Time To Say No To The Real Ho-Bags of XYZ

Yes, I know they are not all Ho-bags. But these shows do feed into certain aspects of the Ho-Bag life style for women. And there are 31 of these shows, which I categorize as Really Gross. Can we all agree? Consuming a product that dehumanizes the value of the female population is not very beneficial to our souls or our brains.

Here's AI's summary of these shows:

Common storylines in Real Housewives shows revolve around lavish lifestyles, friendships/rivalries, family drama (spousal issues, addiction), shocking accusations (cheating, faking illness), business ventures, and iconic trips/dinners where conflicts explode, often focusing on wealth, status, and interpersonal clashes that drive dramatic narratives. 

Key Storyline Tropes:

• Financial & Lifestyle: Showcasing extreme wealth, new businesses (often questionable), real estate, and lavish events like parties or trips.

• Friendship & Feuds: Intense bonding followed by dramatic betrayals, often stemming from rumors or social slights.

• Family Dynamics: Deep dives into spouses, siblings, or children, highlighting marital problems (infidelity accusations), addiction issues (Kim Richards), or family secrets.

• Scandals & Accusations: Cheating allegations, fake illnesses (Brooks Ayers' cancer), rumors about drugging, or legal troubles (Teresa Giudice's fraud).

• The "Dinner Party From Hell": A classic setup where a tense dinner devolves into screaming matches and revelations.

• Travel & Location-Specific Drama: Group trips (small/big) always escalate tensions, while certain cities bring unique cultural themes (e.g., Dubai's culture, SLC's religion).

• Substance Abuse: Alcohol or drug issues often feature, leading to memorable, messy moments (like the famous limo fight in RHOBH).

• "Puppygate" & Outrageous Drama: Sometimes seasons center on absurd issues, like a dog being rehomed, becoming a major plot point."

See why I consolidated them under REALLY GROSS?

We all have our guilty pleasures, so I'm definitely not immune. Mine is Diners, Drive-Ins and Dives. Yes, it's an addiction and it's on all day starting Friday and continuing into Saturday. But Guy Fieri doesn't launch me into a need to hate, humiliate and destroy other women because we're all competing to be the best, most wealthy, most well-dressed, etc, Ho-Bag on the planet. Isn't it okay to want more?

The real thing about The Real Housewives of XYZ is this: It minimizes women into something that has a really big focus on what women look like, what they wear, (and how much it costs) and how they compare themselves physically and in pretty much every other way to other women in most aspects of their daily lives.

Millie Bobby Brown just wrote an article about feeling the dehumanizing focus on women's appearance in critical ways.. even very young women who are beautiful in every way, like she is. Here's a link to her article:

https://ew.com/millie-bobby-brown-calls-out-media-for-scrutinizing-her-body-11844184

She has the strength to speak out about the bullying she feels by the media for diminishing her into a set of elements that make her feel like she doesn't measure up as a 21 year old woman. Isn't this the type of "relevance" that shows like this, the Real Housewives, promote as the only way to rate the value of women? Isn't this unacceptable?

Was I the only Mom who wanted to go into the Stranger Things show and save Millie Bobby Brown from the monster. No! But aren't we actually supposed to protect her and other women from the monsters like the ones in Real Ho-Bags of XYZ out here in the real world instead?