Blog #4, Option #3

The article "Hollywood's Female Trouble" has many parallels to the book Lean In by Sheryl Sandberg. Both pieces stress the importance of women in the work place. For Gruber, it is getting more women in director positions ir lead roles, for Sandberg it is getting more women into positions of power in the business world. As stated in "Hollywood's Female Trouble", "you need an example for everybody so they can see there is an opportunity". Sandberg shares similar views, she has acted as a mentor and strong voice for millions of American women through writing her book and sharing her story. But what happens when the TV world and Sandberg's world collide for an astonishing twist? Time Magazines article "Sorry, Sheryl: Scandal Just Made an Evil Lean In Reference" does just that. The article explains how a lead female character in the hit TV show Scandal has made a negative Lean In reference. Look at the response the lead character gives when someone tries to make her turn against her boss, "Here’s the thing, Marie Wallace is a trail blazer. She’s a role model. There just aren't that many women this high up in the business and she’s the best. So am I willing to piss off a potential mentor just to help you out? I don’t think so. I’m leaning in, Harrison. Making an investment in my future. Sorry" one might see this as a positive thing, however, this character is a terrorist working for a terrorist organization.

The media has given a female character a position of power and made a mockery of Sandberg's message by using it in a position of terrorism. The American people have a long, horrible past with terrorism and when you link Sandberg's message to it, you elicit the same feelings. Here a female is given a lead role something preached in "Hollywood's Female Trouble", yet at the same time it is bashing another women's strong words of advice and reputation. Bringing one women up by tearing another women down, not every lady like in my opinion. And it is occurrences like these that seem to halter progress for women in many industries.

Times article : http://time.com/49364/scandal-lean-in-sheryl-sandberg/