by Sara Conway on April 15, 2021
Film and Television
by Nikki Idelson ’22 A&E Staff
For anyone who has been on Netflix recently, the new television show Ginny and Georgia has been all the rage. It was released on Netflix on Feb. 24, and fans have been dying for a second season ever since.
The show centers around the relationship between a mother named Georgia and her daughter Ginny. According to Marie Claire magazine, the show goes beyond depicting the relationship between Ginny and Georgia, as they ”cycle between love interests, varying degrees of deception, new friendships, a mayoral election, and criminal activity.” Marie Claire also described the show as “half thriller, half coming of age story, with little sprinkles of comedy in between serious moments. It’s a grab bag, and there’s truly something for everyone in this addicting new show.” This is why the show has become so popular, as it truly does have something for everyone.
However, Ginny and Georgia has also received its fair share of criticism, which stems from the fact that in the final episode of the first season, Ginny makes a sexist comment to her mother. The joke revolves around pop icon, Taylor Swift. Ginny and Georgia are arguing about Ginny’s romantic relationships, and Ginny snaps at her mother, saying, “What do you care? You go through men faster than Taylor Swift.” In response to the joke, Swift replied on Twitter, saying, “Hey Ginny & Georgia, 2010 called and it wants its lazy, deeply sexist joke back.”
From the early 2000s to now, Swift has been constantly ridiculed for the very public nature of her romantic relationships, many of which have served as inspiration for music after their respective relationships ended. This unfair scrutiny over the years is a result of the deeply rooted sexism in the music industry that has existed for centuries and continues to prevail today. She has been made to feel wrong for her dating history while men, such as John Mayer, who have also had a very public dating record and have written music about it, have been praised.This unique form of sexism has continued to prevail within society, despite all of the progress that has been made in achieving equality for women. This also shows how important it is for all individuals, especially women, to point out micro-aggressive instances when they see them.
Many have come back at Swift, saying that she has taken the joke to an extreme. However, this “joke” is an example of how sexism is still deeply rooted within society. PopSugar commented on the situation, saying, “the ‘take a joke’ mentality simply minimizes the irrevocable damage the sexist attitude is causing.” From the joke itself to those who deny the severity of it, it is clear that we as a society have much more to do in fighting against the underlying sexism that exists today. It is disappointing to say that neither Netflix nor any of the cast members of Ginny and Georgia have said anything regarding the situation. Fans are hopeful that season two will be more conscious of any jokes that are made.