The more things change, the more they stay the same.  For every action there is a reaction. For every trend, there is a counter-trend.

Maureen Dowd’s column in this Sunday’s NY Times brought all these little sayings to mind and affirmed their truth. She describes new shows that have recently been green lighted by Hollywood executives.  They include a remake of Charlie’s Angels, a show based on the Playboy Club, and Pan Am, a sitcom about sexy stewardesses.  There is also a new show called Last Man Standing – a comedy about a man threatened by the rise of women.  There will continue to be quite a number of shows that portray strong women as well, and in some ways, their existence simultaneously with the retro-shows confirms that we are in a time of great turmoil and change in gender roles.

So, how is it that at a time when women are finally gaining economic and educational equality with men and when we are growing up as true colleagues, the (overwhelmingly) men in Hollywood are creating new shows that portray women in the limited and sexist roles that they inhabited in earlier times? Is this nostalgia for a time when women were less uppity and knew their place? Is it in some way payback for too much female success? Are playboy bunnies and stewardesses more compelling now because they put women back into jobs that are subservient at a time when women are excelling professionally?

It would be easy to blame only men for this step back but we must not forget that changing roles cause discomfort for many women as well. Women are redefining femininity as much as men are questioning what it means to be a man.  Let’s remember that playboy bunnies and overly sexy stewardesses are characters in our past and the future of more choices for men and women is  the real promise.

-Fran

Read the whole column here.