Generation Z women are the most autonomous women yet, with access to bank accounts, education and the job market. These things are vital to autonomy overall. Financial independence and access toeducation allow women in Gen Z to move well ahead of the generations of women before them at different points in their lives.
While Gen Z women have this level of autonomy, the media they consume dictates how they view the world. This begins at a very young age, often in elementary and middle school, and continuesthroughout their lives. As a young girl, I watched a lot of Disney Channel. The shows played on Disney Channel were fun and appropriate for my age, and on the surface, they seemed to offer the ideal role models for young girls. In retrospect, the young women in these shows are constantly pitted against one another in pursuit of a boy.
One of my personal favorite shows was “Girl Meets World,” with Riley and Maya. The two were inseparable and reminded me of my best friend and I, a blonde and a brunette. There were a pair of male best friends as well named Lucas and Farkle. Lucas and Riley were “together,” and Maya and Farkle jokingly flirted. This worked well for a long time, until Lucas and Maya began flirting. This began to create tension because it bothered Riley, understandably so. The two previously inseparable friends were instantly at odds with one another because of a guy.
This pattern continued in the popular Nickelodeon show Victorious. This show was very popular, and while entertaining, this show consistently pitted the female lead characters against one another. This resulted in a constant flow of drama and disagreements among the girls on the show, something that young female viewers would be likely to copy.
Outside of this, the young women were admirable and highly talented, making jokes and getting compliments from other characters frequently. Watching young girls on this show consistently pitted against one another made me feel as if that kind of competition was normal. This eventually led to me actively seeking to outdo my female peers. Maintaining this competitive mindset throughout middle and high school made it difficult for me to form female friendships.
Socialization is difficult enough at this age, and with this internalized mindset that women need to be in competition with one another, forming healthy female friendships was made even more difficult.Learning to view other women as companions rather than competitors takes time. Entering social spaces with an open mind rather than a fearful mind opens the path for genuine connection between people. Letting go of the fear surrounding socialization is one of the most freeing things a young woman can do in this society. Even today, women are often placed in social settings where they are expected to compete with one another for attention from men, but letting go of that sense of competition makes way for a whole new world for them to be in.