Why Watching “Maid” on Netflix is a Must for Everyone

The new top Netflix show “Maid,” is a must-watch for everyone opening to learn more about the struggles of womanhood.

If you know a thing or two about feminism, you understand that gender based violence is at the core of our resistance. We refuse housework, gender roles and stereotypes, power relations, but we continue to suffer from a large amount of violence. Abuse comes in many forms, out of which the most common forms are: Psychological/Emotional Violence, Economic Violence and Physical Violence.

The Plot of “Maid”

“Maid” begins with what may be considered the luckiest scenario of gender-based-violence cases – an escape. During the night, Alex, a 25-year-old aspiring writer living north of Seattle, wraps her 2-year old daughter around her arms and tries to easily sneak out of the house in which a few hours ago intensive arguing had happened. The man she loves, father of Maddy had punched a hole in the wall and called her ugly names, while being utterly drunk too. What can make the audience breathe and relax in the first sight – as she does manage to leave, later fills the audience with anxiety and worry, as this is only the beginning of Alex and Maddy’s long path towards freedom. A path that tires them out of stress and poverty.

Across the approximately 10 hour-long episodes of “Maid,” which premiered last month on Netflix are the outstanding duo Alex (Margaret Qualley) and Maddy (Rylea Nevaeh Whittet) undertake a bitter road to sanity. The Maid was actually inspired and adapted from real stories, more specifically from Stephanie Land’s memoir: “Maid: Hard Work, Low Pay and a Mother’s Will to Survive” by Molly Smith Metzler, a writer and producer whose credits include “Orange Is the New Black” and “Shameless.”

Alex goes out pretty much penniless, trying to escape her abusive relationship by using the last couple of money she has on gas for their car. They become officially homeless, and this won’t be the first time throughout the episodes where they will be called as such. As we walk in the episodes, you will learn many things about how gender-based violence is perceived, lived, and treated by relevant institutions and society as well. In Alex’s case, it’s specifically emotional abuse that it’s considered as “not harmful” and “not able to become evident”.

Alex immediately starts facing the troubles of the world when she cannot afford to get a job, because she cannot afford day-care for Maddy. When social services advise her to stay in domestic violence shelters, even Alex herself minimizes the importance of the abuse she has experienced, saying that she did not “get hit”.

Troubles continues for our lovely duo who practically start living in their car for a little while, later on moving in and out of domestic violence shelters, halfway houses, distant acquaintances
so called “friends” or relatives’ homes. What always gave me the chills while watching all episodes is that there’s a counter which pops up on screen and portrays Alex’s funds being reduced every time she buys something at the grocery store, or when she’s pumping gas.

How to Approach the Show

As you go through episodes, what is very important is that you release yourself from all judgements that you might have for women who suffer from any sort of abuse. “Maid” teaches us that it takes women many attempts to leave abusive relationships, whereas some women go back to that same environment in which they risked being killed at a certain time. Alex ends up getting back to Sean too, her abusive neurotic, alcoholic partner who drains her and at a point makes her absolutely powerless to anything to the point where she just nods and accepts his orders to eat, sleep, and not speak.

Each episode teaches us just how hard it is to escape from a cycle of violence and abuse, especially for persons for whom all of the abuse is pretty familiar and is something they have grown up with. Alex gradually remembers the trauma she has from the relationship of her father and her mother, who is not a bipolar, schizophrenic left under her care. 

As Alex’s unfortunate events and story unfolds, she relies on her writing as her only link to peace and sanity. While cleaning houses, Alex does the most to try and have her daughter benefit from a better, non-abusive life. She manages to break free, and it’s writing exactly that helps her, along with a few bizarre allies and friends she gains throughout her hard work. 

My advise to you: GO WATCH MAID! Become inspired, empathetic, and knowing of all the suffering in which women go through to become free of abusive patterns!

Picture: Shuttershock / ID: 1008073462

If you’re interested in unwinding in other ways, watch relaxing youtube videos.

Relaxing Corners of YouTube: 10 Calming Videos To Adapt To Your Daily Routine

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