Mrs. America: A Realistic Portrayal of Second-Wave Feminism

 

In case you haven’t heard about Mrs. America, it is FX’s latest miniseries created by Dahvi Waller, based on the movement to ratify the Equal Rights Amendment in the 1970s. The show captures the continuous battle between liberals and conservatives, in the context of the feminists’ fight for gender equality. Besides creating a realistic image of an important event in feminism history, Mrs America also discusses other relevant topics such as racism and homophobia.

In 1964, The Civil Rights Act addresses the issue of discrimination against women, but only regarding employment. Therefore, the need for more complex statements regarding sex-based discrimination in the American Constitution can still be sensed throughout the 1960s and 1970s. The Equal Rights Amendment, supported by the second-wave feminists, aimed to solve this issue once and for all, stating that “equality of rights under the law shall not be denied or abridged by the United States or by any State on account of sex” (first written by Alice Paul). It eventually passed the U.S. Senate and the House of Representatives, but it still had to be ratified by at least 38 states. Unfortunately, due to the influential conservative group called the Legal Eagles (founded by Phyllis Schlafly), that was opposed to the E.R.A., arguing that it would destroy the balance within male-female relationships, the amendment failed to be ratified in time. However, the fight for the inclusion of the Equal Rights Amendment in the Constitution has continued to this day. Even though in 2020 the E.R.A. was finally ratified by the 38^th American state, it still hasn’t been included in the American Constitution, which makes the matters discussed in Mrs. America even more relevant nowadays.

The show presents us real-life activists, such as Betty Friedan, brilliantly portrayed by Tracey Ullman. Her book, The Feminine Mystique, showcases exactly what keeps women confined to the domestic space and makes them feel guilty about wanting to be more than housewives. It is the “mystique”, the “aura”, or, in other words, the beautiful lie which tells women that they have to be fulfilled solely by being wives and mothers. If women didn’t live up to these expectations, they betrayed their femininity and, therefore, they were supposed to feel guilty. It is this guilt that motivated Friedan to write a book which would mark the beginning of the second-wave feminism in America.

Moreover, the show captured some important stereotypes regarding feminism that unfortunately are still somewhat present nowadays. One of the most outrageous claims is that feminists are overwhelmed by emotions and can’t control themselves. Whenever they were attacked and shamed continuously, fighting back would make them “hysteric” in the eyes of the conservatives. Not only did they treat them with no respect, but they also thought it funny to assume their sexual orientation and call them “lesbians”.

However, even though Mrs. America focuses on the struggles and achievements of feminists in the `70s, one of the main figures is actually the anti-feminist writer and activist Phyllis Schlafly, authentically played by two-time Academy Award winner, Cate Blanchett. No one who knows at least a little bit about Schlafly’s political career can deny that she has made many outrageous claims, while trying to defend her Christian conservative beliefs. She often expressed resentment to the idea of women being enrolled in the army and children being raised by their fathers, while also being opposed to legalizing abortions. However, what is intriguing about her character is the fact that, despite her anti-feminist statements, Schlafly was basically leading the life of an independent, self-sufficient woman. She was the leader of a powerful conservative group, she was highly involved in politics and she managed to build a career for herself that set her apart from her husband and made her a whole lot more than just a housewife, which is ironically the ideal position she promoted for women.

The way the creators of the show wrote her as a character and the captivating performance Blanchett manages to give makes the audience realise that, despite her actions, we can’t help but feel bad for Schlafly, as she is, after all, imprisoned by her own judgement. We sense there is more to her than the cold and imposing exterior. In fact, the gestures and the looks in her eyes reveal to us the bleak and lonely personal life she has. Her husband resents her for wanting to develop her professional life and her children slowly start separating themselves from her. Even though she often states she is perfectly pleased with being an obedient housewife, something in her gaze gives away her regrets regarding her life choices. Consequently, as morally wrong as her beliefs may be, Phyllis manages to make us sympathise with her in the end.

All in all, what Mrs. America really represents, in my opinion, is an homage to the continuous efforts of women who, despite having to put up with society’s prejudice and stereotypes, continued to believe in the power feminism holds. The series is a reminder of the amazing progress that feminism has achieved over the years, while also pointing out the fact that the fight for equal rights is nowhere near ending. The image of women in America has been and is still in a process of change which we can only hope will someday have the ideal outcome.