Sexual Misconduct Not Taken Seriously
Table Of Contents
Conservative Trope Examples
- The Wolf of Wall Street (2013) | Sexual Assault Not Taken SeriouslyJordan sexually assaults female flight attendants in first class during boarding to the tune of the very upbeat song "Sloop John B." Not only is he still allowed to fly -- albeit strapped to his seat -- he is released without any charges after landing in Switzerland.
- Observe and Report (2009) | Sexual Assault of Nonconsenting Woman Not Taken SeriouslyRonnie (Seth Rogan) has sex with Brandi (Anna Faris) while she's passed out on tequila and antidepressants and pauses realizing that maybe this is not a good thing to do. But it's all good because Brandi wakes up and immediately yells out, "Did I tell you to stop, mother-f*#$*#!?" And so he is free to continue without worry.
- The 40 Year Old Virgin (2005) | Taking Advantage of Drunk Women AcceptableJay tells Andy (Steve Carell) to find and take home a woman from the bar who is so blackout drunk that she has puke in her hair, bruises on her knees and broken heels on her shoes because "in every man there is a code that says tackle drunk b*tches."
- Wedding Crashers (2005) | Sexual Assault or Rape Played for LaughsA depressed and distraught John (Owen Wilson) kisses a bride he's never met before on the cheek and then grabs her face and begins forcibly kissing her on the mouth in a receiving line at a wedding he crashes.
- 'Uncle' Geoffrey (James Faulkner) tells Bridget (Renée Zellweger) he prefers "what's underneath" her clothes after a relative complimented her jumper and then firmly squeezes Bridget's (Renée Zellweger) buttocks.
- Love Actually (2003) | Sexual Harassment Not Taken SeriouslyHugh Grant, playing the Prime Minister of the UK, shows interest in his secretary Natalie, and there are many interactions with his staff about whether she is overweight that were played for laughs such as her being "the chubby girl". In a later scene, a frustrated Hugh Grant asks aloud to himself, “Who do you have to screw around here to get a cup of tea and a chocolate biscuit?” His secretary Natalie happens to walk in at just that moment with tea and biscuits, and it's funny because they have been hinting at a romance between the two. He eventually decides to fire her because she was too much of a distraction to him, and -- later realizing that was a mistake -- seeks her out at her home. In their final scene together he quips, "God you weigh a lot!", and she responds coyly "Oh, shut your face" and kisses him.Additional Tropes: Body Shaming Women
- Bridget Joness Diary (2001) | Sexual Harassment Not Taken SeriouslyBridget (Renée Zellweger) confidently wears a see through shirt and short skirt to work, making a point to slowly walk past Daniel's (Hugh Grant) office. He quickly emails her to let her know her outfit "failed parlously" at catching his attention and she teases back "how dare you sexually harass me in this impertinent manner?," but made it abundantly clear she had no problem with him commenting on her seductive attire. He feigns an apology before letting her know he likes her "t*ts in that top."
- Bridget Joness Diary (2001) | Sexual Harassment Not Taken SeriouslyDaniel (Hugh Grant) grabs Bridget's (Renée Zellweger) buttocks without saying a word while they are riding in the elevator together. Once they depart the elevator he asks her out to dinner and she flirtatiously declines multiple advances, but appears to be playing hard to get based off her smile and giggling as she walks away.
- Bridget Joness Diary (2001) | Sexual Harassment Not Taken Seriously'Uncle' Geoffrey (James Faulkner) firmly squeezes Bridget's (Renée Zellweger) buttocks and proceeds to ask her how her love life is going, which she responds with "super! Thanks, Uncle G."
- Bridget Joness Diary (2001) | Sexual Harassment Not Taken SeriouslyDaniel (Hugh Grant) and his associate gawk at Bridget (Renée Zellweger) from his office as she walks by in a short black skirt. Daniel immediately sends Bridget an email telling her they have a "serious problem" because "you appear to have forgotten your skirt." Instead of reporting her boss to HR for blatant sexual harassment, Bridget giggles and then responds by saying her skirt is just fine and then anxiously awaits Daniel's reply.
