Final answer:
Women in film describe experiences that contrast against idealized societal roles, with themes like the traumas of childbirth, isolation of plantation life, wartime disruptions, and feelings of boredom and unfulfillment in homemaker roles.
Step-by-step explanation:
Women in film often express experiences that juxtapose sharply with the idyllic portrayals of femininity and motherhood popularized in media and culture. For instance, elite southern White women described the traumas of childbirth, the loss of children, and the isolation of plantation life, which contrasts with their idealized role in society. Similarly, the way women's roles were depicted on 1950s television as satisfied homemakers belied the feelings of isolation, boredom, and unfulfillment that many actually felt, as documented by individuals such as Betty Friedan. This notion is further reinforced through various accounts, such as adolescent girls in under-the-tree sessions, Canadian women's wartime experiences, and Nanfu Wang's experiences under China's one-child policy, illustrating that the glorified imagery often failed to capture the complex and sometimes challenging realities women faced.