What Are The Stereotypes In She's The Man

You run like a girl. You’re too small. You’re not pretty enough. Almost every girl in our society today has been told one or more of these phrases, if not all. Humanity and the media have placed numerous stereotypes and expectations on women that can be discriminating and binding to their progress in society. However, the feminist movement is beginning to realise this discrimination and thus creating a shift in society to break down these expectations for women to fully accept and love themselves for who they are. Moreover, the entertainment industry has picked up on this idea in the movie She’s the Man, starring Amanda Bynes as Viola and Channing Tatum as Duke. This movie explores the cultural downcast of women by superior men and also the
Nonetheless, Viola overcomes discrimination and stereotypes by proving that women can be just as athletic as men, that one does not have to be into “girly” things to be feminine, and that women are not merely sex objects. Even though it is a fact of science that women are generally not as strong as men, there is still a lot of crossover between both men and women, and the fact is not true in all cases. Women face a lot of discrimination because of this and can be perceived as weak and powerless. When the girl’s soccer team is cut, the girls ask the boys’ coach, Pistonek, if they can try out and join their team. At this suggestion, the coach laughs and says, “girls aren’t as fast as boys… or as strong or as athletic.” By laughing at the girl’s suggestion, the coach demeans the girls causing them feel unimportant and ashamed. In addition, when he suggests that girls are not “as strong or as athletic”, he establishes a hasty generalization which places them in a separate, lower category than the boys. In turn, this provokes them to feel less empowered and less valued than boys. Further on in the conversation, the coach also states
This is what the world wants and says that women must achieve to be in order to be accepted and liked. Viola’s mom, Daphne, is a perfect embodiment of this part of society. She is first introduced in a scene where she pressures her daughter into going to a cotillion after Viola expressed disinterest. Her mom responds to the lack of enthusiasm by asking, “How could I have ended up with a daughter who only wants to kick a muddy ball in a field all day.” Since Viola refuses to be a debutante, her mother presses her frustrations on Viola by insulting her sport and making her daughter feel odd or out of the ordinary for being a woman who enjoys playing soccer. Later, as part of Viola’s plan, she informs her mom that she wishes to be a debutante. Her mom reacts by saying “Oh my little girl, you’re finally going to be a lady!” In this context, it is implied that somehow Viola was less of a lady when she was not interested in the cotillion. This, again, shows how the women who do not fit within the roles society has placed on them are then seen as an outcast, therefore making them less of a women because they fell outside of the definition. However, Viola destroys these expectations by simply being herself and not being worried about pleasing society, or her mom in this case. When the debutante approaches, Viola shows up late, improperly, and not wearing the