Post-Feminism: A Paradisiacal Dream

In “The Aftermath of Feminism” Angela McRobbie proposes that the socio-cultural landscape might just be post-feminist. In a self-critical essay, McRobbie questions the optimism that she previously placed in the emancipatory role that popular culture could play. In a way, McRobbie states that this optimism led to the underestimation of the role popular culture could play in a neo-liberal space and essentially "undo feminism” and by doing so establish “a new sexual contract.”

Post-Feminism according to McRobbie is “a new kind of anti-feminist sentiment which is different from simply being a question of backlash against the gains made by feminist activities and campaigns in an earlier period” as proposed by Susan Faludi. McRobbie suggests that “elements of feminism have been taken into account” to suggest that it is a “spent force” and is no longer needed. McRobbie’s main aim is to complexify backlash to understand what is presented to young women in exchange for feminism as the “new sexual contract.” Robbie suggests that a promise of economic freedom and being a consumer citizen that the neo-liberal regime requires a “good consumer and a good worker” are presented in exchange for renouncing feminism.

Language of choice, empowerment, and freedom are appropriated to propose that feminism is no longer needed. This notion of “feminism is no longer needed” essentially forecloses the need for radical feminism and social critique.

In the Indian context wherein there is a huge aspiring class, this promise of economic freedom and being a consumer citizen gains traction. Another key idea to note is the kind of feminism that is depicted is that of the “liberal, equal opportunities feminism” banking on the notion of female success. In the sense that, a portrait of a successful, independent, high-achieving woman is appropriated by popular culture and neoliberalism. This portrait of a high-achieving woman is used to say “Look! You can be her too! All you have to do is achieve individual success as she has'' – you don’t need feminism.

Several Indian advertisements, films, and television programs depict this “new woman” marked by success and independence. From the “woman of today” Titan Raga adverts to films like Veere di Wedding to shows like 4 More Shots Please! and Made in Heaven. However, the audience cannot essentially know how these women got to where they are – the idea of success is attributed to their educational qualifications and individual hard work. If we were to assume that this portrayal of the high-achieving woman is used to invite young woman to seek economic independence by consumer culture – the question that one might ask is how? This question of how is clearly brought to light in the film Tumhari Sulu – the film draws a parallel between the depictions of “the successful woman'' and “the aspiring woman.” The allure of being the “new female subject marked by success and independence” invites a housewife to chase the dream of seeking economic independence in order to feel ‘empowered’ and escape the mundaneness of domesticity. The key notion that is at play is the desire for social and economic mobility fueled by aspiration – the “new female subject marked by success and independence” is used as a role model to invite the housewife to step out of her domestic space to become the subject that neo-liberal regime seeks – a good worker and a good consumer. In such a way post-feminism finds space in the embodied figure of the independent working woman and markets itself to the embodied figure of the aspiring housewife. Once the ‘housewife’ transforms into a working woman - the language of choice, liberation and empowerment stop the critique of marriage, work and domestic spaces and bring forth commencement of issues by the notion of compromise. Thus, now as a working independent woman, the protagonist negotiates her place not by rebelling against the social order but by adjusting her behaviour to retain her new found identity. The film also showcases the regulatory gaze of the media of the radio and fashion in terms of the “outfit of a working woman.”

The film Tumhari Sullu showcases the aspirations of a housewife in a world occupied by “modern, successful, empowered and independent women.” All Sulochana Dubey aka Sullu wants is to be a working woman. Showcased as an enterprising woman who acquires appliances needed in the domestic space by competing and taking part in competitions organised by several social organisations. Her pride lies in the fact that she was able to cut down expenditure by winning.

The key dilemma starts when Sulu wins a pressure cooker in a radio contest – however, having recently bought a cooker, the appliance is of no value. In turn Sulu asks if she can be given a television instead so she can replace the broken television at home. When declined, a disappointed Sulu still goes ahead to collect her prize. Whilst doing so she misinterprets a poster for an interview for the position of a radio jockey to be a contest. With a “can do attitude” Sulu manages to get the job as a late night program host whose main job is imparting advice to callers seeking solutions for their personal problems. Her show is conceptualized as a “Sari wali bhabi – late night show” – the show gives her economic freedom and also acts can-opener to unleash her repressed sexual desires. The job itself which could be a site of exploitation through a feminist lens turns into a site of freedom and liberalization through a post-feminist lens. Before we jump into looking at this aspect, let’s take a look at how fashion regulates Sulu’s behavior.

