First broadcast in 1998, Sex and the City followed the lives of four New York women
Carrie, Samantha, Charlotte and Miranda, through the trials and tribulations of their
friendships and relationships. Initially perceived as true ‘girl boss’ feminist media,
portraying fashionable, ‘older’, unmarried career women, with strong friendships
whilst casually dating, and having ample sex. Although, with the uproar that came
from Gen Z discovering Sex and the City for the first time, most of the storylines and
dialogue is not landing as well as I imagine it did in the 90’s and early 2000’s. I
couldn’t help but wonder, can this show be deemed simultaneously progressive and
regressive, or are Gen Z just too woke?
The Show follows the lives of four friends, Carrie, a writer, fashion icon, chain
smoker, forever destroying herself and others in the pursuit of millionaire ‘Mr Big’.
Charlotte, an art gallery worker, philanthropist, constantly looking for her ‘prince
charming’ and by the end of the series a remarried, divorcé, adoptive mother.
Miranda, a corporate lawyer, sceptic, mother, wife and breadwinner. Finally,
Samantha, a PR executive, commitment-phobe, sex obsessed.
The list of problematic elements in Sex and the City are endless, with both cultural
and contemporary audiences recognising that the punchlines almost always land on
LGBTQ+ communities or ethnic minorities. Whether its Carrie’s dismissal of her
dates’ bisexuality referring to it as ‘just a layover on the way to Gay Town’, the girls’
hostile reactions to sex mad Samantha dating a woman, asking her if she ‘ran out of
men’ or the depiction of Samantha’s interracial relationship storyline, leaning into the
stereotype of the ‘angry black woman’. It’s clear that many of these ‘jokes’ and
storylines wouldn’t fly if the show was made today, but does that mean we should
dismiss the show entirely?
‘Sex and the City’ in my opinion is a must see show for any girl in their 20’s, from
strong female friendships and woman that date around in their 30’s and 40’s, to the
fashion moments whether its Carrie’s eccentric shoe choices and tutus or Charlotte’s
classy dresses, the outfits are still inspirational today. Although I don’t find the show
relatable to my own life as such, the questions it raises are something that all girls in
their 20’s and onwards consider, is getting married and having children truly the end
goal? Do women have a shelf life for dating? Is it okay to put yourself first in a
relationship? And should I give that man another chance? These questions still stand
true even if you’re not a wealthy woman living in New York city chasing after
millionaires. Sex and the City may not be a direct depiction of reality, with Carrie
spending hundreds of thousands on shoes despite being a freelance writer, but the
revolving door of people that become meaningless, the constant pursuit of that one
man that doesn’t particularly want you (Mr Big), balancing a career and Charlotte’s
unashamed dreams of a perfect life, centred around marriage and children.
With a new generation experiencing this show for the first time, it also means
unravelling the questionable elements from sexism, stereotyping, racism, and not
simply ignoring them. When watching Sex and the City you have to acknowledge
that it was made in a different time when offensive material was able to fly under the
radar without question, but that doesn’t mean it has to now. Sex and the City has
some great and heart-breaking moments which would be a shame to miss, so
maybe Gen Z’s role is to enjoy these shows whilst simultaneously criticising the
problematic storylines that don’t fit todays standards. So, I don’t think Gen Z are a
bunch of Charlotte’s, prudish and scared of the more difficult and explicit
conversations, but instead they are simply not stooping back to the 90’s and glossing
over offensive media.