Why is the abusive parent always portrayed as being the father, why is the mother never portrayed as abusive?
from DeathByBigSad@sh.itjust.works to nostupidquestions@lemmy.world on 15 Aug 2025 21:25
https://sh.itjust.works/post/44181142

My mother is literally worse than my father, but of course movies and tv shows love their cliches and never show reality for what it is.

Also wtf is the “Abused child forgive abusive parent and reunite happily ever after” trope, fuck that shit. Abusers do not deserve forgiveness.

I hate writer jesus christ ffs.

Edit: typo

#nostupidquestions

threaded - newest

bleistift2@sopuli.xyz on 15 Aug 2025 21:35 next collapse

Alpha from The Walking Dead.

skeezix@lemmy.world on 15 Aug 2025 21:36 next collapse

It is represented in media, see the film Mommy Dearest. Even in the Wizard of Oz the woman is the abuser. The series The Terror streaming now, woman the abuser. Fatal Attraction, Cruella, Misery, Carrie, etc.

moakley@lemmy.world on 15 Aug 2025 21:57 next collapse

Tangled

lolrightythen@lemmy.world on 16 Aug 2025 02:27 collapse

Big Fish

Lost_My_Mind@lemmy.world on 15 Aug 2025 23:07 next collapse

Ok. You named a handful of examples. I’m sure there’s a handfull more.

But I could literally reach the character limit if I attempted to show all the examples of men in media being the abuser.

So you aren’t wrong per se. But you are still missing the point.

Okokimup@lemmy.world on 15 Aug 2025 23:19 collapse

OP said “always” and “never.” So I’m not really sure what the purpose of this discussion is beyond refuting those superlatives. Is the idea that there needs to be more physically abusive women in fiction? Or fewer men? What is the ideal?

Drusas@fedia.io on 15 Aug 2025 23:53 collapse

The Terror? I must be forgetting something because there are barely any women in that show at all as far as I recall.

skeezix@lemmy.world on 16 Aug 2025 00:27 collapse

Check the 2nd season

Drusas@fedia.io on 16 Aug 2025 03:52 collapse

I guess I might have to go back and rewatch it.

yesman@lemmy.world on 15 Aug 2025 21:39 next collapse

Boy, you’ve obviously never seen Precious (2009)

NegentropicBoy@lemmy.world on 15 Aug 2025 21:46 next collapse

Betty Davis in The Little Foxes

IWW4@lemmy.zip on 15 Aug 2025 21:46 next collapse

I think the sexual stereotypes are is that men hit And women tend to abuse through mental anguish.

Mental anguish is harder to portray on a screen than someone beating the fuck out of you.

This little theory, I’ve said you know ignores the fact that neglect is the most common type of abuse.

The four types of abuse are physical, sexual, mental and neglect. The vast majority of abuse that happens to children is neglect. It’s been a long time since I looked at the numbers, but I’m pretty sure that physical is The least common type of abuse

Rhynoplaz@lemmy.world on 15 Aug 2025 22:04 collapse

Mental anguish is harder to portray on a screen than someone beating the fuck out of you.

And when it is portrayed, it’s not as easy to notice. If Everybody Loves Raymond’s Dad started punching his daughter in law everybody would call that abuse, but there are still some people who don’t realize how abusive Ray’s mom actually was.

IWW4@lemmy.zip on 15 Aug 2025 23:03 collapse

Absolutely!

rottenmummy@lemmy.world on 15 Aug 2025 21:48 next collapse

Sopranos, she literally tries to kill him.

Rubisco@slrpnk.net on 16 Aug 2025 02:25 collapse
MyBrainHurts@lemmy.ca on 15 Aug 2025 21:48 next collapse

Not really answering the question but if you’re looking for movies with an abusive mom, there are more than a few! (especially horror.) Off the top of my head:

Carrie is the classic, hereditary is a new classic. Braindead (dead alive) is a classic splatter horror.

