On a typical day at my university, it is not uncommon to hear a girl or guy murmur “that’s what she said” in the middle of a conversation. I hear, and even use, the phrase so often that I decided to name my blog after it. At first, I thought it was just a funny phrase, but the other day, I realized… what about what he said?
There are a lot of things I like about ‘The Office’ – great characters, funny dialogue, great plot lines – but there is also a lot that really bothers me. The above clip showcases a few examples. The language used toward women is disgusting and often crosses the line of what is funny.
Now, it’s not that I don’t see the humour. ‘The Office’ is satirical, mocking business settings and the people who often get put in power. That said, I do not think this excuses a lot of the anti-woman, anti-feminist jokes the show contains. Michael Scott’s behaviour demonstrates everything offensive, inappropriate, and oppressive about sexist, chauvenist employers but somehow manages to come out on top most of the time, his only punishment a sheepish “silly Michael” sigh from Pam, the ideal pink-collar, innocent, quiet woman.
The show is so well-known and often quoted that these degrading phrases have worked their way into the vocabulary of an entire generation. This is to the disservice of the feminist cause, particularly when women buy into the joke. The fact is, inequality in the workplace is very much a reality. In ‘The Office’, the strong women are typically portrayed as bitchy, mean spirited, and aggressive. Workplace inequality and sexism remain very real issues confronting women, particularly women in business. Contrary to popular belief, the wage gap is not disappearing. I found a brilliant commercial speaking out for pay equity and have included it in this post.
As much as I enjoy ‘The Office’ and find it amusing, whenever I watch it I end up thinking about this time I was in high school and my mum came home from work. She was visibly upset because in a meeting earlier that day, the debate got heated and her boss, a man, told her to “stop being such a cunt about it”. At the time, I did not even know what the word meant, but now I am shocked and appalled that such misogynistic language is used in the workplace today.
So while I am not going to stop watching the show, I will keep questioning its validity and the messages it is putting out there. It’s definitely not the worst show on the air for its slights against women (uhm, “Two and a Half Men” anyone?), but it’s certainly not waving the flag of equality either.
