Michelle Ashford, creator, executive producer and writer of HBO’s series Masters of Sex, is just rocking it with the kinds of stories the show is doing under her guidance. Season 1 gave us not only an introduction to the Bill Masters and Virginia Johnson partnership that revolutionized the way we view sex but also a host (!!) of complex women characters who served to demonstrate just what life was like for white middle-class women in the 1950s. This kind of story-telling about women is virtually absent from television (women are usually one-note secondary characters), so it was a special kind of treat to watch.
Season 2 has also been extraordinary and I continue to be amazed at the subtlety and bravery of the storytelling. For one thing, many people refuse to watch the series because it is “depressing.” Well yes, that is kind of the point. The 1950s and 1960s were a repressive time in our culture, especially with regard to gender, sexuality and race. People were stuck in very limited roles and it was exceedingly difficult to get out of them. Masters and Johnson forged ahead with their controversial work during this time (which still astounds me), were responsible for changing some of the culture yet were greatly affected by it themselves. But rather than dumbing down the stories or making them artificially cheerful in order to raise viewership, Ashford tells the story she wants to convey. Incredibly, that story is mostly about women.
In the first season, Ashford showed us just how difficult it was for women both in the home and in the workplace. She exposed us the boredom and superficiality of being a housewife through Libby Masters, Bill’s wife, but at no point is her story done with condescension or a lack of compassion. Libby is not an idiot but someone who conforms to societal expectations the best way she can. Similarly, we get to see through Jane (a secretary), Virginia Johnson and Dr. Lillian DePaul just how difficult it is for women in the workplace as well. No matter how educated, skilled or accomplished they are, the men treat them with disdain and expect them to be sexually available to them. Wives are one thing; female coworkers are another.
While Season 1 was great, it is in Season 2 where Ashford really gets going as she doubles down on gender and integrates the aspects of race that she teased us with in Season 1. First up is Libby, who with her progressive ways and cheerful endurance of hardship, seemed pretty wonderful the previous season. Since the birth of her son (in an African-American hospital no less), Libby hired Coral, an African-American young woman to help her with the baby. At first, things go well but then, when Coral shows herself to be more knowledgeable about childcare, Libby starts getting snippy. She corrects Coral’s grammar and forces her to wash her hair with a special lice shampoo. When Coral’s brother tactfully complains about this on Coral’s behalf (and Libby is attracted to him), all bets are off and Libby exhibits cringe-worthy privilege and racism.
Many people complained that the portrayal of Libby was too harsh or that they didn’t understand what Ashford was doing but I think it was great. What she was doing with Libby was showing what oppressed people do when they have nowhere else to turn: they oppress others. Libby was taking her frustration and feelings of powerlessness (with bits of postpartum depression possibly thrown in there) out on someone she thought she could control. Many people, especially those who don’t have healthy outlets for their emotions, are guilty of this kind of behavior. Contrary to public opinion, this doesn’t make Libby a horrible person (she’s actually fairly progressive for a woman of her time) but it does expose the insidious nature of privilege and racism.
Ashford’s depiction of Virginia is also masterful (heh). Season 1 Virginia seemed a bit too saintly, someone who had it all under control, but this season has shown us just how difficult being an ambitious, undereducated, single mother truly was back then. When Bill’s sex study loses its’ home, Bill moves to another hospital but cannot bring Virginia along. Consequently, Virginia has to find other ways to support her family (not an easy task), all while enduring continual taunts about the way in which she got her position as Bill Masters’ assistant. It didn’t help that the two of them were actually having an affair but Ashford made clear that the sex was Virginia’s way of continuing her participation in the study even though, at times, it made her feel much less than what she was. I don’t know if even Virginia realized just how key her contribution was to the partnership working but everyone except Bill assumed that their work together was because of their sexual connection versus their professional one. And when Bill got his feelings hurt, he was able to attack her abilities as a mother and slut-shame her (two double standards at their best) while her options for response were limited. Thus, through Virginia and other female characters, we see just how challenging it was for women to navigate their lives.
So what makes Michelle Ashford so feminist? Many things, in fact. First, she is a leader on an important and popular television series. Hopefully, the powers-that-be will see how successful she has been and hire more women to write and produce. Second, although her source material is incredibly rich, she has expanded it to include powerful female characters and her focus is mainly there. Yes, the overall story is about the personal and professional partnership of a man and a woman but Ashford has been very subtle in showing that her primary emphasis is on women. For example, one of the episodes was entitled Asterion, which has several potential meanings. In Greek mythology, Asterion was the consort of Europa and stepfather to her children and he had to assume the form of the Cretan bull to accomplish this role. Another asterion meaning is as an herb. This plant was offered to Hera who wove her garlands from its leaves. In both meanings, Asterion served a woman. Clever. Thus, perhaps through this focus on women, Hollywood will see that female characters can be interesting and integral to a story beyond being the love interest, wife or mother.
Finally, it is Ashford’s determination to show women’s stories in realistic ways and to not shrink from making them grim. Women’s lives were very difficult back then (still are) and it is important to see where we’ve been so that we know where we need to go. Perhaps Ashford has gotten tired of too many young people not knowing how far we’ve come and how hard we’ve fought to enjoy the gains we’ve made. Perhaps she sees the ominous political outlook for women’s rights and wants to remind people how unhealthy relationships were and how unhappy they made people. Perhaps she is, in her own way, trying to affect change.
Whatever her reasons for telling the Masters of Sex story in the way that she has, I am grateful. Not only has it been entertaining but it has been thought-provoking. How many television series can say that? Hopefully we will see more from her in the future. Goodness knows we need it!