I had seen the “The Social” on daytime TV and thought it deserved more of my attention. So I made it into a little project. It was a good multi-tasking distraction while I pounded away at Medium, crafting articles very few Medium contributors want to read. I’m a bottom writer after all.
The Social is Canada’s clone of “The View” or “The Talk,” where female panellists discuss all sorts of things for a female audience. Celebrity interviews, politics, family dynamics, dating, relationships, sex, fashion, cooking, recreation, etc., etc. The show moves quickly from segment to segment, not staying in one spot any longer than five minutes. The cameras often pan to an enthusiastic live audience, mostly well dressed, middle-aged women cheering the panellists on.
Let me digress a bit. It’s a common political axiom that female politicians have a “wardrobe” challenge over their male political counterparts. A male politician can wear the same suit (and probably shirt and tie) for two weeks and no one would notice. But if a female politician wears the same outfit two days in a row, she will get all sorts of social reprimands. Any female political outfit should be put back in the closet for at least three weeks. Then the female politician will be chastised for being a “clothes horse.” Female politicians just can’t win. Feminists will claim this obvious double standard is another example of entrenched misogyny. I would agree with that.
So it seems logical that a TV show created by women for women could rid itself of this entrenched misogyny.
I watched this show for three weeks. It seems the female panellists had two jobs. First is to tape the daily show. I recognize the immense talent and focus it takes to prepare for and keep a real-time conversation going while TV cameras are running. Their second job, after the taping is over, is to run to the clothes store to buy a new outfit for tomorrow’s show. And often there was also a new hair arrangement for tomorrow’s show. The panellists were busy women. No casual clothes or quick makeup on this TV set. No wearing the same thing — ever.
Sometimes I wonder if women aren’t their own worst enemy in the misogyny battle.
The show proudly displayed another sign of misogyny: the high heeled shoe. I realize that Hollywood can portray a female secret agent in high heels apprehending bad guys in city streets. But we know this is true fiction.
I’m sorry to say that this footwear is totally useless. It slowly and unnecessarily imparts life-long injuries to both feet and backs. We need to cast this tradition aside, and The Social could lead in this regard. But it is too concerned in what other people think about its appearance. Is it really men that force women to wear high-heel shoes?
The show does get into some important issues for society. But it tends to simplify them. The format requires quick changes of scenery before getting too deep on anything. I doubt my alternative democracy would ever fit their format.
As well as the conspicuous fashion changes, some segments go into high-end consumerism. Fancy restaurants and expensive vacations are often topics that many Canadians can never afford. I wonder what is the prime demographic for this daytime TV show, when truly successful women are usually working or studying in the daytime?
I say this TV show causes more harm than good. While it opens up a few good discussions, it also perpetuates misogyny and consumerism. Its fashion statements are hard on the environment. Somehow advertisers make a little extra profit for financing this show. The Social is just another TV show to make money change hands.
But I can think of far more harmful TV shows to watch. Like professional sports, where much more money changes hands and the world does not even pretend to move forward one little bit.
Will my comment on professional sports keep me out of being cast as a misogynist — because I trashed The Social?
This is probably irrelevant. I am a bottom writer.
Published on Medium 2023
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