Women who are incapable of controlling men There is a scene where Erin travels to the Lahontan Regional Water Board to collect files relevant to PG&E and gains access to browse the backroom by flirting with the male clerk. She seizes his permission by unbuttoning her shirt, hiking up her skirt, and talking to him as if she likes him. It is also a notable moment when she regains her job – with a raise and benefits – as Ed‟s clerk by showing him hard evidence of water contamination in Hinkley. Clearly, Erin displays confidence in dealing with any man.

#3: Women who are fazed at work by personal problems In the middle of the film, there are scenes where Erin arrives home late to a tired George and sleeping kids, but she continues to follow up on her work. It comes down to a point where George feels somewhat neglected and asks her to quit, but she doesn‟t back down because of the pride and self-respect she has gained from it. To their dismay, George decides to part ways with her, but she moves on and doesn‟t let her personal life hinder her progress at work.

#4: Women who allow themselves to be patronized One spellbinding, standout moment shows how Erin, who feels that Ed has indirectly tried to marginalize her by working with a new partner, Kurt, and his colleague Teresa, stuns everyone with her ability to remember all the little details of the residents at Hinkley, including their telephone number. She discredits them for insinuating that there are holes in her research, which she sharply proves otherwise.

#5: Women who are underappreciated at work At the concluding portion, Ed walks into Erin‟s new office and hands her a bonus check for the Hinkley case. After stating that the figure is different from what they agreed on, Erin flares up and rants on how her hard work has been undervalued, until she is silenced after glancing at the “two million dollars” imprinted. Ed walks away with a grin, asking for an apology but truly recognizing Erin‟s contribution in the case. She has been over-rewarded regardless of her background, age, and of course, gender.

International Journal of Science Commerce and Humanities Volume No 2 No 8 November 2014

Conclusion A notable belief by philosopher Michel Foucault states that people “are not originators of ideas, but merely the conductors through which ideas are expressed.” (McGaha, 2000) This is applicable to the feminist-oriented image of the “strong woman.” Women from the past, present, and future deserve to be acknowledged for their successes in leadership (beyond their children), efficiency (beyond housework), and fortitude (beyond marital or domestic problems). Erin Brockovich has paved the way for prominently displaying a variety of strong women all over mainstream media, especially in television. Some of these include: Alicia Florrick(The Good Wife) Being a persevering risk-taker, she started her own law firm with a colleague while withstanding both a fifteen-year hiatus from work and media backlash relating to her family issues (Leahey, 2013). Like Erin, Alicia has successfully climbed her way back on top from rock bottom despite the hurdles of male dominance or gender bias in the industry. Olivia Pope (Scandal) Olivia owns a crisis management consultancy and has the tools to tackle public threats to her important clients. Parallel to Erin‟s empathy for the Hinkley residents as she went from door to door, Olivia handles difficult people by realizing that all personalities lay on a grey scale, which means that no one is fundamentally evil.

Victoria Grayson (Revenge) The wife of a ruthless hedge fund mogul, she refuses to remain a submissive housewife who pleases the man who comes home to her. She pulls necessary strings and deceives others in order to fulfill her desires, one of which was becoming the owner of an art gallery, which she got through the use of a larceny- related blackmail (Leahey, 2013). As Erin herself shows, Victoria has the ability to control the men in her life. Evidently, there is a trend, growing at a fast pace, of strong women taking prominent or leading roles across different media platforms, from real-life Vogue editor Anna Wintour to fictional heroines KatnissEverdeenfrom The Hunger Gamesand Tris Prior in Divergent. Considering the path of successful feminist breakthroughs in society over the past half-century, it is most probable that more and more women will fight for an overall acceptance of the Erin Brokovich-esque ideal of a female – one of strength. One thing is for sure; film has come a long way since the blouse blowing days of Marilyn Monroe.

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