Photo: avantblargh.blogspot.com
George, Elaine and jerry in "The shoes"
photo: tvfanatic.com
![Picture](/uploads/3/0/5/0/30509306/5706303.jpg)
Elaine Benes was one of the only permanent and prominent female characters on the show. Since there were so few female characters that stayed on the show during its entirety, she was praised as a feminist during television in the 1990s. It is safe to say, with her masculine attire, like the pantsuit, her lack of overexposed skin, and non-skimpy clothing, Elaine dressed less like a stereotypical woman and more like her male counterparts on the show. In Elaine Benes: Female Icon or Just One of the Boys? by Sarah E. Worth, Worth argues that Elaine portrays many aspects of a liberal feminist, yet most of her traits which the show proves, just makes her "one of the boys." In a way, I agree that Elaine is not technically a feminist, even though she is the only character who holds a steady career, went to a prestigious college, and is treated equally to the male characters in the show; these characteristics make this character a female icon for other women, yet displays the oppression of women by highlighting the stereotypes within the non-stereotypical actions and plot for Elaine.
I want to argue that Elaine Benes isn't a feminist or a representation of feminism- at least, not intentionally. I think Elaine is "just one of the boys" and highlights non-stereotypical female characteristics, including menswear style and her lack of maternal instincts. She dresses just like the boys, which will later be discussed. By acting like her male counterparts, she is pushing the limits to what women are supposed to be, yet she doesn't have any morality or maternal instincts, which makes her not your typical woman (Here, you can find a style blog based on the character's strong wardrobe!).
In terms of her style, Elaine is not one to wear low-cut tops or skimpy hemlines, unless completely unintentional. for example, in "The Shoes," Elaine wears a low cut dress, which is not normal for her character, to attract the attention of Russell, the president of NBC to help out Jerry (Jerry Seinfeld) and George (Jason Alexander). This backfires on her at first, Russell not noticing her cleavage after her many attempts to be "sexy" and/or alluring. This explains the character of Elaine so much, since she is not seen as a sexual object in the series.
In another episode, "The Gum," Elaine's button to her blouse falls off during a movie, showing off her cleavage and not to knowledge. This is another example of the over-sexualization of women on television, since she distracts most of the male characters with her cleavage, yet this sums up her character; Elaine is not intentionally sexualized, only jokingly or unintentionally.
I want to argue that Elaine Benes isn't a feminist or a representation of feminism- at least, not intentionally. I think Elaine is "just one of the boys" and highlights non-stereotypical female characteristics, including menswear style and her lack of maternal instincts. She dresses just like the boys, which will later be discussed. By acting like her male counterparts, she is pushing the limits to what women are supposed to be, yet she doesn't have any morality or maternal instincts, which makes her not your typical woman (Here, you can find a style blog based on the character's strong wardrobe!).
In terms of her style, Elaine is not one to wear low-cut tops or skimpy hemlines, unless completely unintentional. for example, in "The Shoes," Elaine wears a low cut dress, which is not normal for her character, to attract the attention of Russell, the president of NBC to help out Jerry (Jerry Seinfeld) and George (Jason Alexander). This backfires on her at first, Russell not noticing her cleavage after her many attempts to be "sexy" and/or alluring. This explains the character of Elaine so much, since she is not seen as a sexual object in the series.
In another episode, "The Gum," Elaine's button to her blouse falls off during a movie, showing off her cleavage and not to knowledge. This is another example of the over-sexualization of women on television, since she distracts most of the male characters with her cleavage, yet this sums up her character; Elaine is not intentionally sexualized, only jokingly or unintentionally.