Running head: ELLE WOODS: THE MODERN DAY FEMINIST

Elle Woods: The Modern Day Feminist

Alison Wootten
Missouri State University

ELLE WOODS: THE MODERN DAY FEMINIST

Every day more and more girls flock to media outlets that promote what they consider to
be the ideal woman. Females today aspire to obtain things such as being thin, having perfect
skin, and being attractive to men. The media typically does not coincide success or intelligence
with femininity or being desirable. Todays media still struggles with the telling of stories with
strong female characters that exhibit any material substance at all (McGee, 1990). These
portrayals of women changed in 2001 when the movie Legally Blonde was released. From
sorority sister to serious lawyer, the character Elle Woods can be classified as a modern day
feminist. The portrayal of Elle Woods breaks down several stereotypes and is a vessel for tearing
down the media patriarchy. Elle Woods is portrayed as a woman who is unafraid of her
femininity, but also exhibits depth that contests the typical stereotypes. The movie sought to
remind people that a woman did not have to sacrifice her femininity for success. It also reminded
people that a happy medium was possible.
The film Legally Blonde is a 2001 female-driven comedy directed by Robert Luketic. The
film was based on Amanda Browns novel, Legally Blonde. The film had positive reviews from
viewers and received a nomination for a Golden Globe Award for Best Motion Picture: Musical
or Comedy. Lead actress Reese Witherspoon received a Golden Globe nomination for Best
Actress- Motion Picture Musical or Comedy and Best Female Performance. The film stars Reese
Witherspoon as a sorority girl who goes to law school in hopes of winning back her exboyfriend, Werner Huntington III. The movie takes the viewer through Elles process of realizing
that she will never be good enough to gain Werner back. This does not prevent Elle from chasing
her dreams and in the end finding the man she was meant to be with. Elle addressed several of
the issues that are at the forefront of third wave feminism such as following ones passion,
heteronormativity, the rape culture, and love.

ELLE WOODS: THE MODERN DAY FEMINIST

This brings us to what feminist criticism really is and how it is executed. The first step is
selecting an artifact. In this case Legally Blonde the film. This movie is a good fit because it
presents a group that is typically marginalized or subordinate and presents it in a way that,
irritates, angers, inspires, or challenges (Foss, 2009, p. 157). The second step is examining the
feminist perspectives. The third step is formulating a research question that fits with the artifact.
For this artifact the research question will look at how the film constructs a new ideal of
feminism and examines what it is like to be a woman in society today. The final step is applying
the feminist critique to the artifact.
Feminism is a theory that examines the political, economic, and social equality of the
sexes and includes organized activity on behalf of womens rights and interests (Biesecker,
1992). Feminist schoars are among those who have begun to question and challenge thoertical
boundaries. Schoars working from a feminist perspective suggest that most theories of rhetoric
are inadequate and misleading because they contain a patriarchal bias (Foss, 2009, p. 331)
Feminism got its roots as a social movement in the eighteenth century. Since then, feminism has
had a series of waves that address different issues. The first wave of feminism focused on equal
political rights for women, especially their right to vote. The second wave of feminism addressed
the social issues of womens right to enter the workforce, receive equal pay, and have greater
access to things such as birth control. The third wave of feminism began in the 1990s as a
response to the second wave feminism. This wave addresses several of the same social issues but
also gives women the right to choose a more traditional role as a housewife (Baneteiser, 2004).
The third wave of feminism looks at the important issues of reproductive rights, rape culture,
gender violence, and the medias portrayal of women. Regardless of the phase of feminism, the
bottom line or goal is homogeneous.

ELLE WOODS: THE MODERN DAY FEMINIST

Even at the prime of her sorority days, Elle Woods exhibited several of the elements of
being a modern day feminist. Elle was raised in an entitled lifestyle where she had everything
she could ever want. She liven a large house, drove a nice car, was dating the man of her dreams,
and had the best sorority sisters she could imagine. Elle was raised with parents who did not
expect much out of her except possibly to become a Victoria Secret model. When Elle first
approached her parents about attending law school they did not believe law school was not for
people like her. Elle was not serious, smart, or boring enough to attend law school according to
them. Even with these negative influences in her life, Elle thrived in the only ways she knew
how. She was the president of her sorority, got a 4.0 in her fashion merchandising major, kept
herself looking her best, and was dating a man from a prestigious family. Quickly one can see
that her superficial happiness came from these lavish things that she had always had. Although
Elles successes are not the common elements of feminism one might think, third wave feminism
puts a special emphasis on excelling and being whoever or whatever you want which ultimately
is what Elle Woods did throughout the film (Dow, 1995).
The beginning of the film lends itself to the issue of heteronormativity. This issue
commonly focuses on the assumption that heterosexuality is the only normal sexual orientation,
but it also addresses the lengths in which men and women will go to obtain this norm (Dow.
1995). The film opens at the sorority house of Delta Nu where the girls, mostly blonde, are doing
all the superficial things such as dying their hair and working out they feel they need to do to be
desirable to men. These implications are defining the feminine idea. The film then leads into the
plot line of Elles friends helping her prepare for her date with her boyfriend, Warner Huntington
III. Elle and her entire sorority believed that would be the night he would propose. To everyones
surprise, Warner instead broke up with Elle claiming he needed to marry a Jackie, not a