Non horror: I Tonya, black swan, Mommie Dearest, Precious, Beau is afraid, Wild at Heart and maybe 8 mile?

Edit: My God, I’m forgetting/blocking one of the darkest movies I’ve seen in awhile, Bring Her Back.

Rhynoplaz@lemmy.world on 15 Aug 2025 22:05 next collapse

Carrie reminded me of Misery. She’s not his mom, but she’s definitely abusive.

FerretyFever0@fedia.io on 15 Aug 2025 22:08 next collapse

Isn't 8 mile just basically the story of Eminem? If so, yeah, that's an abusive mom.

MyBrainHurts@lemmy.ca on 15 Aug 2025 22:10 collapse

Unsure, haven’t uhhh, actually seen the movie. But was more going off what I vaguely remember from the trailers etc.

memfree@piefed.social on 16 Aug 2025 02:31 next collapse

You hit some of the first that came to mind. I'd also include Terms of Endearment, I'll Cry Tomorrow, Postcards From the Edge... do Snow White and Cinderella count?

MyBrainHurts@lemmy.ca on 16 Aug 2025 03:28 collapse

Yeah, I think the underlying message in a lot of disney is you’re better off with a dead mom than a live one.

Suck_on_my_Presence@lemmy.world on 16 Aug 2025 04:48 collapse

We Need to Talk About Kevin comes to mind.

Ioughttamow@fedia.io on 15 Aug 2025 21:59 next collapse

I’m a third of the way through a sorceress comes to call and it’s definitely the mom in that!

Apepollo11@lemmy.world on 15 Aug 2025 22:04 next collapse

FWIW, in fairy tales the mother is the bad parent more often than not.

Bronzebeard@lemmy.zip on 17 Aug 11:41 collapse

The stepmother, as the mother is usually dead.

Rhynoplaz@lemmy.world on 15 Aug 2025 22:09 next collapse

Animal Kingdom has an abusive mother. Pretty good criminal series. Reminded me of Sons of Anarchy.

[deleted] on 15 Aug 2025 22:10 next collapse
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jewbies@lemmynsfw.com on 15 Aug 2025 22:13 next collapse

Because women are wonderful. Look it up.

DeathByBigSad@sh.itjust.works on 15 Aug 2025 23:05 collapse

Like Marine Le Pen? Park Geun-hye? Marjorie Taylor Greene? Lauren Bobert?

jewbies@lemmynsfw.com on 15 Aug 2025 23:32 collapse

lol don’t forget Anna Paulina Luna

missingno@fedia.io on 15 Aug 2025 22:15 next collapse

Takopi's Original Sin.

sunzu2@thebrainbin.org on 15 Aug 2025 22:16 next collapse

I wouldn't say never and when they are people have harder time noticing because it requires pretty high emotional intelligence to understand that shit ain't right.

Woman's abuse just looks different. It is verbal and behavioral generally speaking. Woman can say something to the child and nobody in the room will notice. The kid sure knew what's up tho.

Jerb322@lemmy.world on 15 Aug 2025 22:17 next collapse

Yeah, there’s a reason my 28 years old son still talks to me and not his mother.

Steve@startrek.website on 15 Aug 2025 22:23 next collapse

Malcom in the middle did it

ivanafterall@lemmy.world on 15 Aug 2025 22:33 next collapse

A few examples that came to mind that others didn’t list:

Psycho and its reboot or whatever. Possibly THE example.

Mindhunter definitely touches on abusive mothers.

And I don’t want to spoil it, but dear God watch The Bear and prepare to be fucking broken.

