Hollywood has created many tropes over the years – one of them being the “Tough girl”. She’s a badass who can fight alongside her male friends. Everything comes effortlessly to her, and when she faces obstacles, she overcomes them with ease. In teen rom-coms, she knows how to fix cars and isn’t afraid to get messy with a cheeseburger. She’s one of the guys, just hotter. Does she sound familiar?
Marvel’s Captain Marvel and Rey from the Star Wars sequels are two characters that fit this trope. Their defining trait is strength. Although at first, this seems like a win for feminists, when further inspected, it erases any nuance of the character. Captain Marvel is portrayed as the most powerful hero in the Marvel Cinematic Universe. In Marvel’s Endgame, Captain Marvel comes in and almost destroys Thanos. In the Star Wars sequel, Rey is always the hero or the problem solver in every scene. Rey saves herself and simultaneously solves a majority of the film’s mystery without any help at all. They aren’t exactly relatable to audiences, who face many struggles every day. Humans are multidimensional. It is human to have constant struggles and learn how to overcome them.
Supporters of this trope would argue that this is progress compared to when you look back at when women were seen as demure and helpless. However, this “tough girl” trope doesn’t allow female characters to be human and nuanced like the 50s housewife trope, as well. It’s not better than its previous ancestor. This trope is damaging in the long run. The message that women can do it all and not need any help because they are independent girl bosses destroys any shred of vulnerability that women can have. It only allows one definition of what it is to be a woman. The only display of power a woman can display is physical strength. Her beauty is what makes her unique. The trope seeks male validation, as it’s a male fantasy: she’s “one of the guys” who just so happens to be hot.
Thankfully, not all movies contain this trope. There are so many movies and shows that provide multidimensional, relatable heroines. For example, I believe Greta Gerwig’s Little Women is an exemplary display of what a truly powerful woman can be. Little Women is a movie adaptation of Louisa May Alcott’s novel Little Women. It is a story of the four March sisters who have different personalities, desires, and life paths. There’s Jo March, a tomboyish aspiring author who is willing to go against the gender norms of 1860s Boston and make a name for herself. Next is Amy March, who plans to marry rich to support their family. Meg March, who was once uncomfortable with her family’s poverty, grows to understand what really matters in life and marries a poor man. Lastly, Beth March is always there for others and shows neverending compassion. These sisters are all unique in their own way. The movie follows them from childhood to adulthood, and the audience sees their character development. Audiences saw Amy March as a spoiled, immature child who grows into an intelligent, caring woman who understands how the world around her works and seeks to make the most out of it. What makes Greta Gerwig an amazing director is that she doesn’t dismiss one sister for another. Even though Amy’s mindset doesn’t typically align with modern feminism, the film doesn’t criticize it. It puts it on equal standing with Jo’s barrier-breaking desire to become a female author. Not everyone is willing to be such a bold, outspoken person who goes against their current time’s norms and that’s okay. When Jo tells Meg that Meg belonged on a stage with plays and not tied down to marriage and motherhood, Meg explains that just because her dreams and aspirations are different from Jo’s, doesn’t make them less important. That is what feminism is. It is the freedom to be whoever and whatever one desires. It’s the freedom to choose who you want to be without any social constraints to be stuck in the kitchen all day or be “one of the guys” who can shotgun a beer and fight monsters simultaneously.