Recently, I've binge watched The Bold Type on Netflix. I'd heard really good things about it and wanted to see what all the hype was about. If you are currently watching it and are as invested as I was, stop reading now because there will be loads of spoilers!
For those who haven't seen it, all four seasons follow the lives of best friends Jane, Kat and Sutton as they try to navigate their way through life whilst all working at Scarlet Magazine. The trials and tribulations they face, both in their personal lives and in their professions is translated so well on screen, with hard-hitting subject matters that aren't spoken about enough taking centre stage.
School shootings and the traumatic impact this can have on its victims and the wider community is explored when Jane discovers that Sutton is keeping a shotgun hidden in their apartment. Sexual assault is portrayed so beautifully when Jane writes an article for the magazine entitled `carry the weight`, all about sharing and releaving others of the burdens we are carrying, with a key focus on sexual assualt in the workplace. Even the subject of Cancer is heavily mentioned throughout as Jane lost her mum to breast cancer when she was little and then discovers at the age of twenty-five that she has tested positive for the BRCA gene mutation, causing her to have to consider surgical procedures and whether or not she wants children, all whilst battling with a life forever more filled with doctors appointments and mammograms.
Using Scarlet magazine as the epicentre for these thought-provoking topics, a voice is given on behalf of them. The subjects that women want to hear and read about, alongside what they need to read and hear about are discussed through the medium of the magazine. However, despite these very prevalent matters being given an outlet on which to shine which would ordinarily be deemed unsafe, a typical fashion magazine is flipped on its head and instead provides a safe space for real women and men for that matter, to have their voices heard.
Overshadowing these subjects which begin a conversation, not just within the magazine or series itself, but also outside of Netflix, stands strong female characters trying to adjust their lives as they fall into relationships, new jobs and all the chaos that life throws at them. These women stand strong as a united front, but as individuals are experiencing very different circumstances.
Kat is shown to struggle with the inability to accept her race as with a white mum and black dad, she has always chosen to ignore the conversation that could evolve through her accepting her identity. Alongside this, she is battling with her thoughts about her sexuality and that's where yet another powerful character, Adena, comes in. Playing a strong lesbian muslim, she somewhat fights against all that her religion stands for, whilst fully embracing it at the same time. As a result of this, the muslim community and race for that matter, is somehow modernised, or rather presented in a different light; one that presents both timelessness and relaxation around the faith itself, ultimately elevating it to a place the conversation hasn't gone before. One that gives you, as an audience member, the chance to truly see similarity and difference and embrace them.
On the other hand, the character of Sutton is presented as being in a purely sexual relationship with her co-worker who is fifteen years older than her. The age however, is never presented as the issue, but rather the fact that they both work for the same company and as an assistant on a far lower pay grade, Sutton is labelled as sleeping her way to the top. This matter is further complicated when after ending things with her partner Richard, afraid of what others are thinking, she winds up in a similar predicament after sleeping with another co-worker and again, insults are thrown. After wallowing, Sutton comes back fighting and is instead depicted as a woman who won't take any crap, living in the knowledge that she gets the opportunities she does because of her talent and eye for fashion. The rules surroundig co-worker relationships are softened later, leading to comfort, security and a marriage for both Sutton and Richard. This is unexpectedly thrown into turmoil though when Richard's deperate want for children pushes Sutton away and her opposing thoughts towards getting pregnant are solidified after she suffers a miscarriage. This storyline collides with Sutton's past of growing up with an alcoholic mother. This relationship is shown to be rekindled and then compromised, however it is the unspoken subject matter that could be responsible for Sutton's thoughts towards not wanting children.
That leaves Jane, or `tiny Jane` as known by her friends. Amongst the umbrella of chaos that losing her mum and testing positive for the BRCA gene mutation brings, Jane, much like Sutton and Kat, goes on a quest for self-worth. After her serious relationship ending, she hits it off with a guy who works in the same building and she aptly nicknames him after the magazine he works for; `pinstripe guy`. In the first series their purely sexual relationship is used as a narrative alongside Jane exploring female sexual pleasure, which takes centre stage as an article in Scarlet magazine. Moving forward, Jane winds up in a relationship with a doctor called Ben and it happens to be then that pinstripe guy, or Ryan by his real name, chooses to confess he wants a relationship with her. Battling this dilemma shortly after leaving her job at Scarlet after a rumour about staff being laid off, she heads to Incite magazine where she royally messes up and ends up getting fired. Desperately wanting her job back at Scarlet, Jane apporahces her ex-boss, but is refused a job, a lesson Jane needs to be taught, ultimately making her a better writer and stronger woman.
Jane and Ryan end up getting together and she is shown to be in love for the first time since her ex-boyriend dumped her at a train station on her birthday. Jane contemplates her future with the potential risk of getting breast cancer, whilst learning that Ryan kissed someone else. Putting her true suspicions to the back of her mind, she chooses love and not wanting to be alone or scared. When the realisation suddenly hits that Ryan did in fact sleep with someone else and not kiss them, Jane has to ignore her fears and instead fight for her self-worth. She decides to go through with a double mastectomy and endures a tough recovery, with the outcome being her judging her appearance and feeling far from normal. Using her friends, research and her writing as therapy, she re-gains the feeling of loving herself and is able to speak openly about her fears and what she has endured to try and conquer them.
Above each of these ladies sits their boss Jacqueline; a female voice that is fearce, pure and true. As the series goes on, she is shown to carry a real love for not just the bond between the three ladies, but also for each of them as she accepts them in as friends. She pushes each of them out of their comfort zone, especially Jane, who she gives a hard talking to about embracing fear and using it to grow; tough love that Jane desperately needs to be shown. She does all of this, whilst also dealing with her own marriage problems, a theme that underpins some of Jane's research for her articles, as well her thoughts on what to do moving forward with regards to her relationship and life.
Overall, The Bold Type uses strong female force to discuss issues so prevalent in society today and years before; issues which are not spoken about enough, or necessarily painted in the right light. It provides a platform for real women and men who want their voices heard, understood and appreciated, all whilst discussing matters that not many magazines or other mediums for that matter, are brave enough to take the plunge and voice.
Go and give it a watch and you'll see what I mean!
Dotty
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