Good television shows draw you in and leave you hooked. Three years ago, I watched the first episode of Scandal, a political-romance drama produced by Shonda Rhimes, and became obsessed. I followed the series' star, Olivia Pope, as she fixed Washington DC, wearing the "White Hat" to stand up for what was good and right. Her role inspired me to chase my dream of working as a woman in Washington DC. Kerry Washington herself is an icon- gorgeous, well-dressed, and focused on a career and her family. It's no wonder that she has drawn such a fan base- myself included. That is, until last night.
On the season five finale of Scandal, Olivia Pope discovered she was pregnant with the President's child. This might seem big, but for a fan base that expects nothing less than what the show's title promises, it wasn't too shocking. It was what happened next that left me in tears.
Olivia Pope chose to have an abortion. Not only that, but it was shown on national television, as she smiled and the song "Silent Night" played in the background. I expected to be shocked, or angry, or frustrated. Instead, I am heartbroken.
My heart is broken because the millions who looked up to Olivia Pope as a woman who stood for what is good and right ended the life of her child. My heart is broken because the black community, which accounts for more than 35% of abortions, lost a role model. Women who want to be powerful and strong, just like Olivia, were let down when she chose her own life over the life of a child. Olivia went from a woman who was empowered, fierce, and brilliant, to a woman who thought she couldn't continue her streak of success with a child in tow.
Mothers continue to change the world every day. Olivia Pope was unstoppable- until she let the world tell her that she couldn't do it all. She believed the lie that her life would be over the moment a new life began- so she ended it.
I am a feminist. I believe that ambitious women are changing the world every day. But when the world tells women they can't be powerful with a child, it is the exact opposite of feminism. Instead of encouraging women to be progressive and goal-driven, the mainstream media is glorifying the archaic view that a woman's place is in the home and with a child. Why can't we celebrate women who have careers and children? Why can't we celebrate the gift of life for what it really is- a gift?
Most of all, my heart is broken because Scandal perpetuated the horrific idea that pregnancy is an illness. It conveyed that women are not strong enough to raise a child and continue their careers. It shouted from the rooftops that one of the strongest female leads on television today was too weak to wear the "White Hat" when it mattered most.
My heart breaks for the loss of Scandal as a show that inspired women like myself to chase their dreams in male-dominated fields. If we continue to see this negativity and patriarchy infiltrate our mainstream media, women are going to be more oppressed than ever before- and that is the real scandal.
Well said Jane.
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