Birds of Prey Shows that Female Representation is about the Little Things

With the pandemic postponing most of this years' major releases, Birds of Prey remains the most prominent female-led film of the year so far. While other female-led superhero films have come before it, like Patty Jenkins' critically acclaimed Wonder Woman, this film takes a giant leap in the right direction when it comes to how the female characters, their lives and experiences, are represented. 

While Birds of Prey plays around with the same tropes as a lot of female-led films, what really matters is the tiny details and the ways in which Harley and the others interact with each other. The film goes out of its way to portray the little things that most women regularly experience, that they can immediately relate to. When the villainous nightclub owner Roman has Harley searched, his henchmen find a tampon in one of her back pockets. It's only seen on screen for an extremely brief moment. But given that periods have been taboo for such a long time, an unspoken rule that effectively bans them from television screens and polite conversation, the very sight of a tampon seems like such a huge leap for female representation. While it is important to portray strong women, it should also be important to take note of the little details in women's lives and to represent them in a realistic way that acknowledges those small things. 

This is something that Birds of Prey really excels at, and it comes through best during the main characters' interactions with each other. During the big fight scene at the climax of the film, Harley offers Black Canary a hair tie mid-fight. Most films don't acknowledge the impracticality of their female characters fighting with their long hair down. It is one of the situations where their appearance in the scene is more important than considering practicality and realism. This little nod to the sometimes-annoying nature of having long hair just adds to the sense that the filmmakers wanted to not only make realistic and relatable female characters, but to make the women in the audience feel seen and understood. 

Early in the film, Harley drunkenly opens up to Black Canary at the Black Mask Club. She tells her about her breakup with The Joker, while also admitting that she hasn't told anyone else, despite the fact that at this point Canary is a complete stranger. Anyone who's been in the ladies toilets on a night out will immediately recognise a scene like this, young women telling tales of their heartbreak to people they've only just met and will probably never see again. 

While Harley is clearly emotionally fragile in this scene, and for much of the beginning of the film, this is a key part of portraying realistic, well-rounded female characters. Birds of Prey does female representation so well because it doesn't just portray the main characters as strong. It strives for realism, even though that includes scenes of weakness. Harley's difficulty dealing with heartbreak is more emotionally raw and relatable than the experiences of any other female superhero on the big screen. 

The film does also dabble in stereotypical female representation, most notably when it comes to the cop, Renee Montoya. A lone female working tirelessly in a male-dominated institution, Renee has to go above and beyond to earn the respect of her colleagues. This is reminiscent of many female superheroes. Gal Gadot's Diana has to overcome sexist attitudes and men who refuse to believe or trust what she tells them in Wonder Woman. Captain Marvel also emphasises the sexism that women often face, and while she herself states at the end of the film that she has nothing to prove to her male superiors she still has to overcome the obstacles created by a male-centric society.

These films do have multiple female characters that have realistic relationships, like Captain Marvel and her best friend Maria Rambeau. However they are usually too preoccupied defeating a male threat to spend too much time developing those relationships or portraying the little details of their lives. Birds of Prey takes time out specifically to do this. Not every scene has to immediately advance the plot. Harley and Cassandra can take a minute to eat cereal in her apartment and talk about The Joker, and before the fight with Roman's henchmen there is time for the women to change clothes and discuss the practicality of their new outfits. The film takes the time it needs to focus on the women and their interpersonal relationships, and this is something that more women-led films need to do. 

With Wonder Woman 1984 releasing in October, and having a female villain, let's hope that DC continue to make films that pay attention to the little details and portray realistic, well-rounded female characters.