Watercooler Journal Oct. 2014 1

Multiplicity of Women and Reversed Gender Power in Orphan Black

Stephanie Hanney

Columbia College Chicago (2016)

Feminism and identity are the strands of DNA that Orphan Black has used to clone its way onto

television screens. The show revolves around Sarah Manning, a hustler and con artist who, after

witnessing the suicide of a girl who looks just like her, is dragged into a human cloning

conspiracy. Sarah discovers that she has “sisters”—or, genetically identical doppelgangers. As

the series progresses, more versions of her emerge than she could have ever imagined. Among

those is the core cast of Alison Hendrix (the soccer mom), Cosima Niehaus (the brilliant

scientist), Helena (the homicidal maniac), and Rachel Duncan (the cold-hearted CEO). Each

version we meet is completely different; each has their own backstory. This multiplicity of

women is what makes Orphan Black a feminist text that both showcases a reversal of

stereotypical gender roles and provides an example of superior feminine power.

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Feminism and the Multiplicity of Women

Feminism is widely known as “the belief that men and women should have equal rights and

opportunities” (“Feminism”). It’s hard to believe that this straightforward principle hasn’t

already established equality of the sexes, but in the media which represents life, women and

girls are disrespected and under-represented compared to men (Collins 291). In television,

most female characters are degraded or viewed as sexual objects. Texts use them as bland or

stale filler characters, usually fitting them into stereotypical categories like “the virgin,” “the

slut,” and “the mother.” In contrast, male characters are often more complex and interesting.

They have in-depth backstories and go on soul-searching quests to discover “who they truly

are.” However, Orphan Black steps up to combat this inequality—even in its very premise.

“The question becomes not if, but when these women will beat their adversaries.”

In Orphan Black, one actress—Tatiana Maslany—plays over nine fully developed characters,

each with their own personal quests and goals. In season one, Sarah Manning mainly struggles

against her foster mother Siobhan Sadler to keep custody over her own child. While in

suburbia, Alison attempts to juggle her family, social, and clone life. Even Cosima has a

completely different storyline, as she completes her PhD in Experimental Evolutionary

Developmental Biology at the University of Minnesota. Each woman is different and works

through her own problems, despite the fact that each one of them is genetically identical. By

exploring these well-developed women, Orphan Black fights against the unequal

representation of female characters while giving the audience a clear, empowering, and

feminist message. The show tells women of all ages: “Despite sharing DNA with thousands of

others like you, you are one of a kind. You are unique.”

Gender Reversal and Superior Feminine Power

Orphan Black does not simply preach feminism through its multiple female characters. It

pushes a step further by purposefully reversing gender roles and pronouncing clones’ power.

Jessica Roake states:

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Orphan Black is all about a woman, Sarah, and her many, many clones, so it’s no

surprise that the male characters are secondary to the plot. But the men aren’t

simply less important to the story than the women. They are less than, full stop.

With the exception of Felix, the male characters of Orphan Black are purposefully

insubstantial, bordering on feeble. This gender reversal is not an accident on the

part of the show’s creators, it’s clearly a conscious decision. (Roake)

As Roake states, Orphan Black reverses stereotypical roles associated with gender to express

empowering feminist messages. It creates bland and one-dimensional male characters in order

to counter their female counterparts, the ones who go on all of the adventures. In the fourth

episode of season two, “Governed as It Were by Chance,” Sarah runs from the cops with her

past love, Cal, and Kira, who Cal just learned is his biological daughter. In the middle of the

episode, Sarah asks Cal for a favor. She needs to return home, but doesn’t want to bring Kira

with her because it’s too dangerous. She asks Cal if she could leave Kira with him for a few

days. With barely any hesitation, he accepts. Cal, a man who hasn’t seen Sarah for nearly ten

years, accepts watching and caring for a child he just learned is his daughter. This seems

shocking, yet imagine if the gender roles were reversed. Most audience members wouldn’t

think twice about a man leaving his kid with her mother, who would just blindly accept her new

child so he could go on his adventures. “On Orphan Black, those traditional roles are reversed,

and the woman is off to experience things and be dangerous” (Jancelewicz).

Along with the show’s gender reversal, each female character has an arsenal of excellent skills

to take down anything that gets in their way. The clones are faster, stronger, and smarter than

their male opponents. The question becomes not if, but when these women will beat their

adversaries (Roake). With Helena’s mercenary skills, Cosima’s intellect, Sarah’s adaptability, and

Alison’s color-coordinated schedules, there are few obstacles that these women cannot

accomplish.

By examining both the superior skills of Orphan Black’s heroines as well as their conscious

gender reversals, it is evident that the show empowers feminism through and through.

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works cited Collins, Rebecca. “Content Analysis of Gender Roles in Media.” Sex Roles 64.3/4 (2011): 290-

98. EBSCO Host. Web. 23 Sept. 2014. <http://eds.a.ebscohost.com/eds/detail/detail?sid=93458db9- 26fd-4f11-b428- 63188771f7b0%40sessionmgr4004&vid=0&hid=4213&bdata=JnNpdGU9ZWRzLWxpdmU %3d#db=sih&AN=57941703>.

“Feminism.” Merriam-Webster. Encyclopædia Britannica, n.d. Web. 23 Sept. 2014.

<http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/feminism>. Jancelewicz, Chris. “‘Orphan Black’ Season 2, Episode 4 Recap: Family Ties.” Huffpost TV.

Huffington Post, 10 May 2014. Web. 23 Sept. 2014. <http://www.huffingtonpost.ca/2014/05/10/orphan- black-season-2-episode-4-recap_n_5276809.html>.

Roake, Jessica. “Empty Suits.” Culturebox. Slate, 18 Apr. 2014. Web. 23 Sept. 2014.

<http://www.slate.com/articles/arts/culturebox/2014/04/male_characters_on_orphan_black_are_ undeveloped_making_the_show_s_feminist.html>.

image credits, in order: ©BBC America