It is also remarkable that "Queens Gambit" doesn't paint her as a "genius girl". She is simply *a genius*, period.

I loved the fact that Beth never experienced sexual trauma. I kept expecting it because, of course, that’s a requirement for a female protagonist in a drama. Don’t get me wrong, I know sexual assault is all too common and horrific, but it was refreshing to see a woman experience sex on her own terms and rather an aside for a change.

Personally, I like that it doesn't focus on sexism. Is it unrealistic? Yes, but I like that I just get to watch a woman be remarkable and men support her.

I actually liked that Beth was portrayed as someone who didn't have to reject her feminine interests in order to be taken seriously. She might be playing a male dominated sport, but she can still care about fashion and beauty. She can still be herself and not be defined by what people expect from her. Most of the time female characters are shown rejecting femininity in such circumstances. So to me it was refreshing to see.

No, Beth isnt a Male fantasy, she's a through and through FEMALE fantasy. Women want to be her, dress like her, be respected like her, overcome like her. This is a modern fairy tale and it's perfection.

I personally loved how Beth was fashionable and cared about her hair and make-up. I've noticed that in our culture when women care about what they wear and how they look, they are not seen as intelligent, let alone a genius; or they are intelligent but scheming. In male-dominant industries, beautiful women who care about their looks (in a feminine way) are looked down upon (by males and females) and oftentimes they must dress down to not hinder their career. Whereas men who do care about their looks (in a masculine way) are held on a pedestal. So, I hope this movie, alongside few non-romcom movies like Hidden Figures, can help change the narrative of women who like dressing up, and that she does not have to disregard her feminity in order to excel in a male-dominated world and be respected.

While I agree that the world of queens Gambit is a fantasy, I see it as a impowering one. Just as so many men have been granted their fantasy of becoming the best, queens gambit gives women that impowerment fantasy in a world where can become the best in a male dominated field without constant reminder that life is never so simple in the real world.

If the criticisms in this take had been included in the show it would not have been the hit it is. I think it was refreshing to watch a female character not having to be weighed down by the sexism and abuse, yes it may sadly be fantasy but it made for a unique and fun watch. A more predictable version would have her abused by the janitor, abused by her chess opponents and by her adopted father. There are plenty of realistic depictions in film about women oppressed in male environments and for once this ‘fantasy’ version was more than welcomed. The rise in women interested in chess and buying chess sets after this show is nothing but positive too!

Anya Taylor-Joy crushed this role, I already want to rewatch it

I just found it to be such a relief that there was no rape. Rape = character growth or rape = canonical trauma to be overcome is so extremely prevalent and I just loved that it didn't happen. I don't care if it's unrealistic, it was a welcome difference.

Idk man her aesthetic appeals to the female gaze too imo

She’s not “anti-social.” Beth is “asocial.” There’s a big difference. She has empathy and cares about those around her. She isn’t violent or sadistic either. She is a loner. Anti-sociality means showing characteristics of psychopathy/sociopathy

Beth’s breakdown is realistic though. I’ve seen plenty of women being at rock bottom, binge drinking etc while literally putting their make up on

about her looks, I agree that male authors have a twisted vision about women in rock bottom, but I think in this show specifically that doesn’t apply. Beth is shown to care for style and her looks, she knows she's beautiful, and to be honest I can say that I have felt like shit and done my make up in effort to feel better, it's not an unrealistic concept.

I feel like the ladies of The Take miss the point entirely on why this show is like this. It's meant to BE a fantasy, like how 80s action movies were for guys, or modern day superheroes for that matter. Not every show has to be Fleabag, The Handmaids Tale or I May Destroy You. I'm pretty sure there are women that are tired of seeing stories that just basically boil down to "Patriarchy bad!" I'm pretty sure that there are women out there crying out for more escapist shows like this. Now that I think about it, I want to see more female-centric shows that aren't about abuse and are just awesome to watch.

Films being realistic: "further enforces the narrative that..." Films being idealistic: "does not portray the reality" I mean..damn if you don't and damn if you do. I for one like this show very much. Sure, it's unrealistic - but at least when young boys watch this show they'll learn that it is okay if a woman is better than you, and that you should behave nicely even if that's the case. I'd prefer this any time over all the films that teach children that it's normal to yell, berate, be violent to women if they're better than you.

