Mean Girls Turns 20 This Year. Here’s Why Janis Ian Was The O.G Villainous Mean Girl
Mean Girls is a cult classic. Well, it is so much more than that; it is a feminine religious film that dissects the nastiness of girlhood. I have watched Mean Girls more than any other film, and I can quote every line. But maturing involves recognising that neither Regina nor Cady were the true mean girls; it was Janis all along. She was the first person to ‘befriend’ Cady.
Janis had manipulated, trained, and coerced Cady, a newcomer to high school, to sabotage Regina’s status. Cady Heron was the new kid on the block, having immigrating to the States, and struggled to understand the notions/norms of high school. Cady was subjected to the pressures of Janis’s uncomfortable plans to dismantle ‘The Plastics.’ She had conformed to the negative influence of being a mean girl.
Cady Heron’s naivety and innocence were soon recognised by Janis as a new student. Her arrival was the perfect opportunity to be used to the advantage of Janis, forming Cady into actions and decisions to further her goals against Regina.
Janis Ian personifies a Mean Girl. She is negative, plays mind games to keep everyone at odds, and is caustic to be around. Janis’s rage against Regina is, in a sense, justified. They were once friends, and Janis was betrayed by Regina after she had spread a cruel rumour about her.
You see, unlike Janis, Regina had power. Regina George’s validity as a Mean Girl was based on her looks, wealth, and popularity. She ruled North Shore with an iron fist, and the institution was kept in a constant state of fear from social exclusion.
Janis Ian, however, was the opposite. She was cast at the bottom of the social hierarchy, much like a human branding- a form of punishment to remind her of her status in high school. Janis was conventionally unattractive and had an overall bad reputation at North Shore. She was the subject of ridicule and teasing from classmates.
Janis and Regina were crafty, and resourceful, and used their knowledge to influence people. Part of what makes Janis sinister is her trauma. She had suffered immensely at the hands of Regina, and was seeking retribution. Janis exploited Regina’s romantic relationships, friendships, and body image issues. She was on a crusade for blood.
Regina George is the archetype socially manipulative mean girl portrayed in Hollywood movies. Her style of bullying is more insidious and hidden in plain sight. Take for example, the infamous ‘Burn Book.’ The Plastics spread rumours, concocted lies, and spread allegations against members of staff, culminating in a criminal investigation. The contribution of the Burn Book by The Plastics was used as leverage by Regina to gain social dominance against Cady Heron.
But let’s discuss Janis. Janis proudly admits to sabotaging Regina’s life. Her rage-filled admission in the auditorium was pleasurable for her. She had enacted her revenge against Regina. She had finally, got even.
Mean Girls explores the topic of bullying and its effects. Janis Ian is the embodiment of this. Janis’s backstory reveals her experience with bullying and exclusion, providing context for her behaviour. Her portrayal allows audiences to empathise with her. Her experience with Regina George highlights how individuals who have dealt with trauma from bullying may adopt an aggressive or defensive persona, thereby complicating the notion of a mean girl as simply someone who is cruel for no reason.
Janis Ian’s iconic characterisation destroys Hollywood’s depictions of what a Mean Girl looks like. Mean Girls can be non-conforming social outcasts. Janis is the unorthodox mean girl, someone who deviates from traditional stereotypes often associated with mean girls in popular culture.
Janis Ian breaks the notion you have to be ‘cool to be cruel.’
