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University of Kentucky UKnowledge Theses and Dissertations--English English 2016 STRONG, INDEPENDENT, AND IN LOVE: FIGHTING FEMALE FANTASIES IN POPULAR CULTURE Allison P. Palumbo University of Kentucky, [email protected] Digital Object Identifier: http://dx.doi.org/10.13023/ETD.2016.152 Right click to open a feedback form in a new tab to let us know how this document benefits ou.y Recommended Citation Palumbo, Allison P., "STRONG, INDEPENDENT, AND IN LOVE: FIGHTING FEMALE FANTASIES IN POPULAR CULTURE" (2016). Theses and Dissertations--English. 35. https://uknowledge.uky.edu/english_etds/35 This Doctoral Dissertation is brought to you for free and open access by the English at UKnowledge. It has been accepted for inclusion in Theses and Dissertations--English by an authorized administrator of UKnowledge. For more information, please contact [email protected]. STUDENT AGREEMENT: I represent that my thesis or dissertation and abstract are my original work. Proper attribution has been given to all outside sources. I understand that I am solely responsible for obtaining any needed copyright permissions. I have obtained needed written permission statement(s) from the owner(s) of each third-party copyrighted matter to be included in my work, allowing electronic distribution (if such use is not permitted by the fair use doctrine) which will be submitted to UKnowledge as Additional File. I hereby grant to The University of Kentucky and its agents the irrevocable, non-exclusive, and royalty-free license to archive and make accessible my work in whole or in part in all forms of media, now or hereafter known. I agree that the document mentioned above may be made available immediately for worldwide access unless an embargo applies. I retain all other ownership rights to the copyright of my work. I also retain the right to use in future works (such as articles or books) all or part of my work. I understand that I am free to register the copyright to my work. REVIEW, APPROVAL AND ACCEPTANCE The document mentioned above has been reviewed and accepted by the student’s advisor, on behalf of the advisory committee, and by the Director of Graduate Studies (DGS), on behalf of the program; we verify that this is the final, approved version of the student’s thesis including all changes required by the advisory committee. The undersigned agree to abide by the statements above. Allison P. Palumbo, Student Dr. Susan Bordo, Major Professor Dr. Andy Doolen, Director of Graduate Studies STRONG, INDEPENDENT, AND IN LOVE: FIGHTING FEMALE FANTASIES IN POPULAR CULTURE DISSERTATION A dissertation submitted in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Doctor in Philosophy in the College of Arts & Sciences at the University of Kentucky By Allison Paige Palumbo Lexington, Kentucky Director: Dr. Susan Bordo, Professor of Gender and Women’s Studies Lexington, Kentucky Copyright © Allison Paige Palumbo 2016 ABSTRACT OF DISSERTATION STRONG, INDEPENDENT, AND IN LOVE: FIGHTING FEMALE FANTASIES IN POPULAR CULTURE During the late 1970s and 1980s, feminist critics like Janice Radway began to reconsider so-called women’s genres, like romance novels and soap operas and melodramas, in order to address the forms of subversion and expressions of agency they provided female audiences. However, in spite of greater willingness to consider the progressive potential in romance narratives, there has been little such consideration given to stories of romance for the fighting female character—defined as a protagonist who uses violence, via her body or weapons, to save herself and others. The fighting female has received a good deal of attention from critics like Yvonne Tasker, Sherrie Inness, Rikke Schubart, and Phillipa Gates because she enacts transgressive forms of femininity. However, the typical response has been to ignore the intimate or romantic relationships she has with men or to critique them based on the assumption that such hetero- relationships automatically limit her agency and attenuate her representation as a feminist-friendly heroine. This view presumes that female empowerment opposes or can only be imagined outside the dominant cultural narratives that generally organize women’s lives around their hetero-relationships—whether sexual or platonic, familial or vocational. As I argue, some fighting female relationship narratives merit our attention because they reveal a new cache of plausible empowered female identities that women negotiate through their intimacies and romances with men. These negotiations, in turn, enable innovative representations of male-female relationships that challenge long- standing cultural scripts about the nature of dominance and subordination in such relationships. Combining cultural analysis with close readings