"Bride Wannabes" is a genre of reality show or TV documentary series, which included a total of 10 episodes, to track the courtship process of five single women in 6 months. The participants assists and gets a makeover by a group of experts and through matchmaking to introduce the targets for them, thus explore the single women in Hong Kong, "Hong Kong girl", "Leftover ladies"'s phenomenon and the relationship between men and women as the theme.
The program is keep instilling the message of "it will be failure if the woman who can not get marry", it is ignoring the female's autonomy, to use as the magnificent package and a spot announcement advocating marriage. The ideology of male domination, and female subordination is handed down from the feudal society, just implanted it to the audience with the alternative packaging. The marriage indeed play a very important role in life, but not at all. With the women's level of knowledge to be improved, and the variation of family function, the role of women is no longer limited to mothering skills or assists one's husband and teach the children. Also marriage is not any more the only way for women, I believe that marriage is not the exclusive goal for a lot of female, however, social media yet get the shackles placed on them, the television attempt to re-rack it for women which have long been abandoned already.
As the TV show arise from intense controversy. "Traditionally, identity has been understood as something coherent and fixed, an essential quality of a person that is guaranteed by nature, especially human biology." (Halbwachs, 1992, p.79) Nowadays, society seems to implant the one who have never quite found a suitable object or to choose do not marry who is into a fault, it is merely the kind of guilty of woman. Those social "norms" is assimilating in our mind, as time passes, when promote that such ideas by media. The concept of community for women seem have not make progress too much in Hong Kong. But we should also simultaneously take notice of do not just take the notion of the single and independent is the modern women's gender roles today, but dwarf the woman who pursuits of marriage, as it is proper that if someone fight what they want bravely and it have not belittle the status of women as well .
As the TV show arise from intense controversy. "Traditionally, identity has been understood as something coherent and fixed, an essential quality of a person that is guaranteed by nature, especially human biology." (Halbwachs, 1992, p.79) Nowadays, society seems to implant the one who have never quite found a suitable object or to choose do not marry who is into a fault, it is merely the kind of guilty of woman. Those social "norms" is assimilating in our mind, as time passes, when promote that such ideas by media. The concept of community for women seem have not make progress too much in Hong Kong. But we should also simultaneously take notice of do not just take the notion of the single and independent is the modern women's gender roles today, but dwarf the woman who pursuits of marriage, as it is proper that if someone fight what they want bravely and it have not belittle the status of women as well .
The mass media has ability to influence the public values. "Consumption is a significant part of the circulation of shared and conflicting meanings we call culture. We communicate through what we consume." (Halbwachs, 1992, p.78) For deep-rooted aspect, the TV program is filled with product placements and an advertisement, to be focused and blamed on the defects and faults of female's character and appearance, blindness to pursue beauty, even in a maze and loss themselves. Forced women to play a role of stereotypes, and blindly pursuit of the "illusion" that is hard to achieve. If look at love as a war, by the offense, defense, rely on means and by packaging, but do not teach the audience how to love sincerely, those will cause a negative impact for society.
Love does not require consultants and life coaches. Or we may interpret that TV program with optimistic and positively. Since strategies and love are non-confrontation and "showdown", learning interpersonal skills are not equal to induce the female to ignore the love. From an 60 era, the Western feminist movement and liberation; Mao Ze-dong issued a discourse: "Women hold up half the sky", or even more, the group of "Ashes level spinster": comb female (自梳女). Faced with the contradiction of the traditional concept and reality, in fact, the people have been deeply rooted in accept the concept of female independence nowadays. In a cynical society, similitude with the TV program's name "wannabes" in place of "spinster", the single woman can stand up with courage, calm to face the evaluation and fight for their desire, that is the worthy glory ‘war’ for them without guilt.
To conclude, the mass media can construct and shaping the image of special features. Leftover ladies are in more than just marital disruption for a good women or who can not look for the ideal partner. Nevertheless, such a phenomenon with deep-seated social incentives are interact and call into being some factors, for instance, social structure, urban alter the traditional and staggered concept of the modern partner's relation. Moreover, woman should not live in the labeling of spinster, material girls, or Kong-gals, besides, do not affected by the television programs, either condemning it. As a self-confident and the one who aware of their value, is no need through the judgement but affirms their own value by oneself.
Reference:
1. Halbwachs, M. (1992). (Ed. & translated by Coser. L.A.) Chapter 1-4. On Collective Memory. (pp.41-53). Chicago: The University of Chicago Press.
2. Dyers, R. (2000.) The role of stereotypes. In P. Marris & S. Thornham (eds.). Media studies: a reader. (pp.245-251). Washington Square, N.Y.: New York University Press.
2. Dyers, R. (2000.) The role of stereotypes. In P. Marris & S. Thornham (eds.). Media studies: a reader. (pp.245-251). Washington Square, N.Y.: New York University Press.
Tang Lok Sum, Audrey (10492684)
A very critical review of the media’s role in shaping single women as losers, as well as its strategies in constructing the myth of marital happiness. The discussion on relevant theoretical concepts (e.g., construction, circulation and consumption of identities) is well formulated and insightful.
ReplyDeleteThe images of single women as lonely, unfulfilled and socially isolated came up repeatedly throughout the programmes. Perhaps you can quote some specific scenes/dialogues to illustrate the stereotypical images of singlehood in women. On top of introducing the nature of the programme, more concrete examples (e.g., the style of narrating participants’ stories, the advertising parties involved) could be included to support your arguments.