Through the first quarter of the film, Sulu is entrenched in trying to find a suitable business idea. While returning home from a contest, Sulu spots a female driver and conceptualizes starting a taxi service. When she encounters her air hostess neighbours returning home – she goes home and puts on a ‘handbag’ to feel like a working woman – the handbag might just symbolize the economic freedom that a job gives. While fashioning herself as a working woman – Sulu feels empowered. Everywhere Sulu goes she encounters working women – her twin older sisters at home, the radio personal at the radio, station and a sea of other such characters. The film builds a parallel between the “working women'' from different walks of life and Sulu. The RJ Sulu listens to RJ Anjali and the boss of the radio station Maria are characterised as the quintessential “new female subjects'' – they are stylized in western clothes and are characterised by all the things Sulu wishes to be and are very supportive of Sulu hosting the late night show. The image and the allure of the modern working woman are conceptualised at the radio and then in the embodied figures, she meets at the station. On the other side of this working women plan are Sulu’s twin sisters who work at a bank – they are stylized in Indian clothes and stand in opposition of Sulu’s new found career by calling it a ‘cheap job.’ In a scene – Sulu talks about how the image of Maria, the boss dressed in “office wear and wearing perfume” is what she found alluring. In this sense, fashion plays off of what a “working woman” should look and feel. There is also a clear depiction of an inter-generational split between the working women of the radio station and Sulu’s twin sisters. The twins seem to believe in the existence of a stereotypical image of the drinking-smoking-rebellious-deviant new, modern Indian woman – this image is exemplified in the images of the women at the radio station. While Sulu wants what these women have – she can not necessarily adopt all of it – she essentially negotiates her image as a working woman by finding a middle ground between the two. Her aspiration for economic independence pushes her to adopt the attributes of the women at the radio station whilst retaining her image as a housewife clad in a saree – the only addition we see is that of the “office handbag” that makes all the difference.

Along the way, Sulu finds herself in the shoes of the “working woman” who now possesses economic independence and sexual liberation in the sexy and raspy voice that she employs in her late-night show. While things at the professional end seem blissful, her home life falls apart. Her husband can no longer rely on her “domestic duties as a wife and a mother.” When the work-home balance tilts to favor the workspace, Sulu is called upon by her domestic space to return to rebuild what seems to be self-destructing as her husband is now jobless and her son is suspended from school. While Sulu transforms into the new female subject that the neo-liberal regime seeks – a good worker and a good consumer owing to the economic independence her home life suffers. At a juncture where it seems like her home will collapse, Sulu essentially is ready to give up all that she has achieved to return to the domestic space – however, the narrative somehow manages to allow Sulu to have the best of both worlds. In the sense that she can not possibly stop being what she has transformed into. While walking out after resigning, she overhears a conflict between the catering service representative and the receptionist. At this juncture, enterprising Sulu conceptualizes a catering business that she and her husband can run. This is a strange way resolves all the domestic issues and she eventually returns to host her radio show. Sulu and her husband essentially negotiate their roles for Sulu to retain this negotiated middle-ground identity of being a working wife and mother. Thus, in this sense, the new female subject of the radio station’s allure pushed Sulu to reach out and seek economic independence - the unleashing of her suppressed sexual desires somehow seems to be a bonus for entering the workforce. Sulu’s aspiration lead to her socio-economic mobility. She goes from being a housewife to a business owner, RJ, and can now finally buy all the material manifestations that the market has to offer.

In conclusion, post-feminism promotes itself in the image of the “new modern, independent, working woman” to call upon the aspiring class to join the workforce so that they can be the ideal subjects that the neo-liberal order seeks – good workers and good consumers. Another stark feature that the film showcases is the silence and the withholding of feminist-driven critique of the show that Sulu comes to host by the “new female subjects” - a site of exploitation is now a site of liberation.

- Akanksha Sridhar

References

McRobbie, Angela. 2009. The Aftermath of Feminism: Gender, Culture and Social Change. London: Sage Publications, 11-53.

Triveni, Suresh. dir. Tumhari Sulu. India: T-Series and Ellipsis Entertainment, 2017. 140 min