of key popular American film and television texts since the 1980s, my dissertation argues that certain fighting female relationship themes question regressive conventions in male-female intimacies and reveal potentially progressive ideologies regarding female agency in mass culture. In essence, certain fighting female relationship narratives project feminist-friendly love fantasies that reassure audiences of the desirability of empowered women while also imagining egalitarian intimacies that further empower women. KEYWORDS: Fighting Females, Heterosexual Relationships in Popular Culture, Empowered Female Identity, Power and Intimacy, “Strong, Independent Woman” Archetype Allison Paige Palumbo April 18, 2016 STRONG, INDEPENDENT, AND IN LOVE: FIGHTING FEMALE FANTASIES IN POPULAR CULTURE By Allison Paige Palumbo Dr. Susan Bordo Director of Dissertation Dr. Andy Doolen Director of Graduate Studies April 18, 2016 Date I dedicate this dissertation to Scott Woodham, whose constant and varied support, humor, confidence, friendship, and love made a very painful and long process more bearable, and to Mike and Cindy Palumbo, who were there with love and advice throughout the twenty- four-year journey it took me to reach this place. ACKNOWLEDGMENTS The following dissertation, while an individual work, benefitted from the invaluable insights of two people in particular. First, my amazing Dissertation Chair, Susan Bordo. She is the reason I came to the University of Kentucky, she is the writer I want to become, and working with her has been a dream come true. She never forgot about me, and her thorough and perceptive comments always challenged, supported, and encouraged me. Dr. Virginia Blum helped me find my voice—the idea for this dissertation emerged from a paper I wrote for her seminar on film and intimacy, and her praise and promotion convinced me to make the big switch to popular culture. I have been lucky to have two such brilliant advisors. Really, though, my entire committee deserves this praise: Dr. Roxanne Mountford, Dr. Karen Tice, and Dr. Ana Liberato. As I said after my defense, I couldn’t have asked for a more awesome committee of sharp, dedicated, kind, and positive people. In addition to the support of my wonderful committee, I received great help from the Division of Writing, Reading, and Digital Media, in particular from the indomitable Deborah Kirkman, who made sure I remained employed and supported throughout my time at UK. My family has been integral to my success as well. My spouse, partner, and professional copy-editor Scott Woodham helped me complete this project in more ways than I can count. My father Mike, the first Dr. Palumbo, has been a great role model for academic life. My mother Cindy, is the best cheerleader a child could ever imagine. My brother Eric, your bravery and determination to try new things and take big leaps always inspires me. All four of you are great examples for living as a smart person in a difficult world; you nurture my love of critical thinking, and you always challenge me to be my best. My friends in Anchorage who forced me to take off the pajamas and venture out into the world on occasion deserve a special note. Thank you: Kim Sunée for all the sparkling conversation and sparkling wine; Catherine Stewart for all the good juju; Sarah Jansen—my touchstone for all things academic here—for the elevated discourse. Finally, I gratefully acknowledge my fellow UK cohort for keeping me sane these last seven years, in particular Ashley Bourgeois, Andrea Holliger, Michelle Justus, Leah Toth, and Julie Naviaux. What would I have done without the working lunches, the library dates, the phone, email, and text message therapy sessions? You all kept the isolation at bay, stoked my waning spirits, and never let me forget why I wanted to do this in the first place. iii TABLE OF CONTENTS ACKNOWLEDGMENTS ........................................................................................................................................... III CHAPTER ONE ............................................................................................................................................................. 1 OPPRESSION AND HETERO-ROMANCE .................................................................................................................. 9 DESPERATELY SEEKING NEW STORIES .............................................................................................................. 13 ALIENATING MEN ALIENATES WOMEN ............................................................................................................. 19 DEFINING FEMINIST-FRIENDLY LOVE ...............................................................................................................

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