The life of a celebrity seems exhilarating — from the flashing lights of the cameras to the adoring fans screaming your name.
But nothing beats that feeling of finally being recognized and appreciated for your art — something that seems to come quickly for men.
Women have to fight tooth and nail to be truly seen within society as individuals valued for the content of their work, not by the curves of their bodies. In the face of misogynistic comments and jarring breaches of privacy, women are still expected to constrain themselves to societal standards of feminism.
As Sarah McComb says for Women’s Tech Forum, women are expected to hide behind a “grateful” and “innocent” facade even when enduring a sexist environment. McComb says she believes it’s because women within the public eye quickly learn that speaking up against negative aspects of their careers usually leads to bad attention to their public image.
Hollywood’s first bombshell and 1950s icon, Marilyn Monroe, was the first and most notable victim of these crushing expectations. Since her death, Monroe has transcended into a symbol more than a human, with her face printed on clothing, posters, and modern art.
Lauren Humphries-Brooks, a writer for the online film and feminist blog Citizen Dame, emphasizes the misuse of Marilyn’s legacy in her editorial, “Blonde Reality: Protecting Marilyn Monroe,” where she highlights the exploitative sexual fantasy that is Andrew Dominik’s Blonde, a film that provides a fictionalized account of Monroe’s life.
Even in death, Monroe is robbed of her true self. The expectations her male counterparts set were crushing, dehumanizing, and possibly a direct cause of her death. Monroe was never invited to the conversation involving herself, and any thoughts of speaking out would result in public outrage. This sets the narrative that a woman should be grateful for success while a man can be proud.
We see history repeat itself with the rise of pop sensation Britney Spears in the early 2000s. Although her songs remain classics, her image has notably been controversial. Spears’ rise to stardom is most associated with the invasive and relentless presence of the paparazzi and her widely discussed retaliations.
In her tell-all memoir, The Woman in Me, Spears speaks on the media’s constant harassment of her body and its direct relation to her conservatorship. Spears’ pain was villainized by the media because she didn’t comply with their “nice girl” narrative — she was vocal about her discontent with the paparazzi, and the price was her identity.
In being stripped of her rights, Britney Spears highlights that setting boundaries as a woman is “ungrateful” and justifies powerful men taking control of your life. There was a physical boundary that banned Spears from not only being herself in public but also in the comfort of her own home.
Wherever women go, male expectations follow, dampening their contributions as artists. For a woman, image is her career.
With that said, the attitude towards the constraining role of women in the media is shifting. Leading this new movement of unapologetic self is no other than the Midwest Princess herself, Chappell Roan. With an elevated style and a distinctly gorgeous sound, Roan redefines what it means to be a woman in the spotlight.
On Aug. 23, 2024, Roan took to social media to address how her success doesn’t mean that harassment is suddenly okay.
Her most powerful statement, “Women don’t owe you sh*t” puts public infatuation with the female celebrity into perspective. The paparazzi’s weekly drama stories that surround women — those with dreams, passions, and a love for the arts — and objectify their bodies and actions are getting out of hand.
Women are constantly sexualized, scrutinized, and analyzed for simply succeeding. They’re constantly told to be someone they are not, to cater to the wrong people, and ultimately betray their inner selves.
Roan’s words are so powerful and relatable to the many followers and industry peers that she’s slowly changing what it means to be a woman in the spotlight.
Like many other emerging stars in the industry today, Roan’s career is shaking up societal foundations that are so quick to praise men for doing half the job a woman does. She is fighting for the female self, ensuring a better tomorrow for the future Marilyns and Brittanys.