Is “Legally Blonde” the Most Feminist Movie Ever Made?
Bear with me. Obviously, it’s not the most important feminist movie ever made, a title that would undoubtedly go to a film like The Color Purple or A Girl Walks Home Alone at Night. However, I recently watched the film again and was amazed at what I’d missed 19 years ago, and also how familiar Elle’s story feels.
Most feminist films, of course, challenge the patriarchy, male dominance, and long-held belief structures which hold us back. They tell us what we always knew in our hearts: women are strong, equal, and capable, and that life is not fair for women in a world without a level playing field.
So does Legally Blonde, but what is unique about the film is that it challenges more than the patriarchy — it challenges feminists ourselves by questioning our presumptions and biases, asking questions we want not to answer.
Perhaps the most brutal questions deal with our unfair presumptions about other women.
