We know that is a long and slightly confusing title. We’re pretty fired up, so just bear with us. Okay, so maybe it isn’t related to marketing, but it is focused on women role models, which is something we can relate to. Most of our team identifies as women.
A few years back, Kim wrote an article called, “The Entitled Gilmore Girl” for Huffington Post after The Gilmore Girls came back for one last finale so we could all catch up with Lorelai and Rory. Let’s just say…we were VERY disappointed in Rory’s choices (knocked up at 32 and jobless…we’re shaking our heads). She demonstrated the effects of being raised entitled…therefore becoming the quintessential millennial (sorry, millennials).
This got us thinking about other horrible female fictional characters everyone and their mother loved. Don’t hate us for this blog, but love us for bringing it to your attention.
Carrie Bradshaw
If you’ve never watched Sex and the City, here is a short recap for you: Carrie Bradshaw, the main character, tries to be “the cool girl” for 6 seasons, making excuses for Big (the OG fuckboy) and getting walked all over as a result. Carrie—we repeat, the main character of this show—is treated poorly by the same man over and over and over again, essentially telling every little girl at home that’s what they deserve in a relationship.
If the show wasn’t enough, the movie is just the icing on the cake. After on-and-off-again dating Big for 10 years, Big decides to leave Carrie at the altar because he is once again NOT SURE. WTF, Big?! Naturally, they still get back together and eventually get married.
How does he apologize? He sends her a few emails that he copied and pasted from his favorite books. Yes, quotes. In emails. That’s it. He doesn’t pick up the phone, show up at her door, drive up in his black town car like in every other episode. No. He sends her some emails. The smallest amount of effort. It’s honestly a joke, but Carrie is programmed to believe that is what she deserves.
In the words of Carrie, “I couldn’t help but wonder,” if maybe she was THE WORST role model for any teenage girl watching the show.
We all should have been looking up to Miranda, the one who was given the worst wardrobe and haircut but had the healthiest relationship and a law degree. Or Charlotte, with her cute kids and adoring husband. Even Samantha was better than Carrie. She finishes the series as a successful single woman with an amazing career and a beachfront home.
Thank you, Sex and the City, for romanticizing the fuckboy. You are not forgiven.
Olivia Pope
Listen, we’re not happy to see Scandal’s Olivia Pope on this list either, but it had to be done. Yes, she is the crisis queen, has a solution to nearly every problem that arises, and is a pro at managing her workload. We admire her for that. But she did what we ALL knew better than to do: mix business with pleasure.
We mean, c’mon…having an affair with the president? Yeah, that’s gone down really well in history. No one will ever find out. When are we going to stop romanticizing cheating? Maybe 2021 is the year, but we’re not going to hold our breath.
The reason why we’re most upset with Olivia Pope’s character is that she is a badass boss who we can very much relate to. We can definitely see ourselves relaxing on a couch, eating popcorn and drinking the world’s largest glass of red wine with her. However, we draw the line at letting a man consume you. We are a group of powerful, strong, independent professionals, and well, we don’t need no man (except dogs. We could always use more dogs). In the end, she let Fitz weigh her down, and she was better off without him.
Sandy Olsson
For all of the young readers (20-year-olds/Gen Z) of our blog, we’re referring to the classic movie-musical, Grease. Sandy and Danny meet and fall in love when they’re both on vacation, and it’s just super magical and romantic. Then enters real life. Sandy ends up going to Danny Zuko’s high school, which is a HUGE surprise (apparently they didn’t have phones in the 50s. Also yes, Gen Zers, if it sounds like the plot to High School Musical, it’s because it is). Well, Danny—big surprise—presented himself as sensitive, attentive and affectionate when he was away from his pals, but then acts like a grade-A asshole when Sandy confronts him in front of the other Greasers.
She cries, mopes around and wonders what she did wrong—ugh, get a grip, Sandy.
We’ll give Danny some credit because Danny eventually apologizes. They enter the big-deal dance competition, only for him to ditch her for another chic. Not cool, Zuko, not cool.
In the end, Sandy turns herself into the kind of easy lady Zuko likes (or so she thinks) to get his attention. Lo and behold, when she changes everything about herself, she gets the guy.
Honorable mentions go to Bella from Twilight, all of the bachelorettes in the history of The Bachelorette and Bachelor, as well as, all the terrible spin-offs like Bachelor in Paradise.
Thanks for tuning into our rant. If you feel we’ve missed anyone, add the person and why they’re awful in the comments. We have no problem writing part 2.
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