Internalized Misogyny in Little Fires Everywhere Eve Mandel College

Hulu’s television miniseries Little Fires Everywhere was the most-watched drama ever on the streaming service in its first 60 days online, proving that many of us are still curious about the way families function. The plot centers on four mothers and their relationships with their children, and Elena Richardson, a white, upper class part-time journalist and mother of four, seems to struggle the most. There is a stark difference between her treatment of her two sons, Moody and Trip, and her two daughters, Izzy and Lexie. Elena directs far more negative attention and pressure towards the girls than the boys, revealing her internalized misogyny.

Elena’s behavior in this fictional drama reflects the reality that in primary caregiver and homemaker roles, women are harder on their daughters than their sons. A BBC News article discusses the results of a survey of 2,500 mothers conducted by parenting website Netmums, saying, “Mothers were twice as likely to be critical of their daughters than their sons,” “15% said they had formed a stronger bond with their sons than their daughters,” and “More than one in five of the mums (22%) surveyed agreed with the statement that they let their sons get away with more, turning a blind eye to...