Publication Cover
Continuum
Journal of Media & Cultural Studies
Volume 37, 2023 - Issue 6
173
Views
0
CrossRef citations to date
0
Altmetric
Research Article

The persuasive mask of postfeminism: Claire’s hegemony and sexual politics in House of Cards

ORCID Icon
Pages 741-755 | Received 12 Oct 2023, Accepted 26 Feb 2024, Published online: 20 Mar 2024
 

ABSTRACT

This article focuses on a particular discussion in the sphere of TV series that revolves around women’s empowerment: the recurring confusion between feminist efforts to improve the condition of women and minorities as a structural group and postfeminist rhetoric of individual struggle and hard work, the latter being frequently used by politicians. Using the six seasons of the House of Cards (HoC) TV series as a case study, I argue that Claire Underwood exercises a hybrid femininity frequently portrayed as inclusive in discourse but ultimately seeks to increase her political influence by leveraging social issues such as abortion and sexual harassment. In light of the Roe v. Wade overturned and the use of postfeminist rhetoric by politicians such as Hillary Clinton, hybrid forms of femininity both contribute to and reinforce systems of inequality. These forms highlight the systemic differences between ordinary women and those who have reached the top of the political hierarchy.

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s).

Notes

1. The concept of gender order maintains significant relevance within the masculinity framework, contributing, as explained by Connell (Citation1992, Citation1995, Citation2012), to the contextualized and historical understanding of individual characteristics. Messerschmidt (Citation2016) argues that masculinity scholars should not only consider gender discussions but also mention the role of other social dynamics, such as race, class, and sexuality. Collins and Chepp (Citation2013) and Collins (Citation2015) criticize the specific reductionism of gender order, which they consider part of monocategorical thinking, which lacks an interdependent understanding of systems of domination.

Log in via your institution

Log in to Taylor & Francis Online

PDF download + Online access

  • 48 hours access to article PDF & online version
  • Article PDF can be downloaded
  • Article PDF can be printed
USD 53.00 Add to cart

Issue Purchase

  • 30 days online access to complete issue
  • Article PDFs can be downloaded
  • Article PDFs can be printed
USD 412.00 Add to cart

* Local tax will be added as applicable

Related Research

People also read lists articles that other readers of this article have read.

Recommended articles lists articles that we recommend and is powered by our AI driven recommendation engine.

Cited by lists all citing articles based on Crossref citations.
Articles with the Crossref icon will open in a new tab.