From Seneca Falls to JJ’s Diner: Parks and Recreation, a Feminist Manifesto

BY MOIRA MOYNIHAN

Parks and Recreation is the greatest show on television. I say this for many reasons. It’s not hard to see that Li’l Sebastian is an heroic mascot for our nation, that Ron Swanson is a god among men, and that I wish I could have celebrated my 21st at the Snake Hole Lounge. But despite these clear points in Parks and Rec’s favor, the power of the show comes from its political commentary. In a sea of media that portrays a misogynistic, pessimistic view of the world and government, Parks and Rec presents a distinctly feminist argument that celebrates the potential of government through a comedic lens.

Parks and Recreation emerged as the result of several important events. Noting the success of the “Mockumentary” style of The Office, NBC officials wanted to produce a spin-off, capitalizing on the wide audience the comedy landmark had managed to gather. Beyond that, the idea for the show emerged amid the 2008 election, and the “hope and change” mantra of the Obama campaign made the idea of a show portraying an optimistic view of government more possible than it had ever been before. Having seen The Wire successfully flesh out the politics of local government, Parks and Recreation chose to read the fictional government of Pawnee, Indiana through a comedic lens, and with Amy Poehler at the helm as the ambitious Leslie Knope, the show has grown into one of the most acclaimed on television.

The most recent data available regarding women in media reflects what we already know: women in positions of power are few and far between. A study by the Center for Women in Television found that in the 2011-2012 television season, women comprised a meager 26% of all writers, creators, directors, producers, editors and directors. With 74% of these key positions of power being filled by men, it is not surprising to see women so often falling into stereotypical tropes, and being portrayed through and for the male gaze. What’s more, the Women’s Media Center found that women represent only 41% of all television characters, and those who are represented are substantially less likely to be in roles of leadership or to achieve their goals as their fictional male counterparts.

Though Parks and Rec fairs only averagely when it comes to the number of women working behind the scenes, the cast manages to achieve near gender equity. When the show was still being conceptualized, there was serious concern that people would not watch a show that centered around the friendship of two women (Leslie and Ann), but much like Bridesmaids disproved that predominantly female casts fail at the box office, Poehler’s show has also defied expectations, faring well critically and playing a crucial role in NBC’s Thursday night comedic lineup.

In the show, Poehler plays the ambitious Deputy Director of the Parks Department turned City Council Member, Leslie Knoppe. She is talented and driven, fiercely loyal, and by far the most productive member of her staff. Leslie represents an optimistic view of government, and she believes deeply in the potential of her department, and of herself, frequently noting that she will one day be the first female president. As odd as it seems to count Knoppe among the female politicians to whom young girls should look up, lack of role models is one of the most frequently cited reasons for the absence of female candidates on ballots at all levels of government. She herself decorates her office with pictures of some of the most powerful women of the last century, with her portraits of Madeline Albright, Condelezza Rice, Margaret Thatcher, and Hillary Clinton coming up as frequent points of conversation throughout the show. Her success in local politics in and of itself reemphasizes the potency of having had role models to look up to. What’s more, her own mother plays an important role in city government, even earning the fictional “Tellenson” award, adding her to the ranks of many important male government workers who’ve won it before her.

While the presence of strong female figures is invaluable in the fight for gender equality, in order to achieve many feminist goals, the presence of allied male voices remains critically important to achieving these goals. The men in Parks and Rec are not only portrayed as feminist, but they also actively promote these goals in their daily lives. While Andy Dwyer does take an intro Women’s Studies class, and Chris Traeger does explicitly ensure that he is not making women feel objectified, I think the most poignant case study of the male feminist within Parks and Rec is Ron Swanson. Ron Swanson embodies all of the tenets of traditional masculinity (albeit in a hilariously exaggerated fashion). He eats no fruits or vegetables, claiming that these are “his food’s food”; he is an avid hunter with a remote cabin in the woods; he frequently indulges in strong alcohol; he has cried only twice in his life, and he sports a handsome mustache, noting that facial hair and masculinity have been linked for centuries. Despite his hyper-masculine status, Ron explicitly states his preference to be surrounded by strong women. The traditional masculine/feminine distributions of power were inverted in his marriages to both Tammy 1 and 2, and in his later, healthier relationships, Ron is often the less dominant partner. Furthermore, he reemphasizes his actions with outright verbalizations of some of the unfair standards put on women, noting how nowadays, “Most women are vastly too skinny.” These body-positive messages sent out by the most masculine character in the show are further reinforced by the rest of the cast, such as with the most overtly sexual character, Donna, conforming the least to standard ideals of Western beauty, being both a black women and plus-sized. Whereas so many shows rely on models-turned-actresses to appeal to the male gaze, Parks and Rec suggests through its masculine characters that these standards are not the only representations of beauty, nor are they realistic.

While much of this feminist discourse runs between the lines on the show, I love Parks and Rec because it isn’t afraid to be explicit in its use of the f word: feminism. While so many women shy away from the word that seems to elicit unfair, or unrealistic, images of women who forgo shaving and burn their bras, Leslie and her team represent a more accurate portrayal of the modern day feminist struggle. When Leslie runs for city council against a wealthy heir of the Sweetums Candy Factory, we see her unfairly portrayed in the media as a harpy and a shrew. When someone calls Leslie her “second least favorite term for a woman,” she refuses to apologize for the angry reaction of her team, giving voice to all women who have ever been called a “bitch” by a man. She breaks down gendered limitations in traditionally male jobs, opening the position of trash collector to women. And in one of the show’s most explicitly feminist episodes, she passes on the torch of feminism to the next generation, by leading the Pawnee Goddesses (which is ultimately open to both boys and girls). Leslie crafts a troop motto that at once hyperbolizes the mission of the group and embodies the importance of encouraging girls to see their own potential: “I am a goddess, a glorious female warrior, queen of all that I survey. Enemies of fairness and equality hear my womanly roar, yahhhhhh.”

While many of its plotlines are ludicrous and the primary appeal of Parks and Rec remains the twenty-two minutes of side-splitting humor it offers up every week, the powerful political implications of this series cannot be ignored. And they aren’t. Washington powerhouses Newt Gingrich, John McCain, Olympia Snow, and my favorite feminist, silver fox Joe Biden, have appeared on the series, and even President Obama has said that he watches the show with Michelle and his daughters. In a world where women are so frequently under- and misrepresented, this is the kind of show women and girls of all ages should be watching. One that proves that feminism is not only important, but it can be pretty damn funny too. So while many may not be able to plan a Harvest Festival like Leslie or match her record setting consumption of JJ’s waffles, everyone can be happy to count her as one of their many feminist role models. Fictional or not, Leslie adheres to feminist mores that appropriately respond to the struggles of western women in the 21st century, and for this she occupies a crucial and necessary role in the modern television landscape.

Illustration by Alexis Copithorne