Second Post

Implications about Gender in The Devil Wears Prada.

In the movie, the main character (Andy) takes a job as the assisstant to a powerful business woman (Miranda) in the cutthroat world of fashion. The implications present in the film address ideas about women in the workplace, the relationship obligations and duties of men and women, gender roles in society, and women in places of power/control. Miranda has marital problems and undergoes a divorce in the movie. Her husband feels she spends too much time working, and is severely immasculated when she repeatedly fails to show up for their dinner dates leaving him to sit alone in the restaurant. Their relationship suffers because they cannot work out their problems together and he cannot accept having a wife who is more powerful and makes more money than him. He probably feels that it is his responsibility to be the primary "bread winner" of the household, to take care and provide for his family and cannot handle that Miranda is the provider in their relationship. Andy has her own relationship problems with her boyfriend when she starts working for Miranda. She has less and less time to spend with him and her personality and character changes drastically, physically and mentally. Andy's boyfriend does not like the person she is becoming but Andy must put her relationship on the "back burner" and concentrate on her career, a concept that was unheard of before women's rights movements. The definition of femininity has changed much from that time. Its more socially acceptable for women to be the primary providers, make more money than their spouses, and hold high career positions. However, many people still cannot shake the old sentiments and beliefs. As in the movie, many women in powerful positions end up feeling guilty for not being a better wife or mother according to societal standards. Fortunately, as more and more women take on the business world, the crippling and sometimes absurd standards of our culture are becoming less of an issue and source of pressure/stress on both men and women alike.