Entertainment

Feminism: The fifth wave?

Feminism is a tricky subject – don’t run away – I know it’s got a bit of a bad reputation for being synonymous with having hairy armpits and burning your bra. But, feminism has evolved over the years, and, according to Caitlin Moran’s How To Be a Woman, if we are still counting feminism in ‘waves,’ we’ve now reached the fifth one. Instead of shouting about all the difficulties of being a modern woman, we fifth wavers have to laugh.

If we go looking for examples in popular culture of this ‘fifth wave,’ we need look no further than HBO’s Girls.

Lena Dunham, the show’s creator, is also one of the main characters, and much has been made of the fact that barely an episode goes by without her character – Hannah – appearing naked. This may be an issue just because, well, she’s naked…on TV. But let’s be honest, it’s on HBO – a channel renowned for nudity in its shows. Clearly, it is more of an issue because Dunham is not stick thin. In an ideal world, this shouldn’t be unusual, but it is.

Dunham is making strides to normalise ‘real’ women, as she is clearly comfortable with her body, sending the message out that it’s okay not to be a size zero. But what is really great about the show is the way it finds humour in all the awkward parts about being a woman.

Girls highlights issues that women face, and tackles them through humour. So far these issues have included: abortion, sexual harassment, STIs, relationships, and unpaid internships – sounds like pretty depressing stuff I think you’ll agree. It’s a testament to Dunham’s writing that she makes us see the funny side of these issues, making Girls hilarious and compulsive viewing.

And take music – one of the worst industries for terrible female role models. It’s filled with X Factor girl bands, who all look the same and can’t sing. For women in the music industry, the actual music often takes a back seat to the pressure of being skinny and ‘beautiful.’

I was refreshingly surprised to discover the girl band Haim, made up of three sisters, who all play multiple instruments, write their own songs, and sing beautiful close harmonies. Again, like Dunham exposing her ‘normal’ body on TV, women playing their own instruments shouldn’t be revolutionary, but in the current climate, it is. Haim’s ethos is simply: ‘We want girls to feel like they can pick up an instrument, practice the shit out of it and make some good music.’

I’m not saying we all have to start getting naked and/or start a girl band, but it’s inspiring to see this ‘fifth wave’ ethos making its way into popular culture. Like Moran, Dunham, and Haim – let’s stop being so serious about feminism, and maybe it will no longer be a ‘dirty word.’

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