Sharpay Evans deserved better.
We need to Stick to the Status Quo and #FreeEastHigh from the toxic influence of Gabriella Montez.
It’s not entirely out of the question to suggest that the dreams of a young, talented triple threat like Sharpay Evans should have come first above the wayward and whimsical notions of Gabriella Montez.
I’m sorry that Sharpay isn’t as likeable or nice as Gabriella, but at the end of the day, only one of them was qualified, and it wasn’t Little Miss Ski-Chalet-Karaoke-Debut. Maybe I’m barking up the wrong tree with this one, but I think the student with years of experience, bona fide talent, and actual interest in the arts was a better candidate for the lead in a musical.
Let me just say that Gabriella Montez is not the nice girl you think she is. She’s selfish, rude and honestly kind of annoying. She prioritizes her own needs over her friends, and then asks them all to go above and beyond to make magic happen for her. In all three films, Gabriella makes everything about her and Troy, while bulldozing the needs of those around her. In the second instalment, those kids nearly lost their summer jobs because Troy and Gabriella couldn’t focus. Not to mention her complete railroading of the chemistry club in the first movie. I think we all got tricked into siding with Gabriella just because she’s the main character. Sure, she’s a good protagonist, but that doesn’t make her a good person.
I know how this sounds, but if I hear the words ‘internalized misogyny’ I will write an entire new post on the fallacies of using modern feminism to excuse problematic behaviour. Women can be bad people too. Like Gabriella Montez (who sucks). However, bringing up the patriarchal notions of how women are viewed in show business is actually very relevant here. Gabriella is extended more opportunities because she fits a more feminine archetype, despite being unqualified. She isn't as loud or demanding or shrill as Sharpay, which makes her more likeable. Sharpay, on the other hand, is a dynamic young woman who pushes for what she wants, what she deserves. Do you really think that Sharpay should stop advocating for herself just because other people want the same things she does? Of course not. So why is Sharpay the villain for being rightfully enraged that an unqualified freshman stole her spotlight after she worked so hard for it? Is it because she’s unlikable? Is it because women aren’t supposed to be angry or loud or fight for what they want? Now that is some patriarchal nonsense if you ask me.
I’m not saying the girl doesn’t have talent, Gabriella can sing. I’m just saying that Sharpay has more. More talent, more training, more experience, more ambition. Qualities she should have been rewarded for. Instead, she is passed over and ignored in favour of Gabriella multiple times. Gabriella had no acting experience, and didn’t even want a career in entertainment. Not to mention, she couldn’t commit to the required time the role actually required. Yeah, every kid deserves a shot, but there would be nothing wrong with putting Gabriella in the ensemble. I mean, surely there are supporting characters in whatever show they were doing, most musicals have them for exactly this reason. At the end of the day, Sharpay deserved the lead role in the musical both years.
