masks the severity of these issues with humor, it also addresses more taboo or unspoken issues that are typically swept under the rug in the media. The female protagonists’ viewpoints come from a uniquely female and Latina perspective that is often diďŹƒcult to find in contemporary media, let alone in media from the past couple decades. Another positive representation of minority women happens in The Mindy Project, where the main character, Mindy, a woman of color, is a successful doctor in New York City. Although Mindy’s life often surrounds her romantic endeavors, her career and professional accomplishments are often highlighted as she usually chooses her career over her relationships. In fact, her commitment to her professional passions inhibits developments in her romantic pursuits and eventually results in her divorce. While these shows reflect modern ideology that encourage minority voices, we must remember these current representations symbolize the progress that has been made in media depictions. was anything but followed. For example, even though the film 9 to 5 would typically not pass the Bechdel test as the three women come together due to a common abhorrence of their sexist boss, it was actually quite revolutionary at the time. The notion itself that three women working in the same office could work together to achieve a certain goal began to show a spirit of unity for women in the workplace, one that previously did not exist. By uniting against a common enemy, in this case their sexist boss, to create an introduction into a female friendship, this strategy encourages an
environment in which female friendship is encouraged, rather than frowned upon. In the height of competition between women in the workforce, this film challenged the cultural norm of competition between women in the workforce at the time, even if it existed to discuss a man. In a more contemp orar y example, Sex and the City follows the friendship of four unique women as they explore their friendship, sexuality, and professional pursuits. While the women often discuss their sexuality and romantic lives, they speak about them in a more personal way, one that readjusts how society thinks about personal sexuality as focused less on the male and more on female needs. In this way, Sex and the City breaks down stigmas and barriers to address more taboo topics and reconfigures their
importance for women, setting the stage for even more contemporary shows, like Jane the Virgin, to further contribute to the evolution of depictions of healthy female relationships. 26
By Loree Seitz
