Born Sexy Yesterday: A Hollywood Movie Trope That Maybe Needs to Die

"This video essay is about a gendered trope that has bothered me for years but didn’t have a name, so I gave it one: Born Sexy Yesterday. It's a science fiction convention in which the mind of a naive, yet highly skilled, girl is written into the body of a mature sexualized woman. Born sexy yesterday is about an unbalanced relationship, but it’s also very much connected to masculinity. The subtext of the trope is rooted in a deep-seated male insecurity around experienced women and sexuality.

Note that Born Yesterday isn't meant literally. Born Sexy Yesterday can be written literally but it doesn't have to be. If media uses a "fish out of water" plot to frame an adult woman as an inexperience child then it fits the trope." - Pop Culture Detective

PATREON This video was made possible by support from viewers like you! If you’d like to see more videos focusing on the intersections of entertainment, politics and masculinity, see: https://www.patreon.com/popdetective

Rate video 
Media
Trending Articles
Personal Change Is Good, Collective Organizing Is Better
Videos by Second Thought
Subscribe for $5/mo to Watch over 50 Patron-Exclusive Films

Become a Patron. Support Films For Action.

For $5 a month, you'll gain access to over 50 patron-exclusive documentaries while keeping us ad-free and financially independent. We need 350 more Patrons to grow our team in 2024.

Subscribe here

Your support helps grow our 6000+ video library, which is 99% free thanks to our patrons!