Orange Is the New Black redefined the portrayal of women on television: Here’s how

Orange is the New Black is a Netflix dramedy that takes place inside a women's prison cell. The show starts with Piper Chapman, a privileged New Yorker about to be married, getting sentenced to 15 months for a decade-old drug crime. This is how her perfect life flips into her worst nightmare. The show further explores her adjustment to prison life while also examining the experiences of several other women from diverse social classes, races, and ethnicities.

Orange is the New Black is also a comment on systemic injustices and prisoners' rights. This show transforms the portrayal of women by treating them as multidimensional individuals, breaking the stereotypes. It highlights racial discrimination and injustice via its character Taystee, while also exploring LGBTQ+ identities through a transgender inmate, Sophia. Red is another great character, a Russian woman who wielded authority and vulnerability equally.

Here is how Orange Is the New Black redefined the portrayal of women on television

Women are always portrayed stereotypically, coinciding with the societal expectations on television. They are often shown as caregivers, mothers, sometimes overly sexualized, or characters who need rescuing. Orange is the New Black presented some complex female characters against the prison cell backdrop. They were portrayed as strong and equally vulnerable, flawed but equally supportive when need be.

When Piper Chapman enters the prison, the show explores the space through her lens. Some women make her uncomfortable, while some ask her about her crime. It becomes clear how Chapman is different from these other women in the cell: more educated, behaved, sophisticated, and privileged. This is how Orange Is the New Black changed the TV landscape by focusing not on one token female lead, but on an entire ensemble of women whose relationships drive the story. Their growth and conflict are central to the narrative and not secondary to the arc of the male protagonist.

However, through the prison experience, surviving the hellhole and systemic injustice together with the cell women, she gets to experience the complexity of life. She is a changed woman after that. When she gets out on parole for a few days to attend a funeral, she realizes how even this society is under so many structures, binding us subconsciously.

Orange is the New Black explored female friendship and perseverance in the toughest setting

One strong scene of friendship between women in Orange Is the New Black is when Poussey and Taystee share their library moments. The first time they meet, they end up talking about the same book they both know.

"You got good taste in books, so you are already with me," says Poussey.

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When she introduced her name to Taystee, she laughed and mocked her that her mama named her "pussy," for real. Further in the show, they are seen genuinely bonding. Joking and supporting each other while also sharing stories of their dreams outside prison.

In season 4, Poussey dies as a result of racial discrimination. This leads Taystee to be devastated. Eventually, she channels her grief into leadership when she becomes an activist leading a silent protest and becomes the voice of several inmates. She demands justice for Poussey's death and reforms for women.

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