Yellowstone is a Misguided Lesson About What It Means to be a Strong Woman

There was a record number of viewers (more than 12 million) that tuned in for the season five premiere on November 13. However, not everyone is sharing the same enthusiasm for season five of Yellowstone .

Indeed, as one former fan revealed, the decision to boycott Yellowstone derives from how women are treated on the show. The reason? Beth Dutton – the only daughter of John (Kevin Costner – is a poor and misguided example of what it means to be a strong woman.

The character, played by Kelly Reilly, is prominent on Yellowstone. She's the only daughter of John Dutton and usually wins his favor.

The nepotism doesn't sit well with her brother, Jamie, with whom Beth is frequently clashing with. Furthermore, Beth generally comes across as a witch to just about everyone on the show that has the misfortune of coming into contact with her. Beth has her fair share of issues and manipulates others to get what she wants. Even more, she's notorious for being malicious and spiteful.

The criticism of Beth has reached new levels with the arrival of season five. It has even been attributed to audience members seeking for the writers to remove Beth from Yellowstone or downright boycotts. For many, the representation of Beth being a "strong, independent" woman is, in fact, a misrepresentation.

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Yellowstone presents the perspective that women can only become strong and powerful by being cruel and manipulative. It paints the portrait of a woman that is no-nonsense and, even more troubling, a characterization of feminist power. However, as many females argue, this is a poor representation of what it means to be a strong woman.

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True, while Beth may constantly keep men on edge with her witty retorts she's also notorious for her general nastiness. Beth is often portrayed as bitter and vengeful. Unfortunately, the characterization provides young women with a misguided lesson about what it takes to be a real woman. Feminism is about being strong and independent, not a savage. Those that are cruel and heartless are bullies rather than examples of feminism. Consequently, it's a poor message to send to young girls.

Yellowstone remains widely popular for its stunning cinematography and sharp dialogue. However, some of the characters and drama have begun to run its course. The disgruntlement on Reddit has been growing even if the appeal of Yellowstone is the soap-opera family drama and toxic relationships.

Beth Dutton, like the rest of her siblings, is arguably messed up because of her father. We discover after four seasons, after all, that he's far from father of the year. Beth is largely who she is because of how she was raised. The same is true of Kayce (Luke Grimes) and Jamie (Wes Bentley). Unfortunately, it's the unwavering devotion Beth has toward John that doesn't sit right with audiences. They find the blind devotion twisted and misguided.

For this reason, Beth has transformed into the least popular character on Yellowstone. Audiences not only appear tired of her antics, but women also believe she is an awful example of true feminism. Do you also find Beth's behavior despicable?