Pushing the boundaries: Weeds, Motherhood, Neoliberalism and Postfeminism
Document Type
Journal Article
Publisher
University of Western Australia
Place of Publication
Australia
Editor(s)
Clarke, K., & Bartlett, A.
School
School of Arts and Humanities / Centre for Research in Entertainment, Arts, Technology, Education and Communications
RAS ID
22527
Abstract
Weeds (2005-2012) ran for eight seasons. It is a U.S television comedy-drama which centres on Nancy Botwin, who is a mother, widow and drug dealer. Dealing in drugs can be seen as a departure from her life as a stay-at-home mother which removes her from the conservative, patriarchal suburban norms of middle-class suburbia, and its expectations of women and mothers. Throughout the seasons there is a dissident portrayal of motherhood as Nancy through her willfulness, entrepreneurial plans, overt sexuality and feminine tactics becomes a successful businesswoman. Weeds deals with taboo issues related to gender, sexuality and morality. I consider how in Weeds, Nancy’s transgressive nature situates her within a postfeminist neoliberal discourse. Weeds presents a world in which a woman can achieve success by embracing masculine, capitalist, individualistic endeavours whilst still adhering to feminine behaviours.
Access Rights
free_to_read
Comments
Allmark, P. (2016). Pushing the boundaries: Weeds, Motherhood, Neoliberalism and Postfeminism. Outskirts: Feminisms along the Edge, 35(November), 1-23. Available here.