It is a fantasy but I thought it was refreshing to see a woman not having to overcome sexism. It gets tiring to see depictions of how men hate women over and over again.

Yes, it's not realistic how she looked during "her rock bottom" and yes it's not realistic that she's always put together but I think this is a narrow view of how she uses her style to express herself. She had to wear the same clothes for a huge part of her formative years, and one of the first things she buys is a dress, in a way she explores her sense of self through her style. Plus, she dresses very feminine and it's even criticized for it during an interview, so her style is a statement that sets her apart from her colleagues. I felt she was unapologetically feminine and I loved her for it. So to say it was for "the male gaze" is a very poor interpretation.

I viewed the absence of sexism in this show like I did the absence of homophobia in Schitt’s Creek - a fantasy; how the world should be.

Me, a gay woman: Do you love her or do you wanna be like her?

I used to love The Take. But lately I've been starting to notice a trend with their female character analysis videos. They have this very particular idea about how a female character should be written. And any character, no matter how well-written or praised, if it doesn't fit their idea of how a women should be, according to them it's crap. For example in one of their earlier videos, they tore down wonder woman for being too perfect despite the fact that she has her fair share of flaws. And now Beth Hermon. Because according to them, any female character that is overly strong cannot be beautiful and feminine. Any female character that's overly intelligent cannot be glamorous and fashionable. As a woman working in STEM field, I've had the opportunity to meet plenty of gifted women. And I can say with confidence that Beth is a pretty accurate depiction of a genius women. In fact, the notion that intelligent women aren't beautiful and don't care about their appearance is severely outdated and very, very far from reality. And honestly, the scene where Beth's ex boyfriends all came together to help Beth was not that far off from reality either, because I've seen men put aside their personal fights to help their women colleagues and classmates succeed more times than I can count. Because most mature adults know when to put their personal battles aside and show a little professionalism when it comes to taking down an opponent from a rival country/school. I think the ladies of The Take should meet some women from a wide spectrum of jobs and backgrounds before they start to dismiss any female character that deviates from their narrow view of how a women should be as unrealistic and bullcrap.

“Women don’t need a Beth Harmon to inspire them.” Speak for yourself. I love this channel but I’m going to respectfully disagree. I love Beth and her determination and drive and it’s absolutely refreshing to see a character like her fit in with the likes of Sherlock and House. I enjoy the lack of sexism in the show for the same reason I enjoy the lack of homophobia in Schitt’s Creek. Sexism in day to day life is exhausting. Here it doesn’t exist and I honestly wish that could apply to the real world. By making it a norm of just having things between men and women be a matter of who is better rather than their gender or bias or anything else. It’s the world I honestly wish we could live in and the Queen’s Gambit makes me really yearn for that world where women don’t have to afraid of being sexually harassed or taunted or even having male competitors be as supportive as Beth’s friends were. It exists for the same reason Schitt’s Creek doesn’t have its residents be homophobic. Because having people exist in that kind of mutual understanding and respect is the world we want.

Imagine how many girls are going to be inspired by this show and start playing chess

Acting like a man? Didn’t realize those qualities were reserved for men.

I really adore how many of Beth's costumes are reminiscent of chess pieces, as they are black or white, or have checkered patterns. Plus, she's clad in all white at the end, proving herself to be a true queen! 👑💖

"Queen's Gambit" was DEFINITELY one of the best new shows of 2020. It had stellar acting, writing, visuals, costumes and direction, and despite only having seven episodes, tells a story so enthralling that there's no need for another series. Anya Taylor Joy is a star on the rise! 🌟😍

"Women don't really need a Beth Harmon to inspire them." Nonsense.

that moment you realise The Queen's Gambit have toned down real sexism in the male dominated world of chess by a thousand times xD

I actually have to disagree here. Personally, as someone who loves analysing media through a feminist lens, I actually liked how the message was more subtle. And with Beth always looking good, I think it was more meant to add to the aesthetic of the show/add to the fantasy. Not just men like looking at pretty things, pretty women and pretty people. Its a human thing and also a wlw thing. It wasn´t just her who looked like that either, it was almost everyone around her. And I think it added to her character. To me it was a very empowering fantasy.

The "loner genius" character trope deserves it's own video analysis.

I disagree that it's completely unrealistic that the men in the show wanted to help her. I think it's problematic for us to continue to believe that ALL men are sexist and misogynistic and wouldn't genuinely help a woman for completely selfless reasons.

