A Win For Hollywood Feminism? I Think Not.

Sexism in Hollywood is over ladies and gentlemen! We can now all just kick back, grab a handful of buttered popcorn and enjoy the film. Well, at least this is what Hollywood might want us to believe.

It was announced this week that Sandra Bullock would lead an all-female remake of the immensely popular (and financially successful) film Ocean’s 11. Audiences are also waiting for the release of the female retelling of Ghostbusters starring Kristin Wiig and Melissa McCarthy next year.

To feminist ears, this news sounds like a win for gender inequality in Hollywood. First, an all female cast of an iconic comedy is announced, then Amy Schumer writes and stars in a female-driven comedy, and now an all female cast will master the art of the caper as well – this must mean that Hollywood finally read the memo that women possess both the talent and the box office appeal equal to that of their male counterparts. But what good does casting women in established male roles and stories really do to end sexism in Hollywood? The truth is, not much.

Let’s first examine the one thing that film, television and theater are all about – the subtext. What can be read between the lines when a classic, male-driven work is remade with women inserted in their place? It reads “lack of confidence.” It signifies that women are unworthy of original material because producers are unsure as to whether or not the film will have commercial success. So instead of creating an innovative piece with complex, profound and authentic female characters, they choose to duplicate a work with a proven financial and critical track record. The premise, in the eyes of the audience, is already a “sure thing.”

But isn’t Hollywood about pushing boundaries? Isn’t that what every filmmaker boasts when standing at the podium, receiving their awards and accolades – how many envelopes they pushed this year? Nobody is pushing boundaries by hiring women, because women are not a risk. The narrative is a risk. The characters, the message, the dialogue, those are risks. Denying writers, actors, producers and directors the opportunity to create original, female-driven work is the equivalent of staring a woman straight in the eye and saying, “Your gender is a risk not worth taking. Act like George Clooney instead.”

One could argue that the all-female works heading down the Hollywood pipeline are a step in the right direction for gender equality. After all, with Hollywood heavy hitters like Paul Fieg and Judd Apatow at the helm of works starring talented women (and publicly fighting for them), this must mean that Hollywood is finally making changes to the sexist status quo. Well, that’s not quite true either.

In terms of the gender equality in Hollywood, we should really let the numbers do the talking. The findings by The Center For The Study Of Women In Television and Film reveal a more accurate depiction of the female circumstances in Hollywood. In 2014, 85% of all films had no female director, 80% had no female writers, 57% had no female executive producers, 78% had no editors and a whopping 92% had no cinematographers. Women represented only 20% of the Hollywood pie in these categories.

In terms of women on screen, the findings are equally dismal. The ratio of male to female actors is 2.25 to 1. Only 30.8% of speaking roles in films were women, and almost 30% of female speaking characters are partially naked or wearing sexual and revealing costumes. Paychecks for Hollywood actors are also unbalanced. In 2014, male actors received a total of $419 million in pay, whereas female actors received almost half that at $212 million.

It’s hard to celebrate the new Ocean’s 11 and Ghostbusters as feminist wins when the numbers aren’t there to back it up. Women are still considered less than in Hollywood. They’re not receiving equal pay for equal roles, they’re not represented in most behind-the-scenes capacities, and they’re not even given the opportunity to create original characters. We cannot end sexism by remaking iconic films with female leads. This is not feminism. This is a shallow attempt at feminism. So you might want to consult with your acting coach, Hollywood, because you’re not fooling anybody.