‘The 100’ breaks the patriarchal cycle
The CW show The 100 has been more progressive with race, gender and sexuality than almost any show on air. Women are the heroes, villains, leaders and rebels in the show just as much as their male counter parts. The series since its release in 2004 does not shy away from breaking gender roles and shattering the stereotypical sexual stereotypes than the other shows on primetime TV.
The 100 is a show about the world after a nuclear fallout and a part of the human race has been living in space the last 200 years. They send 100 criminal and problem children to the ground to see if it is inhabitable and among them was Clarke, who is the main character of the show. Clarke, played by Australian actress Eliza Taylor, is the protagonist and main character of the show that breaks gender roles and sexuality all in one sweep. Too often on television, when the cute, blonde, main character needs to show their strength, she’ll roundhouse kick someone in the face just to prove something. Clarke doesn’t fall into the trap of using fighting as the only way to show strength. Rather, she consistently uses her pragmatism, bravery, and natural leadership skills to be a badass throughout the entirety of the show. No martial arts required.
Not only is Clarke the female powerhouse lead in the show she is also portrayed as bisexual in the show as well. She’s never fit into any stereotypes and her sexual orientation has never been shown to negatively affect her life in any way on the show. The show has numerous gay, lesbian and bi relationships and characters and they are all represented in a positive limelight as well. The visibility of the LGBTQ+ community in this show is astonishing. The gay couples on The 100 range anywhere from the two female protagonist leaders, one of them being Clarke the other the leader of the entire “grounder” nation. There is also a gay soldier couple in the show that capture the hearts of audiences just the same as a the other hetero couples depicted in the show.
This show also shatters the idea of patriarchy and essentialism right on primetime TV. While there are some gender distinctions on the show, all the gender distinctions that we associate with men and women, the opposite sex is also performing those roles as well. There are women soldiers, leaders and warriors and men doing the laundry, being nurturing to children and cooking and cleaning just as much as the women do on screen. This show breaks the patriarchal norms from almost the very first couple episodes where Clarke takes charge and keeps the 100 sent to the ground alive the best she can. But the leaders of the different “grounder” nations are all women and shown as being feared and extremely powerful.
The show also doesn’t shy away from showing male vulnerability choosing to let its male characters experience every heartbreaking on screen.Between Lincoln’s Reaper detox showing him in immense pain and being extremely vulnerable, Bellamy’s guilt over causing the Ark culling killing 400 people, and Jasper’s insurmountable grief over his lover Maya, there’s almost been more males breaking down than women on screen it seems.
The 100, basically breaks all the stereotypical sexual, heteronormative, patriarchal and essentialistic bounds that hollywood usually plays off of. Not only is the actual cast of The 100 diverse, but in its post-apocalyptic world, there has not been any discrimination based on race, sex, gender or sexual orientation. In this world, what matters most is your ability to survive, not the color of your skin, your gender or who you decide to love.