I enjoy this channel, but I feel like they get so clouded by the standard "feminist" oppinion they lose sight on a lot. Them focusing on the creators being male and assuming that this is the only reason the character "transforms" as they get older is belittling and demeaning. It sends the message that women only choose fashion for the sake of the "male gaze." Which makes no sense in this show because the character puts zero importance on the "male gaze" of the other men in the show. If the creators were women, we'd say this was a refreshing take on the genius female not having to choose between fashion or brains. Showing that women can be complex and not just fit in the category of smart or pretty.. But because a man directed it the message can't be the same? Make it make sense.

21:04 Genius refers to intelligence. Compassion and empathy are good, female qualities - but that's not what makes a genius. Beth doesn't "act like a man" when she is aloof, cold and rational. There are women who are like that. That's what makes Beth Hermon such a good character - she's a genius who just happens to be female. Not a male template, a "genius" template. I find it kind of strange to insinuate that there's a special kind of "female" genius that is softer and more wholesome. That's borderline sexist.

A trope I noticed recently is "they may never walk again." I feel like this could use some attention.

"...there has been no woman chess champions" *Judit Polgar would like to know your location*

it’s definitely escapist in the sense of, “while sexism exists, you can overcome any sexist hurdles if you are Smart/Talented/Determined enough” which is just. not true, but we have enough stories of REAL LIFE telling that story i want Smart Girl Win Chess❤️

Last time I was this early it was still legal to give orphans tranquilizers.

Fun fact: the actress that plays Beth doesn’t see herself as beautiful, you can find her talking about it in interviews.

The best female chess player is Judit Polgar, even in men' field and rankings. Surprisingly, not mentioned her name, maybe because she is not an american and your channel focusing mostly american life and people( and this is okay). She is the number 1 female chess player and number 8 ( 2005) on other rankings. Her sisters also chess players, not as good as her, but they also great players. As a Hungarian, I am honored the best female chess player is a Hungarian. I take the film and the book, an honor to her life, even I know, probably non of the filmmakers and nor the writer know her.

I don’t like the assessment “act like a man” when it’s “act like a man has always been excused for.” Beth rings true as a female character, simply one who is emotionally independent and confident. Those are not inherently masculine traits.

I actually found these mens' reactions to a beautiful, young woman, who is the best in their niche, quite realistic. Men will always go out of their way for someone beautiful and interesting. What I didn't find realistic was how easily she got over her lifelong addiction.

The video is great it's just that the part about sexism got me wondering. Even though it exists in real world I did adore this show allowing us to enjoy a fantasy of a world with very little to none sexual harassment, sexism or anything similar to that. It is a fantasy work but it is very well written. I doubt I would've spent as good of a time if Beth were to been groped, roofied or worst. And the part about calling her a product of a male gaze I also have to disagree. As a straight women I "gazed" up on her completely. The beauty, the fashion, cadence, makeup and such felt very catered to female audience as well . I would've agreed with you on that one if it were to be very sexual to the point of distaste - but Beth was a very classy looking and fashionable character, a delight.

"It's Chess. We're All Primadonnas."

I LOVED that she was still feminine and interested in fashion and makeup and relationships (not more than chess tho). It was really refreshing to see and very validating as a hyperfeminine former chess club member

I adored to see a show that didn’t deal with a lot of sexism. When all the men of her life reunite to support her, that was my favorite part of the whole show. They didn’t want anything from her, they were her friends and wanted to see her succeed. It meant the world to me. I hope that this example of wholesome masculinity inspires more men to be decent human beings. To me the show is a step into the right direction!

At the end of the day, people will always find something to complain about. Had the show portrayed men as angry and jealous by Beth's success, then The Take would've been: Queen's Gambit perpetuates gender roles and pits women against men. Sometimes it's okay to enjoy a show for what it is, instead of picking on it for everything you wished it was.

