Netflix's feminist movie Moxie is about young people, not by them — and it shows

One of the most-watched shows on Netflix this week is about teenagers calling out sexism. On shows like Porky's, Happy Days, The Benny Hill Show and The Paul Hogan Show "women were blatantly objectified and sexism and harassment were normalised and often celebrated", says Catherine Manning, chief executive of Self-Esteem Education and Development which runs in-school programs covering respectful relationships and sexism. Moxie – as with most films and TV shows targeting teens and young people – was not actually made by young people, says Dr Radha O'Meara, a screenwriting lecturer at The University of Melbourne. "For something to be produced on that scale, it is usually led by people who are middle-aged, as Moxie and Promising Young Woman were," she says. Ultimately, young adult films like Moxie are "a great start and certainly have the potential to impact", as Ms Manning puts it.