Sex Lives of College Girls is the latest Mindy Kaling production that gives its Black and brown women characters some very questionable romantic storylines.
This is so accurate and on point. I also thought it was strange that there was that end of episode bit of Bela sleeping with that comedian. I don’t feel it was ever addressed outside of how it impacted Bela and Eric, despite it being this big cliffhanger and all the implications of this very imbalanced hookup. There have been a few inappropriate and strange relationships in this show and I don’t feel that they ever fully explore the emotional impact these might have on literal eighteen year olds.
the whitney bio boy storyline made me especially mad because that man was incredibly misogynistic and/or racist and yet he was somehow a viable love interest!!
Eric at least had a slightly more realistic redemption arc and it felt realistic that he would have needed a second before turning on his friend.
bella constantly hooking up w comedy men in power to get jobs is a SUPER weird dynamic that is worryingly not addressed at all and continues to work out for her which i HATE
Such an amazing piece! I completely agree with your summary of why the love interests seem so hollow and one dimensional for Bela / Whitney v Leighton & Kimberly. It’s very unfair. Also, unless it’s 10 things I hate about enemies to lovers, I don’t want it.
I think I also have a problem with how she consistently portrays her lead Indian female characters as overly superficial, selfish and obnoxious. Bela in Sex Lives is just plain unlikeable at this point and it's hard to empathize with her as a character. Devi in Never Have I Ever was also pretty awful at times and did some really hurtful things that were just written off because we were supposed to feel sorry for her. I know her tv shows are just fiction, but there is already a harmful stereotype of Indian women being overly dramatic, overly emotional, and her characters just play into it.
Great point about Whitney. The enemies to lovers is appealing because men so rarely see women as their equals, and making someone your nemesis is an acknowledgement that they are worthy, challenging opposite. Andrew's dismissal of Whitney does not fit that bill.
I totally agree! I also find that she sometimes codes white male love interests as Jewish (Ben in the Mindy project and also Ben in Never Have I Ever) and utilizes harmful and borderline antisemitic plot lines and stereotypes. For example, in NHIE Ben’s last name is Gross, he’s pretty repeatedly framed as backstabbingly ambitious, not attractive, and physically off putting, and his parents are ultra wealthy and successful in the entertainment industry. I feel like Mindy thinks she gets a pass for this because BJ is Jewish but it really just makes it worse.
This is so accurate and on point. I also thought it was strange that there was that end of episode bit of Bela sleeping with that comedian. I don’t feel it was ever addressed outside of how it impacted Bela and Eric, despite it being this big cliffhanger and all the implications of this very imbalanced hookup. There have been a few inappropriate and strange relationships in this show and I don’t feel that they ever fully explore the emotional impact these might have on literal eighteen year olds.
the whitney bio boy storyline made me especially mad because that man was incredibly misogynistic and/or racist and yet he was somehow a viable love interest!!
Eric at least had a slightly more realistic redemption arc and it felt realistic that he would have needed a second before turning on his friend.
bella constantly hooking up w comedy men in power to get jobs is a SUPER weird dynamic that is worryingly not addressed at all and continues to work out for her which i HATE
Such an amazing piece! I completely agree with your summary of why the love interests seem so hollow and one dimensional for Bela / Whitney v Leighton & Kimberly. It’s very unfair. Also, unless it’s 10 things I hate about enemies to lovers, I don’t want it.
I think I also have a problem with how she consistently portrays her lead Indian female characters as overly superficial, selfish and obnoxious. Bela in Sex Lives is just plain unlikeable at this point and it's hard to empathize with her as a character. Devi in Never Have I Ever was also pretty awful at times and did some really hurtful things that were just written off because we were supposed to feel sorry for her. I know her tv shows are just fiction, but there is already a harmful stereotype of Indian women being overly dramatic, overly emotional, and her characters just play into it.
Really insightful and a delight to read! Love this analysis and I hope our woc can get some decent love interests next season 🤞🏿
Great point about Whitney. The enemies to lovers is appealing because men so rarely see women as their equals, and making someone your nemesis is an acknowledgement that they are worthy, challenging opposite. Andrew's dismissal of Whitney does not fit that bill.
It is also about the erasure of men of color in Hollywood. They were barely present in the show, even though it had a bunch of WoC.
I totally agree! I also find that she sometimes codes white male love interests as Jewish (Ben in the Mindy project and also Ben in Never Have I Ever) and utilizes harmful and borderline antisemitic plot lines and stereotypes. For example, in NHIE Ben’s last name is Gross, he’s pretty repeatedly framed as backstabbingly ambitious, not attractive, and physically off putting, and his parents are ultra wealthy and successful in the entertainment industry. I feel like Mindy thinks she gets a pass for this because BJ is Jewish but it really just makes it worse.