Bridgerton
(written by Gracie)
published 02.02.21
For those who do not know of the show, Bridgerton is a series streaming on Netflix based on Julia Quinn's novels (in particular: The Duke and I). Set in Regency era England (19th century), the Bridgerton siblings attempt to find love. As niche as it may sound, the show is set apart from other period pieces in that it portrays a highly diverse society-- one in which Black people and white people are considered equal in class (thanks to Queen Charlotte, who is Black herself).
Bridgerton, everyone’s favorite period drama, has taken over media, influenced the rise of regencycore, and given us a refreshing bit of feminism and diversity. However, our responsibility lies in recognizing the difference between women's empowerment and injustice at the expense of such (more on that later.)
Perhaps the greatest proponent of the feminist perspective is Eloise Bridgerton, the middle sister (17). While Regency England was certainly a patriarchy, this depiction of England is led by two women: The Queen and Lady Whistledown, the mysterious gossip writer. However, the women of society recognize how little power they have. Young women of the time and the show alike have little to no knowledge of things like sex education; at one point Eloise spends a whole episode trying to figure out where babies come from, to which she demands to know from her mother: “How did she become with child if she’s not married?” (in reference to Marina’s pregnancy). In response, her mother hushes everyone up before any real information can be said. This is an issue that still exists in society-- young women who grow up without any real knowledge of the world. Although we now have mandatory sex education in schools, it does not cover the spectrum of relationships that exist outside of the heteronormative standard (more on that in another post).
But, back to Bridgerton. Eloise mirrors a very Jo March attitude (Little Women). The idea of marriage is something she is not even vaguely interested in. Though criticizing her sister and the other debutantes alike is not the best feminist approach, she brings up a good point when she says: “Having a nice face and pleasant hair is not an accomplishment. Do you know what is an accomplishment? Attending university. If I were a man, I could do that.” Looks are not everything a woman is good for-- they can go out in the world and do great things (attend university amongst others). This quote emphasizes women’s collective frustration on the matter of “if I were a man, I could do that.”
Needless to say, Bridgerton is one of my favorite shows-- I love the drama, the romance, and the fashion! But, it would be unjust if I didn’t recognize the flaws of its contents. Episode 6, in particular, bothered me greatly.
---------- (TW: Sexual Assault) ---------
In this episode, Daphne discovers that Simon (the Duke, and at this point her husband) is, in fact, capable of having children, despite previously believing that he wasn’t able to. Simon is capable, but he is not willing to have them. She realizes that he had been using the pull-out method when they have sex because he doesn’t want children. Frustrated by his lies and absolutely blind to the idea of consent, Daphne forces him to impregnate her by sitting on top of him during sex to prevent him from pulling away. Despite him saying to “wait” multiple times, Daphne persists. Whether it was because he couldn’t or because he wouldn’t, it was not right of her to completely disregard his non-consent. If this had happened the other way around-- Daphne withdrawing consent and Simon persisting-- Bridgerton fans would have caused a riot. Anyone has the right to revoke consent at any time, and the fact that it was Simon, a man, who revoked consent doesn’t make this any less of a crime of sexual assault. By definition, sexual assault is “sexual intercourse with another person without the consent of the other person and who knows that the other person does not consent to the sexual intercourse.” But the show does not treat it as such. Daphne’s behavior is excused as an empowering “girl boss” moment, meanwhile Simon is portrayed as the enemy for “deceiving” her. This reveals a major lack of respect for the complex racial dynamics between Black men and white women, and it was a moment that left me disgusted.
As I said earlier, it is important to recognize the flaws in the media. It is crucial to look through multiple perspectives to see the truth. We can all still love Bridgerton, but we must recognize the faults and demand better.