Legally Blonde: Why Pink Is The New Black

Why Pink is the New Black

At the beginning of the month of January Mindy Kaling had Twitter abuzz when she announced to access the news that Legally Blonde 3 will start filming in the coming year. Mindy Kaling was not forthcoming regarding plot details but confirmed the return of the main characters Reese Witherspoon and Jennifer Coolidge as Paulette “bend and snap” Bonafonte.

Is it something about Legally Blonde that is causing audiences to be enthused 20 years after its 2001 debut? Do you think it’s the sheer quantity of endlessly quotable and memorable one-liners? Her iconic pink-on-pink outfits? Maybe it’s because this fanciful romance actually contains subversive feminist ideals, social commentary, and a celebration of women’s contributions to the legal profession as well as society as a whole.

How do you know it’s difficult?

Famous philosophical William Godwin once said, “Law is made for man.” About 100 years after an experienced beauty technician stated, “Law school is for people who are boring and ugly and serious.”

In a sense both were correct. Although women are now more prevalent than males in the field of legal profession generally, seventy percent of the lucrative partnership positions are held by males. A small percentage of those who are able to attain important positions usually come at a price and Two of the female US Supreme Court judges have children, compared to 8 male judges.

Female lawyers’ representations in both television and films reflect (and may even reinforce) the disparity. The characters range from Ally McBeal (an ambitious litigator who ultimately decided to have a child instead of the idea of partnership) to Sex and the City’s Miranda Hobbes (a short-tempered and short-haired independent career woman) Female lawyers are successful when they behave “like men”; aggressive unfeeling, ruthless, and self-interested.

Legally Blondehowever turned this notion upside down by featuring Elle Woods. Elle Woods was a character that was not successful in spite of her feminine nature however, it was because of her. Although it was not the preferred or even their second option (bizarrely the fear was that they were “not sexy enough”) However, looking back, Reese Witherspoon was genius casting and played the character with a sweet smile and impeccable comedy timing, and not becoming irritating or unlikeable. That, in 2001 was quite an accomplishment.

The reason is that the nineties’ simultaneous emergence of the “tough chick”, as well as ” lithification”, could have sabotaged the traditional feminine expressions (i.e the ones displayed through the persona). It was a difficult decade to be a female. But, then again, aren’t they the same for everyone?

At the age of eleven in 2001, I don’t think I was aware of the lack of gender equality within the legal profession. But I was aware of the sexism that characterized girlhood. Whether I was aware or not, just like the majority of girls my self-worth was seriously diminished through social conditioning designed to strengthen masculinity and power.

Today and in the past teenagers are expected by society to do various things. Polite. Humble. Highly successful. However, at times it appears that all we’re most considered to be valued for is our sexuality and youth.

I’m sure we got the message in a loud and clear way. Popular culture taught us the phrase “schoolgirl” was not synonymous with academics but instead with masculine fantasies that were taboo. Cheerleaders, a majority of who began playing the sport when they are in their teens were similarly admired and not praised because of their physical strength.

The highest-paid model worldwide currently is Kendall Jenner, twenty-six (she began her career at thirteen). A survey of app users who use dating sites discovered that the age of 18 was the time of the highest swipe-ability in men who were until the age of fifty.

However, on the opposite, every manifestation practice of sexual attraction like diets, heavy makeup, or flirtatious behavior is generally regarded as ridicule at best and, at worst, completely marginalized.

Nobody has ever had ever told Elle Woods that.

Just like her character, Ms. Woods herself, Legally Blonde is sweet and syrupy as well as upbeat and cute. Yes, Elle is swept off her feet by a gorgeous professor. She also hammers the crucial legal issue by delivering an unprepared closing argument that has a dubious legal foundation.

However, in a subversive twist, Elle’s growth as a person does not manifest in a tough-chick transformation like Grease. Elle is a character that isn’t averse to male rules and recognizes the law as the realm of men. She transforms the world into her own and gives it new hues and a shiny new look. Naturally, she is blonde.

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