Nothing gets by this over-thirty British journalist…well, almost nothing.
That’s right,
It’s Bridget Jones!
I have to warn you. I have a feeling most people are more familiar with the movies, so I will manly discuss film content as opposed to the books.
Either way. Some of you may be wondering why on Earth would I pick a woman who, when you Google her name, has a slew of pictures of her ironing her hair, “bunny-ing” up, or doing some other act in an attempt to please a man. Answer: I think Bridget is the perfect feminist…for that reason. Bridget Jones shows the honest side of feminism in real life…you know, that side where we are still faced with everyday cultural and societal norms after becoming a feminist. She is obviously not perfect and many of her leave us all grinding our teeth and yelling at the TV, “Nooooo!” You ever get the feeling that you’re embarrassed for a movie character? Yeah, I get that while watching BJD…a lot. Jones is certainly not the smartest, prettiest, or thinnest girl around town, but let’s look at what she has to offer feminism.
Her transition: Post-Daniel Cleaver Breakup #1, Bridget goes through a huge character transformation. She becomes more independent, starts taking better care of herself, and finds a new career (as seen through that “I’m Every Woman” montage when she replaces her self (how to help him) books with actual self-help books…love it!). But, is it problematic that her transition was still caused by a man? In my opinion, no. Sometimes it takes a bad situation to motivate us towards inner reflection. I wouldn’t recommend a heart-crushing breakup to everyone. But, I think it’s realistic. Also, I think her transformation goes beyond Daniel Cleaver. Bridget was clearly unhappy with her career or lack thereof as well as her lack of accomplishments given her age. So, although Cleave could have been the motivating factor, I don’t think it’s that simple.
So what does this tell us? Well, I think regardless of age or gender, we can identify with something about Bridget. We all have insecurities, we all have parents who (at times) can negatively reinforce gender norms, we have friends who get us arrested in Thailand when we attempt to cross the border with their drugs…wait, what? Ok, not that one. But sometimes, we do have problems in the love department (obviously, if I had Colin Firth hanging around, I probably wouldn’t have love issues). Either way, we all have external forces that cause inner conflicts about feminism, gender roles, etc.
So, it is interesting to see a more realistic take on how women resolve these issues. Again, I’m not claiming that Bridget Jones is the perfect role model for children or the end all to feminism. But, given that we have to make choices in life and that oftentimes those choices will conflict, it’s nice to know that our real process is acknowledged. In real life, we don’t wake up at 5, kick patriarchy’s ass all day, then go to bed. So, why would we expect that out of a movie character? (In contrast, we also don’t wake up at 5 looking like a celebrity, kick some ass in some heart-pounding action sequence, then return home to cook the family feast…but that’s for another day.)
So, go home and re-watch Bridget Jones’ Diary. Then, let’s talk.
ShoutOut! James Madison University 
I absolutely LOVE this post! I think people often perceive the feminist movement as elitist/not friendly to “average” women, so this post is a great example of how an “ordinary” woman can be a feminist. I love the point you made that, while some may view the fact that it took a break-up to kickstart her empowerment, that’s a very realistic situation. Congrats on a great first T.A.W. post, eszenyme!
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I’m glad you like the post, femistorian. I know I could be writing about well-known feminist authors, but I really think it’s important to recognize that we have positive feminist influences everywhere. We just need to think about them in that way.
I’m glad you commented on the “break-up jumpstart.” I can see why someone would think that since Bridget only acted after a break-up, her action would be not genuine or worse, still motivated by a male. But, like I was saying, I think to argue this completely negates the intricate relationship between interpersonal communication and cause and effect. Similar arguments could be made for any stimulus that caused Bridget to change herself. Her autonomous self-reflection and steps toward further independence indicate otherwise.
Thanks again for the encouragement and I will look forward to future discussions!!!
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I love this movie! I did find myself embarrassed for her a lot but I was so happy when she started improving herself. I don’t think the catalyst for improving herself (aka the break-up) really matters as long as she ends up happier and less likely to repeat the mistake. Of course, it depends more on a case-by-case basis.
I did love the realistic aspect of it. She was just an average woman who was trying to find happiness in her life. I did dislike that part where she started dressing differently for Daniel but by the end of the movie, I was firmly on Bridget Jones’ side!
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I agree when you say that the catalyst depends on a case-by-case basis. I think in some instances, it’s hard to point to a specific one but I guess coercion or force would count, the cause produces an insincere set of results that could be considered “feminist.” When I say insincere here I mean that the cause wasn’t an autonomous and intended choice by the actor, but rather the external force. Furthermore, I think autonomous choices can be the “wrong” cause for feminist outcomes when they are meant to please someone else, for example. Not completely sure, though. I think it’s an awkward gray area.
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