- Bridget Joness Diary (2001) | Sexual Harassment Not Taken SeriouslyA potential employer offers to hire Bridget (Renée Zellweger) on the spot and tells her that "no one ever gets sacked for shagging the boss" at his company after she tells him she wants to change professions after having sex with her current boss.
- Varsity Blues (1999) | Sexual Assault of Nonconsenting Woman Not Taken SeriouslyTweeder says, "Listen. You give 'em a Percocet, two Vicodin and a couple of beers, and the panties drop. It's very nice."Staff AsideMox laughs initially and then calls him out saying, "Tweeder, you think you'll enjoy prison?" Tweeder plays an over the top sexist but it's still making light of the very serious idea of drugging women to have sex.
- Billy sneaks into Sidney's (Neve Campbell) room on the second floor and begins complaining to her about their lack of intimacy, saying they started off like "a nice solid "R" rating on our way to an NC17. And how things have changed and ... lately we're just sort of edited for television." He promises her he "wouldn't dream of breaking your underwear rule" and they begin to kiss, but he immediately tries to break her underwear rule by sliding his hand up her skirt. She stops him and tells him it's time for him to go home and he protests "you see what you do to me?!" as if she is at fault for him violating her boundaries.Staff AsideEven after his violating her boundaries Sidney gives him a passionate kiss goodnight and giggles while he exits her bedroom window.
- Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade (1989) | Unwarranted Kisses are AcceptableIndiana Jones (Harrison Ford) grabs Elsa Schneider (Alison Doody) and surprises her with a passionate kiss after an argument over their ransacked apartment. She feigns outrage by saying "how dare you kiss me?" as it was completely random and unexpected. But then, she immediately wraps her arms around him, kisses him back and says "I hate arrogant men" before they presumably have sex off camera.
- Cameron admits to watching Sloane undress after he made her falsely believe he was still in a catatonic state. She was not bothered by it.
- The Breakfast Club (1985) | Sexual Assault or Rape Played for LaughsJohn hides under a table in the library just as Vice Principal Vernon walks into the room. He hits his head on the table and the group quickly pounds their tables to cover for him. As he adjusts himself he realizes he's staring directly in between Claire's (Molly Ringwald) legs, with the camera zooming in on her opened legs and underwear. He inexplicably puts his head into her crotch and, even though the camera doesn't exactly show it, it's inferred that he violated her because she is shown with a shocked face before the camera goes back below the table to show her squeezing her legs together against his head. He reappears after Vice Principal Vernon leaves and Claire calls him an "as*hole," to which he responds "sue me."Staff AsideClaire (Molly Ringwald) was only sixteen at the time of filming.
- Tommy (Wyatt Knight), Billy (Mark Herrier) and Pee Wee (Dan Monahan) spy on a group of high school girls showering through holes drilled in the wall. The girls have no idea they are being watched until Pee Wee, frustrated that his peephole keeps getting blocked by a heavyset girl, crudely yells for her to get out of the way so he can watch the other girls. The girls quickly cover themselves with towels, but instead of going to get a faculty member they tease and flirt with the guys. Tommy takes it a dramatic step further and puts his privates through one of the holes, but unbeknownst to him Coach Beulah Balbricker walks in and the girls all run away. The other boys don't let Tommy know the teacher is there, so he is left exposed when she firmly grabs his privates as he shrieks in pain.Other Tropes: Crude Comments Objectifying Womens' Appearance
- Animal House (1978) | Sexual Assault or Rape Played for LaughsAlpha Delta pledge Pinto is debating whether to have sex with the mayor's unconscious daughter after she passed out drunk on the bedroom floor. He goes back and forth with his "Devil," who forcefully pressures him to rape her and his "Angel," who in a high-pitched "goody two shoe" voice says he will regret it if he does. Even though Pinto eventually sides with his "Angel" the joking nature of the scene downplays rape culture and makes it seem that deciding whether or not to have sex with an unconscious person is a difficult choice.Additional Tropes: Sexual Assault of Nonconsenting Woman Not Taken Seriously