Kidman: Hollywood probably contributes to violence

Thursday 22nd October, 09:28 AM JST

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15 Comments

neverknow2 at 10:22 AM JST - 22nd October

The Australian star told Congress that the U.N.

Actually since she was born in America, I would say she is American.
Klein2 at 10:50 AM JST - 22nd October

Sure. She's right. I dont know if the statement was carefully crafted or not, but it is reasonable.

Has anyone noticed that, in network shows, women are the victims of very bloody crimes much more than men? It has gotten worse in the 90s and since. I watched Heroes a while ago. The first two seasons, and women get hacked and blown away all through that show. Men? Not so much.

Misogyny, like racism, is sneaking up on many societies. It is ubiquitous. Just look around. Certain economic trends will make it worse.
bobbafett at 11:00 AM JST - 22nd October

Hollywood probably has contributed to violence against women by portraying them as weak sex objects.

The Taliban dont have Hollywood because of the tele ban but they are very violent against women.
Altria at 11:05 AM JST - 22nd October

Nicole Kidman conceded Wednesday that Hollywood probably has contributed to violence against women by portraying them as weak sex objects.

No, movies like Charlies Angels are to blame for portraying women as being able to take a severe beating and then get right back up and save the day.
Suzu1 at 12:34 PM JST - 22nd October

According to a recent A.C. Nielsen study the top five occupations of woman characters on American primetime television shows: surgeon, lawyer, police lieutenant, district attorney or cable news pundit.
The top five occupations for women in real life: secretaries/ administrative assistants, registered nurses, elementary and middle school teachers, cashiers/retail salespersons, according to the Department of Labor’s 2008 statistics on women workers.
Badsey at 08:20 PM JST - 22nd October

It's all about the $$$ and what sells. =they are their own enemy.

If Johnny Depp can make money as a Pirate =he will be a Pirate and expect more Pirate movies to go after the Pirate cash until the Pirate cash is gone and/or sold out (Pirated).

Where did all these Pirates come from?
SBBarnes at 08:34 PM JST - 22nd October

Nobody viewed women as weak sex objects until Hollywood came along. Before Hollywood women were respected among men same as men. (The sarcasm is so thick you could cut it with a knife!)

It just might be that women are viewed as weak sex objects because they are usually weaker than men physically, they are usually desperate for certain things like companionship, marriage and children, and because the object containing them, their bodies, are highly attactive to men sexually.

But I would not want to deny Hollywood and Nicole their delusions of grandeur.
SuperLib at 08:47 PM JST - 22nd October

Well I guess Hollywood contributes to everything it portrays in movies. If weak women in movies make women seem weaker in real life, then it would have to follow that strong women in moves make women seem stronger in real life.
cow76 at 09:41 PM JST - 22nd October

The portrayal of women on TV is not great but movies are generally worse. Every movie seems to be aimed at men, and women subtly fulfill the roles of male fantasy women. Just off the top of my head, try that movie about that guy who can teleport, starring the guy who played Anikin in the new Star Wars (sorry that's not more specific). I remember it really pissed me off when I saw it, and I'm a man.
Good_Jorb at 10:36 PM JST - 22nd October

In related news Buffy the Vampire Slayer caused an increase of women on vampire violence, Alien caused an increaase of women on alien violence, Tomb Raider increased the amount of scantily clad, gun toting, female Archaeologists and Stop! Or Mom Will Shoot made it ok for 80 year old women to conduct illegal arm purchases.
ca1ic0cat at 01:50 AM JST - 23rd October

The Taliban dont have Hollywood because of the tele ban but they are >> very violent against women

The taliban have their interpretation of the Koran and sharia; they don't need Hollywood, Bollywood or TV.

I'm not so sure that the issue of violence is necessarily gender specific on the whole. It seems that constant exposure to violence numbs people to it and makes it easier to react violently. Of course the hypocracy of Hollywood in profiting from violence while preaching against it is amusing. Odd that Kidman is the only person who has the guts to stand up and say it.
Klein2 at 07:19 AM JST - 23rd October

Altria

Excellent point, but not for the reasons you think. In the original series, I think that the Charlies Angels women were never hit or abused or even injured in any way. I think that is right, but I am not exactly sure.

In the movies, are they the victims of violence because they are tougher and more ambitious? Or is it because men are more threatened by them now? Or is it because society has become desensitized to misogyny?

Nobody ever called Farrah a witch with a b, for instance. And as far as taking a punch and getting up, have you seen Philadelphia Story? It was made in the 1950s. Katherine Hepburn takes a pretty nasty shove from Cary Grant and pops right back up. And that was a romantic comedy!! Kate was one tough cookie, and not the kind of woman who gets portrayed these days.
Klein2 at 07:27 AM JST - 23rd October

Suzu1

That really sounds about right, but I would say that those are the RECURRING or MAIN characters in those shows. What it masks is that number one on the list of weekly roles would be violent crime victim, with number two being prostitute, and number three being drug-using soccer mom who is verbally abused by her live in boyfriend.

Just mentioning Heroes again too, Claire was a cheerleader who "attempted suicide" in the first episode, with a repeated video scene of compound fractures to her limbs. The other lead character (also blonde and chesty) is a single mother who does internet porn and gets beat up repeatedly by her (black) boyfriend. Later, the police abuse her too. Claire's cheerleader friend dies in a pool of blood, etc. Claire's mom is dominated and drugged by her plotting, secretive husband. And that is pretty well all of the female characters on the show.

This show was VERY popular with young men.
Klein2 at 07:38 AM JST - 23rd October

Good jorb

Ok ok, I get it.

But every show you mention is an exception to the rule. That is so much the case that each example has become iconic. Josh Whedon is famous now for using strong female characters in everything he does. Buffy, Firefly... everything he does. River and Buffy are also examples of weak or insecure women who find some strength, and who will not stand for being abused. Sigourney Weaver in a ripped T-shirt being a mommy is an image that is stamped on the whole Alien series. Sarah Conner kind of co-opted that.

Kidman also does not use the word CAUSE, as you do. She says "contributes to" which requires less of a burden of proof to support.
Psyops at 02:51 PM JST - 24th October

Hollywood doesn't portray women as weak sex objects, history does.