Dumb Blondes in Movies

There's Something About Mary

Cameron Diaz plays the lead role of Mary in the hit comedy There's Something About Mary. The dumb blonde stereotype is reinforced as Mary is desired by men because of her looks. In the case of Mary, four men desire her and are fighting to try and win her heart. Mary is attractive, funny, popular, and loved by all. Although Mary is a successful orthopedic surgeon she is still depicted as being a dumb blonde based on the things she does throughout the film. One example of this is when she is going to meet Ted for their date and she sees semen hanging from him ear because he had just finished masturbating in preparation for the date. Mary mistakenly identifies the semen hanging from his ear as hair gel, grabs it, and puts it in her hair. She is later shown in the restaurant with her hair standing straight up as a result of the semen.  

Legally Blonde

The title alone gives you the impression that the movie is going to be about a blonde women but could be referring to the fact that she is a true blonde or the fact that she attends Harvard to study law. This movie is interesting because it both shows people using the blonde stereotype against Elle because the way that she acts, talks, and dresses but also shows Elle going against the stereotype and proving that she has a brain. A lot like the Big Bang Theory post in regards to Bernadette, Elle's character is shown to be both smart and dumb. She proves to everyone that she has a brain but she also speaks in a way that makes her sound unintelligent. This gives her character balance while still emphasizing the stereotype. Although this movie does depict Elle as having a brain it also reinforces the idea that even though a blonde women has a brain she is still a dumb blonde in other ways and that does not change. Elle is considered beautiful, popular, and desired by men especially at her old sorority. 

Vivian one of the other lead female characters and she is the one who challenges Elle the most. Vivian is an intelligent brunette who is portrayed as pretty but dresses in a way that does not allow for her full beauty to shine through. She also does not wear a lot of make up. Vivian is taken more seriously and considered to be more smart based on the way she looks but it later becomes evident that Elle is just as smart as her. This portrayal is consistent with the California study referred to in my earlier blog post.

There are numerous other examples of blondes being portrayed as dumb in movies including Shelley from House Bunny and Cher from Clueless.

In my next blog, I will discuss my own experiences with the dumb blonde stereotype.