The fact that she's supported by the men around her is refreshing and the collaboration is amazing

I don’t understand why the fact that she dresses well and has a consistent aesthetic is regarded as appealing to the male gaze? Like yes it does to a certain extent accomplish that but I see it as more of a femininity thing. I mean we are used to seeing women who are supposed to be brilliant or good at something be shown as non-conforming and disinterested in their appearances, but personally I think that the fact that Beth enjoys being fashionable and does keep up an aesthetic make her more human. Women who enjoy fashion and beauty are often seen as ditzy or placed in “dumb pretty girl” stereotypes, it was refreshing to see a woman enjoying stereotypically feminine things - not rejecting her femininity or her love for fashion - whilst also being the best in her field and being intelligent and respected by her peers. It was a very subversive exploration of that particular aspect of feminism. The show effectively demonstrated that the idea of having either beauty or brains is not only sexist and silly as it places women in boxes and restricts them but also showed that a woman could maintain an alluring outward appearance whilst still possessing great skill and achieving success. They didn’t portray this as unusual, and it actually made her more human since her skill often detached her from her surroundings and her audience but the fact that she thoroughly enjoyed being fashionable reinforced the idea that at the end of the day she is still just a young girl navigating life whilst also being a genius.

The Take: Beth’s appearance didn’t reflect her inner struggles well enough. Beth’s eyeliner: 🐼

I don’t appreciate calling this character “unrealistic” or “masculine”. Since when are all women supposed to be feminine, and a representation of a different kind of woman - self-absorbed asocial career-focused genius that embraces her sexuality and has supporting friends - “unrealistic”? Why do you think women on screen should embrace traditionally feminine characteristics as strengths? There is nothing wrong with that, but there is nothing wrong with the opposite either. Women are individuals with different personalities and for me it’s refreshing to see representation of a female human with a personality traditionally gifted to male characters. We exist. I happen to be one of them. What’s more is that I was lucky to grow up surrounded by progressive people and due to their example I now continue to surround myself with wonderful people that lift me up. I didn’t have to face sexism at every corner, my many male friends support me because they care for me and they see and treat me as a person. In many cases they are not afraid to say that they look up to me. They don’t feel intimidated by me because they are mature enough that my success doesn’t mean their failure and vice versa. These people already exist. Watching The Queen’s Gambit, I didn’t see it as ridiculous, I saw myself, my situation, my friends, and it was authentically relatable - because the men I know are far from the monsters media usually makes them out to be. And I’m sure, however small the percentage, these kinds of people have always existed in little bubbles of society, quietly living their lives perpendicular to the norms of the popular culture of their time, dreaming of a time when the world is a better place. Let’s also not forget that progress towards gender equality in the Soviet Union was substantially ahead of its American counterpart in the 60s, making the attitudes of the Soviets toward Harmon very close to reality. They would see her as a person, not just a woman, much more than their foreign counterparts. There are now more real situations where women are empowered by their communities and workplaces than ever before. Unfortunately they don’t get enough screen time so people start to think that they’re just a fantasy in a fundamentally sexist evil world. This is a shame, because if you continuously overshow an unequal reality it normalizes it in people’s minds instead of alarming them. When they see it happen in real life they are not shocked into action - this is the norm and a different world is an intangible fantasy. That’s why it’s so important to have movies that show a different, positive reality. The more we see something, the more we can imagine it, the more we can believe it’s possible, the better we can imitate it and bring it to life. We need to see worlds devoid of sexism or at least those that do not have it as the focus in a female story, so we can picture what to aim for as a culture. We need media that elevates women to true equality and acknowledges how different female individuals can be - not just a conglomeration of “feminine” strengths but humans with the potential for the entire range of the human strengths and experience. Once this is intrenched in the human consciousness, accepting “feminine” strengths should no longer be an issue because strengths no longer have gender. All people have access to the entire range of human traits and strengths in a culture where strengths that were previously considered feminine/masculine are celebrated equally in both female and male characters. The Take, please don’t underplay the importance of fantasies and representation of better realities. Seeing something better moves people more potently than disgust with existing flawed realities. Positive example is one of the strongest source of inspiration we have as humans. Thank you for making it to the end of this rant, here’s your potato prize: 🥔

I love the non-toxic male examples in this series. I know it's not realistic but it's aspirational and people need to see it to be it.

I personally loved that the Queen's Gambit didn't detail sexism in chess. It wasn't important to the story and could instead focus on an amazing game that hasn't gotten much attention in recent years. I also didn't have a problem with the idyllic men in her life. You say they are a man's fantasy but if anything they are a woman's. Television does not need to portray the realities of society. It can provide a template for wonderfully kind and endearing men.