ELLE WOODS: THE MODERN DAY FEMINIST

Marilyn. The extent Elle goes to obtain heteronormativity does not end with the dying of her
hair or the clothes she wears, but after being dumped she decides to go the lengths of applying to
Harvard Law School to get Warner back. This implies that a womans happiness is the direct
result of her male companionship. After applying her intelligence and strong work ethic Elle gets
accepted into Harvard Law and moves to become the type of girl Warner needs.
Although the modern day feminist opposes hteronormativity, the fact that Elle chased her
ex-boyfriend to Harvard does not necessarily make her an anti-feminist, but human. Third wave
feminist support woman having relationships and having legitimate feelings, which is what Elle
was going through when she followed Warner to Harvard. It was not until Elle was standing at a
party in a bunny costume that she realized no matter what she did or would ever do, she was
never going to be enough for Warner. It was at that very moment Elle became an icon for modern
day feminism.
Elle proceeded in the film to take law school seriously. She bought a computer instead of
using her notebook and fluffy pink pen, bought books, and really began to buckle down and
study. To most peoples surprise, Elle ended up being very smart and successful in the academic
setting. Not only did Elle become book smart, she also began to realize she did not need the
approval of Warner or anyone to be successful in life. Elle became and independent woman who
did not rely on a man like the feminist perspective suggests. Elles success in the academic
setting leads her to receiving one of the few spots on the Brooke Windoms case. It is here that
Elle shows her moral code by not revealing Brooks alibi and gains her trust. Third wave
feminism is commonly thought of as a sisterhood. Third wave feminism claims true sisterhood
can only be achieved by incorporating diversity into feminism and joining together in the fight
(Dow, 1995). Not only did Elle show sisterhood with Brooke Windom but also with an unlikely

ELLE WOODS: THE MODERN DAY FEMINIST

enemy, Vivian. Elle and Vivian were able to put their differences aside and bond over the issues
of being the only women working on the trial. At the conclusion of the movie, the viewer reads
that Elle and Vivian both graduate with successful jobs and as best friends. They both exhibited
the third wave fiminists beliefs on sisterhood.
Another issue third wave feminism addresses is the rape culture. In the movie after Elle
shows great potential and much success after the first day of the trial her professor and boss calls
her into her office to talk about her future. Instead of discussing Ells future, the professor had
something different in mind. Professor Callaghan made a move on Elle. Ells reaction was one of
anger, disappointment, and betrayal. She began to question why she was even in law school. Elle
almost succumed to everyones initial opion that she was nothing but a girl with big boobs and
blond hair. It wasnt until she was reminded by a former professor at the beauty salon just how
far she had come since she started at Harvard. It was there that Elle decided she wasnt going to,
let one stupid prick ruin her future. Like a modern day feminist, Elle responded to this issue by
bettering herself and pushing herself to become more successful. She, teamed up with Brooke to
take the lead on her trial. Brooke fired Professor Callaghan, the previously dominant male
character, and he watched as Elle took over his case.
In the end Elles femininity, which most believed made her an inadequate lawyer, ends up
winning her the case. Elle was able to discover several of the pivotal facts in the trial that had
been overlooked by everyone. She recognized the pool boy was gay and that the daughter on the
stand couldnt have possibly been in the shower because she had gotten a perm that day. Elle
remained engaged throughout the entire trial and every moment leading up to it. She withstood
doubt, a breakup, and a horrible sexual advance from her boss and teacher and did not let it slow
her down. In a masculine thinking environment, Elles feminine thinking proved superior.

ELLE WOODS: THE MODERN DAY FEMINIST

The film attempts to present a woman attorney as heroic without forcing her into the male
model allowing her to reconcile her profession and her ethics. At its roots, third wave feminists
want everyone to be themselves and to do what they want. That may mean wearing lipstick, high
heels, being a stay-at-home mom, or even being a lawyer. In the end everyone has the right to be
happy and it is time to put and end to the gender stereotypes that hold people back so often.

ELLE WOODS: THE MODERN DAY FEMINIST

References
Baneteiser, Sarah. (2004). Girls rule!: Gender, feminism, and Nickelodeon. Critical Studies in
Media Communication, 21(2), 119-139.
Biesecker, Barbara. (1992). Coming to terms with recent attempts to write women into the
history of rhetoric. Philosophy and Rhetoric, 25(2), 140-161.
Dow, Bonnie J. (1995). Feminism, difference(s), and rhetorical studies. Communication
Studies, 46(2), 106-117.
McGee, Michael Calvin. (1990). Text, context, and the framgnetation of contemporary culutre.
Western Journal of Speech Communciation, 54(1), 274-289.
Foss, Sonja K. (2009). Rhetoircal Critism: Exploraiton and practice. Long Grove, IL: Waveland.