Million Dollar Baby

The movie I saw was Million Dollar Baby. Just to put on a side note, it was a great movie and I enjoyed watching it. In this movie, there was a huge stereotype: women can't be great boxers. In fact, in the beginning Frankie refuses to train Maggie just because she is a girl. When Maggie said that she was tough and was a durable fighter, Frankie responds by saying that he is not talking about girl tough. So in this small conversation you see a stereotype, of girls not being strong or as strong as men in boxing.

Society in this film is really everyone close to Maggie: her family, Frankie, Eddie, and all the others in the boxing gym she was at. The society in the film really impacts the stereotype, a girl can't be a good boxer just because of the fact she is a girl. Not really any good reasons are given why. First, her family doesn't like Maggie boxing and wants her to live a normal life and get married. Next, Eddie was really the first one that approved of a girl boxing in that gym. He was the first one to actually help Maggie learn how to box. Frankie does not approve of her boxing at all, but eventually trains her because of her work ethic, and his best boxer went off with another manager. In fact, if his best boxer didn't leave, Frankie would probably still refuse to train Maggie. Lastly, all the others in the gym impact the stereotype because they do not approve of a girl boxing and they really tease her about it.

Finally, the gender roles in this society (society in the movie) say that a female can't be a good boxer or as good as a male boxer. In this movie, a female should just get married and live a normal life, exactly like Maggie's mom said. A male would be a better boxer, or else why do you think that Frankie doesn't train girls? However, in the end the gender roles become diminished, and Frankie makes Maggie a world champion boxer. Maybe after this, Frankie will allow himself to train females.