I think it’s not brought up enough that Beth is autistic-coded. She is a rare example of an autistic woman, especially one who doesn’t fall into the stereotype of a socially awkward, “masculine” mathematics whiz. As an autistic woman, I heavily relate to Beth and the way she socializes, and how she breaks down in her own way. Her breakdowns aren’t uncommon for heavy-masking women, and are actually surprisingly realistic. She is a beautifully written character, and a hero for other fashionable, high-masking autistic women.

I dream of character roles like Beth’s for Black women someday.

I liked that she was so glamourous. Usually, when a girl in a movie has a makeover it’s to impress a boy. She didn’t want pretty clothes to be describable, she wanted them because it was something she never had. And when she does get fancy clothes, it’s through her own earnings. Exceptional females are always made to have more masculine traits and be “not like other girls” or “one of the guys.” But Beth was very feminine and interested in boys. And she also had female friends like Jolene, Alma, and Chloe. It was refreshing to see the men around her genuinely be supportive without the expected male toxicity.

Beth is a femme fatale with brains during peace time - change my mind

Oh to me it was just nice and a refuge to watch a female genius and not have to be constantly reminded that she would be consistently abused and mistreated at every turn. It’s aspirational in the best of ways.

funnily enough, I don't see how beth being respected as a genius is strange. smart women are very often challenged or seen as lesser by men who feel threatened by them, but... i grew up as a outspoken, smartass girl, usually being top of the class or among the smartest kids. and it's other people who call me smart, I've never met a guy who gets angry at me for being smarter than him. i was even specifically told by a friend that i basically crushed his spot as the smartest person in class, but he also constantly called me genius non-ironically. more often I've experienced interactions like beth than like other genius girls shown in media. it's likely I'm just am exception, but it's my experience. my country isn't all that advanced on gender equality either, but no matter what I'm the best at, men have never reacted negatively to me being better than them.

She’s not antisocial. She’s unsocial. They’re different

Before I watched the show and just saw how Beth looked in pictures, I definitely thought, "Oh brother so she's a genius AND absolutely gorgeous. Yeah right". Now after having watched the show, it's clear that Beth's appearance being so perfect and glamorous was a key aspect of her personality. She's all about control, and her appearance is something fully within her control. She takes the time to style her hair and put on makeup and buy expensive and stylish clothing because it makes her feel good. In this context it also makes sense for her to style herself even while suffering from a breakdown. Girls definitely put on makeup and clothes for just themselves while at home. It's a very female trait. So her style never read to me as a male fantasy. It's absolutely her own expression and meant for herself.

Anya Taylor-Joy is one of the best actresses of our time and I will not hear otherwise. The Queen's Gambit is also already one of the best miniseries of the 2020s and I really want another one like this.

Reading the comments disagreeing with the "Take" and feeling better as I think this video missed the whole point of Beth Harmon and why both women and men look up to her lol

the insistence on finding and inflating some negative angle is tiresome. i enjoy the analysis, but you're treating many of the strengths and intentional features of the film as if they were flaws. just because you can dredge up an over-used, ill-fitting critique of sexism doesn't mean you always should. at a certain point it stops looking insightful and becomes petty, tawdry.

funnily, I found Beth as a character very relatable. She is taciturn, not good in social settings, and can easily come across as off-putting and is self-reliant to an isolating degree. That's a lot of traits I see in myself. It doesnt make her less of a character to me. Yes, she doesnt embrace more stereotypically feminine qualities. She's not good at nurturing, she never really learns how to be that. But she tries with her mother. And she has to be kicked in the ass to even think of accepting help, even when it comes on a silver platter. That is also something I can relate to. What made her character special to me, is how the show lets her grow organically. She doesnt magically become a softer, more girly and sweet person. She manages to become a bit more polite (at least she learns how to say thank you). But she is allowed to stay true to her character. To see her dressed as super fashionable all through the series actually made me notice that more. She dresses hyper feminine, but she's blunt and direct (to the point of rudeness). I appreciated that because you dont see that too often, except for comic relief. As if beautiful women cant be rude. If they had made her more "normal", I feel that could have come across as another stereotype that smart/nerdy women cannot be beautiful. Or that beautiful women cannot possibly be smart in a male dominated field. Yes, it is a fantasy. 1960s chess players would never have reacted this civilly to having their asses kicked by a pretty young thing. But... I kind of needed that. Its an encouraging fantasy after years of "you go girl" movies that singlehandedly beat up the big patriarchy. Or movies that focus on the misogynists at every corner. Both types of movies are important. But sometimes you want something uplifting.

