Women and Goals in 2016 Hollywood Films

Gender representation in Hollywood films has been unequal since the inception of filmmaking. When female characters have leading roles, they often have goals that are about pursuing a man or supporting a man. In this project, I examine the goals of characters in the 2016 films Rogue One, Captain America: Civil War, and Deadpool. Specifically, I look at how gender, race, class, sexuality, ability, and age impact what a character\u27s goal may be, and also if the female characters\u27 goals are independent to the goals of the male characters. I completed a feminist media analysis of the films. I hypothesize that female characters will be more likely to have goals related to marriage and family than male characters, and that female characters will be more likely than male characters to have a goal dependent on a male character. In film, it is important to have diverse characters who have goals. It is empowering to see yourself represented, and it sends the message that you are important and you can do what you set your mind to. Additionally, if you are part of the majority and see a marginalized character with goals in a movie, this helps create understanding and empathy towards those diverse characters and shows that these characters are able to accomplish those goals, such as saving the world