-obsessive/stalker-like behavior
-clingy/needy
-manipulative
-attention-seeking
-emotional instability
-lying
This stereotype is definitely seen a lot in the media. Throughout my life I have heard women being called "crazy", "crazy bitch", or "psycho bitch" for this sort of behavior. And, from my experience, there doesn't seem to be a male equivalent to this label. These Virgin Mobile commercials are perfect examples of CGS.
Now, here is a popular music video by a male band called Busted. It depicts a very similar scene, with stalker-like behavior, except it is portrayed as comical and cool. The stalking part begins at 1:30:
Lyrics: I climb a tree outside her home, to make sure that she's alone
I see her in her underwear, I can't help but stop and stare
This music video depicts a scene very similar to one of the Virgin Mobile commercials, but they are portrayed so differently. When a women is in a tree stalking someone, it is creepy and crazy. But when men do it to women, it is comical. This stereotype is harmful because I think it pathologizes a lot of normal female behaviors. Women do tend to be more overtly emotional, but instead of seeing this as healthy behavior, we exaggerate it and demonize it in the media. I wanted to explore this stereotype for my project because I think it harmful to women and to people with mental illnesses (and especially to women with mental illnesses). Even if some women do have these CGS symptoms, it isn't funny; it's serious. In my future blog posts, I will explore each of the symptoms associated with CGS.