They’re so many tv series and movies that show how women in male dominate fields face sexism and or racism. That im not too upset about a tv series allowing a woman to dominiate a steretypical male sport, and not only see her out wit the men, but then have said men be able to recieve & respect that they’ve been beat but also come togther and help her beat another powerful man. Is it “realistic for its time” absolutley not 😂 but it’s nice to see a female character treated like a chess player and not a “female chess player.” I also think that this tv series can show to up and coming boys that being beaten by a women is not an insult to one’s masculinity. And that true authetic masculinity can exist WITHOUT the degradation of women and or feminity.

I think the "they're not portraying women as they should" discussion is getting redundant. _The Queen's Gambit_ presents a struggling talent that succeeded despite her inherent and surrounding limitations, and yet _it's far too unrealistic._ Be critical, be sharp, but dial it the f*ck down.

I usually love the take but this was plain infuriating.

It's interesting how one great show can single-handedly revive the publics interest in chess. Amazing

I truly loved this show. Excellent characterization. Excellent cinematography. Entertaining, captivating, and competent actors. Definitely recommend!

This show is killer, I love the whole idea It just makes me want to be Beth

I can very strongly assure people that acting like a "lone genius", even if you are that intelligent, doesn't endear you to others. I've spent the last decade trying to become at least a bit more emotionally intelligent as that's just as important imo.

I agree with parts of this analysis, but not all. I think the fact that she liked to dress fashionably was the correct character choice, because A) she was an orphan and was forced to dress horribly, and have horrible haircuts (so she finds empowerment and freedom in dressing fashionably), and B) it makes sense for the era it was portrayed in. If we are to criticize the show for not having sexism as a main plot thread, then we can't criticize her fashion choices, which DOES make sense for the era (because women historically have to look nice at all times). I personally didn't have a problem with the fact that sexism wasn't that prevalent because there is a subtext of sexism without having to state it, and also, I think women deserve to have 'fantasy' stories, too. I liken this to how many LGBTQ+ stories are about coming out, but there have been so many stories about this, that even people within the LGBTQ+ community are tired of seeing it (give us something different). I know sexism exists. I live it. Most period dramas about women are about sexism, and it's nice to see something different? Women are more than their struggles with the patriarchy. Also, I saw the story as one about addiction, first and foremost, and so it makes sense that the focus was on her struggles with that, not sexism.

I like the fact they don't go into the sexism, it's a fantasy that allows us to see how society should react if it were equal for all.

I'm tired of stories about how men want to hold you back, I want a story where woman's success is more than whatever men think, and yes, I want her to be wearing a beautiful dress and heels while she does this, because a woman doesn't need to give up her femininity in order to be the greatest!

I think it's refreshing sometimes to see a beth harmon , who doesn't have to face what we face daily !

I loved this series. I think that showing Beth as embodying ‘stereotypically female strengths’ is derivative and played out. I personally really related to Beth as I’m a woman who embodies straights that she displays: calculated, precise, independent. Portrayals of individuals showing traits outside of their stereotypes tropes about gender empowers people to view traits as neutral. Anyone can be ambitious or cooperative or calculated; these can and should exist out of gender.

I love it, even though I don’t know shit about chess...

I loved that the show mentioned sexism but just gave Beth a chance to be unequivocally herself, without the boundaries we have faced through history. Although it is definitely a fantasy that none of us can hope to achieve even with normal levels of intelligence at any time in the near future, it was empowering to see a female protagonist not have to apologise for firstly, her physical womanhood, and secondly, her femininity - because women who have been granted these positions in media usually display traditionally masculine traits, and Beth was powerfully feminine. It was refreshing to basically see men bow before her, without having to demean themselves as women do in male narratives. Usually I would accuse a show of being tone deaf to ignore sexism, but since they touched upon it in the show, it was clearly a conscious decision (probably by the author though) that Beth would suffer due to her own issues, not her gender, and be allowed to be a character with depth and talent that is apart from the way women are usually portrayed. It was nice to see a show celebrate true genius aside true femininity, without it being about that specific connection. The focus was her genius, not anything else. It shows young and old women alike that we have the ability to do this and we won't just be 'intelligent for a woman', we will be intelligent. In the same way that we need more films starring black actors that are not about 'being black', because blackness is not the only struggle someone will face or the only characteristic to define them by, and also with LGBT characters, we need more shows like The Queen's Gambit' to do the same for women.