[deleted] on 15 Aug 2025 22:44 next collapse
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SnotFlickerman@lemmy.blahaj.zone on 15 Aug 2025 22:59 next collapse

Both of my parents were abusive in their own special way.

sharkfucker420@lemmy.ml on 15 Aug 2025 23:07 next collapse

Idk disney kinda does this sometimes but usally with adoptive/step mothers. I get it though, its much less common and even the ways abusive mothers and fathers are portrayed is heavily influenced by our cultural understanding of gender.

owenfromcanada@lemmy.ca on 15 Aug 2025 23:16 next collapse

Watch Carrie

Frozengyro@lemmy.world on 16 Aug 2025 00:59 collapse

If you really want to see fucked up, watch Sybil

[deleted] on 15 Aug 2025 23:22 next collapse
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njm1314@lemmy.world on 15 Aug 2025 23:40 next collapse

Never heard of Mommy Dearest?

DeathByBigSad@sh.itjust.works on 15 Aug 2025 23:50 collapse

Not till now

Drusas@fedia.io on 15 Aug 2025 23:54 next collapse

As others have pointed out, your premise is incorrect. Women are often portrayed as abusers, just not usually through physical abuse (much like real life).

Chozo@fedia.io on 16 Aug 2025 00:47 next collapse

Also wtf is the "Abused child forgive abusive parent and reunite happily ever after" trope, fuck that shit. Abusers do not deserve forgiveness.

Not to invalidate any experiences you or anyone else may have gone through, but this can get complicated in some situations. For instance, much of what my mom did to me as a kid would be considered emotionally/physically abusive. At the time, I definitely hated her for it. But as we've both grown and changed over time, I've learned that she had a lot of her own problems and was dealing with abuse in her life, as well. She took it out on me, and while it's obviously unacceptable, I don't still hate her today like I did then.

I don't forgive the abuse she put me through, but I understand why she did it. She couldn't break the cycle, and I can't hold that against her; it's fucking tough to get out of an abusive feedback loop like that. But she eventually did, and she's a much better person now than she was then, and we're on much better terms now. For what it's worth, I'm also aware that my acceptance of this may also be a symptom of abuse. Again, it's complicated.

Obviously, not everybody's situation has a positive turn like mine did. I'm lucky enough that my mom knew what she was doing was wrong, and was able to change her ways. Some people aren't as fortunate.

TheLeadenSea@sh.itjust.works on 16 Aug 2025 01:09 next collapse

Have you ever heard of Marisa Coulter from His Dark Materials? Just to add to all the other examples people have given

TheRealKuni@piefed.social on 16 Aug 2025 02:48 next collapse

Along with all the other examples listed here:

The Bear

Also wtf is the "Abused child forgive abusive parent and reunite happily ever after" trope, fuck that shit. Abusers do not deserve forgiveness.

No, but depending on circumstances and the work the abuser is willing to put into changing themself and making things as right as they can, forgiveness can be earned.

teslasaur@lemmy.world on 17 Aug 10:19 next collapse

I’ve seen plenty of abusive mothers on tv. But they aren’t physical in their abuse.

But have a look at “Precious” if you want to be triggered.

AngryCommieKender@lemmy.world on 17 Aug 14:11 collapse

And then have a look at the making of “Precious,” if you want to be furious at Oprah and Tyler Perry, who refused to pay Monique and then spread false rumors about her to kill her career

daniskarma@lemmy.dbzer0.com on 17 Aug 11:17 next collapse

I just watched a episode of Buffy Vampire slayer with the abusive witch mother.

Plenty abusive mothers portrayed on all media.

Have you read Carrie?

LadyButterfly@reddthat.com on 17 Aug 13:32 next collapse

I totally agree the forgiveness and happy ever after is bullshit. It’s also dangerous, giving people false hope and putting them at risk. Statistically, the murder rate alone shows women are more at risk from abusive men than vice versa. Although women are more likely to be primary caregivers, increasing access to the child

Taleya@aussie.zone on 17 Aug 23:46 collapse

Carrie, precious, tangled, mommie dearest, black swan, ghosts (US), Strange New Worlds, Sopranos, Bojack Horseman, plenty of movies and shows with abusive mothers