Victims No More: Postfeminism, Television, and Ally McBeal

Fracturing Tina Fey: A Critical Analysis of Postfeminist Television Comedy Stardom

“…Postfeminism, in this light, ultimately depoliticizes feminism and shifts the focus of feminine agency in mainstream media to superficial choices such as whether to wear a miniskirt (Ouellette, 2002). Postfeminist discourse is herein underscored by a belief that feminism has accomplished its goals and gender equality has been achieved (Dow, 1996;Gerhard, 2005;Lazar, 2006;Ouellette, 2002). Postfeminist representation goes beyond declaring feminism irrelevant and defines female power through selfworth and individual choice.…”

“…This is essentially a "conflation of feminist identity with feminist politics" and transforms feminist political ideals and practices into individual attitudes and lifestyle choices (Dow, 1996, p. 207). Postfeminism, in this light, ultimately depoliticizes feminism and shifts the focus of feminine agency in mainstream media to superficial choices such as whether to wear a miniskirt (Ouellette, 2002). Postfeminist discourse is herein underscored by a belief that feminism has accomplished its goals and gender equality has been achieved (Dow, 1996;Gerhard, 2005;Lazar, 2006;Ouellette, 2002).…”

Zero Dark Thirty and the Critical Challenges Posed by Populist Postfeminism During the Global War on Terrorism

“…As Ouellette (2002) has argued in The Communication Review, feminists who work at deconstructing some of the postfeminisms that appeal to middle-class women are already having to deal with the "iconography of the militant, manhating, antifeminine and therefore unattractive feminist" (p. 320), and all of this complicates the ways that critics think about today's representations in military and intelligence contexts.…”

The Sex Wars Continue:Hung's Postfeminist Debate

“…Holmlund (2005) used the term chick postfeminists to describe women more focused on having fun and shopping rather than making strides toward gender equality. Both terms apply to postfeminist media representations of women as traditionally feminine, fashionable, thin and beautiful (Dow, 2002;Gerhard, 2005;Ouellette, 2002;Stillion Southard, 2008).…”