As someone who’s into cognitive functions she’s a female INTJ (I’m also a female INTJ we make up .5% of the total world population). In most shows/movies the INTJ prototype is usually given to men because society says those traits are associated with ‘masculine’ behavior. There are of course other themes that will be true for women no matter what cognitive type you are *but* once you read on the INTJ in general and then look up female INTJ you’ll quickly see it.

Loved how you guys finally did queens gambit! Y'all should do the "Genius/Geek to Villain" trope (Kristin Wig in Wonder Woman, Jamie Foxx in Amazing Spider Man, & Uma Therman in Batman). It's always the "ugly" nerd/geek who then turns into a 'sexy' villain.

I think you missed the point about Beth being shaped by male fantasy. I interpreted her being fashionable as two things. 1. A way to ground her: she is a genius, but she’s also a young woman with regular interests. 2. A way FOR BETH to dominate others by shaping herself into a very specific way to be perceived. I think it’s very deliberate FROM HER to dress and act the way she does. Women now ARE more liberated in some respects but don’t forget that a lot of us will still shave, put on makeup etc, even when they’re alone. The makeup in the series is even used as a way to have Beth express herself. I’m not esp devoted to my appearance when I’m alone, but I can recognise that some women are, and that some are just so beautiful they will never look as bad as I do when I wake up, even after a hangover or whatever.

As a black person that was adopted by white people, I kept wondering what the show would have been like if it were about Jolene. The show could have explored misogynoir and honestly it would have been interesting. She was reduced to the magical black person in the show. I just wish more thought went into writing black characters even if they’re not the main subject of the show or movie.

Personally I loved the fact that She was so fashionable! Yes Beth being convencionally actractive could be the product of sexism (the male gaze), but I also feel like a very sexist mindset is that in order to be taken seriously in a male dominated space you have to give up your femmininity and "One of the Boys". I loved to see her win her battles while still enjoyng her very femminine fashion style.

Virginia Woolf would love this film. ‘Genius Restricted’ among Women was her Home Turf. (There’s a Ted Video about Virginia Woolf that’s awesome and it doesn’t take long to connect the two)

i will say that it's nice to see men who get sexually rejected or thrown aside and deal with the rejection in a healthy and supportive way

Honestly I don't care if it's unrealistic , The Queen's Gambit is everything we wish were real. We need more series like these because even if it's a fantasy , it has some positive parts that should be showcased . Entertainment has always been the biggest influencer to people ever

It doesn't have to be realistic. It's a good show. That's it.

I loved the show but if you would please spare a minute, listen to what I have to say because I don't see many people talking about it. The show made a reference to real life person Nona Gaprindashvili, the first-ever woman to achieve the title of Grand Master in 1978. Her career was such an important milestone in chess, she started in an all-male tournament and won against several male Grand Masters of her time even before she earned the title herself. She's the closest thing we have to a real life Beth Harmon. Yet, the show had the gall to willfully spread the misinformation that Nona "has never played against male players", using a REAL female chess player with an important legacy as a prop to make Beth Harmon- a fictional character- look cooler, I guess. I should not have to explain why that's disrespectful, especially coming from a show that committed to telling the story of a female chess player from (supposedly) a female point of view. Imagine succeeding in a male-dominated space in a manner that is unprecedented for women and continue to have an amazing career, only for a male screenwriter to negate your remarkable achievements years later in the name of writing a character that is empowering to women. I hope I'm not the only one seeing an issue here. My hope is that Nona Gaprindashvili gets a little bit of the recognition she deserves.

This show was art to me

I wish that there were enough female genius characters out there so that Beth could just exist as one example, rather than as a character who failed at embodying every single way a woman can be strong and intelligent. What brought this to my mind was the part in the video where the male gaze is brought up to describe Beth's fashion sense and beauty. It shocked me to see this trait being treated as one of the series faults because personally see it as one of its strengths. Beth is a genius, but she is also beautiful and glamorous... in many ways she is the embodiment of all the things men have used to discredit and dismiss us. After all, it was men who deemed women who cared about fashion and makeup as vain and superficial... and in turn unintelligent and lesser. Beth cares about fashion and about looking beautiful and she does that while being smarter than everyone in the room; in many ways she subverts the expectations one would have of a character who looks like her and in my opinion, that is amazing. But of course, not every intelligent woman cares about her appearance, or is traditionally attractive or is even nice or sweet. And there is strength in all these types of characters, strength that sadly has not been explored enough. In the end, all I can hope is that we get more diverse genius characters who can show the world all the different VALID ways in which a strong and intelligent woman can exist.

something tells me that the troubled loner genius realistically ends up like her mom or hedy lamar.

"Fantasy of getting respect for being just good enough..." That shouldnt be a fantasy, that should be standard. Male/female/whatever, if you're good at what you do and are yourself, being 'just good enough' in your field should be enough to gain respect and adoration. Period.

Although it's valid criticism, I liked the choises the show made. I liked seeing her succeed without so much emphasis being put on sexism, even though it's unrealistic. I liked that she didn't have to die or smth in the end (I was seriously relieved, bcs I expected it to go south) but it was rather a happy ending. And aalso, the drug binge while dancing in her underwear; when I'm feeling particulary shitty I like to dress up, red lipstick and all, just to dance and get wasted alone. Is is pandering to the male gaze? Yes, but it's also pandering to my questionable ways

I absolutely adore this show, and I agree with many other women that the relative lack of sexism and toxic masculinity displayed felt more refreshing and encouraging than dismissive. But you make a good point about how Beth's "brand" of genius is very reminiscent of the male loner genius archetype, in that she is embraced and lauded by peers who she doesn't seem to care about as much, and is hardly ever taken to task for her more selfish qualities. Ideally, as more and more woman are allowed into the genius archetype, it can lose some of those toxic hallmarks, because they're incompatible with feminism, which would likely be responsible for such an influx of woman geniuses. I wish you would've touched on Jolene, Beth's black friend from the orphanage. When we see her in the last episode of the show, she seems to have also had a remarkably easy time navigating the world as a black woman. Again, her success is inspiring and refreshing, but it's also unrealistic for the time. So, could this be a pattern of the show? It should also be noted that despite Jolene's success, she still conforms to multiple "sassy black friend" stereotypes, and seems to display more concern for Beth than Beth does for her. So now we've got that toxic loner genius trait mixed in with a racist dynamic.

I don't think shows always have to be realistic to the time period. Films most of the time feature a heightened reality. I think films and movies also normalize behaviours and beliefs. Seeing a woman have confidence and succeed in her field is empowering, and can influence more women and girls do to the same. Not everything needs to be grounded and gritty. It's the same reason why showing sexual assault in films is most often harmful and not necessary. Degrading women on screen can give disturbing people pleasure to see women/girls be brutalized. It also can give male audiences the belief that that is a women's place in life. Film and television is often meant to be an escape, personally I don't want to see the horrors of being a woman on screen all the time. Sometimes you just want to watch a smart and feminine woman kick ass. This was created by men but that shouldn't be a reason against it. Are you saying that men shouldn't write female characters?!?!? Another example is Euphoria. Euphoria is loved by so many women and girls and it was created by a white man. If a writer/director's work is accepted, loved and has resonated with its target audience and many more audiences outside its usual demographic, then I think that shouldn't be overlooked.

I LITERALLY started watching that today, and I am almost finished. I opened my computer with the show already up on Netflix and saw the notification for your video on the same page. That was crazy.

Tbh I am sick of the fact that whenever there is a story about a woman who is trying to do sth, it is always a story about sexism and how hard it is to live as a woman. I want to see stories about women who accomplish great things and become someone without constant reminder that it is nearly impossible in real world

I think y’all kind of missed the point of what this series was trying to do. It subverts every expectation you’d think Beths character would encounter on this journey. When it comes to her beauty it subverts the idea that a genius loner female character has to be a nerdy and more tomboyish personality. She wears beautiful clothes and dresses herself up because she used to be an orphan with nothing so of course she’d be as fashionable as possible once she gained money. I love seeing the male characters as supportive friends and mentors instead of just the enemy. they don’t try to own Beth or help her with the intention of gaining something from her, they care and root for her success. Everyone’s love and respect for the game and this beautiful art overpowers everything else. I love normalizing the idea of women being judged by their talents and determination in pop culture without calling into question what their sex is. The show revolving around her gender would take away the soul of what this story was trying to accomplish

Tbh the most impressive thing I got from this is how when she first started she looked like a pawn and in the end she was dressed like a Queen

This was incredibly insightful and has such a strong conclusion with great recommendations. I love this channel