When the Bridezilla label was thrown my way, I realised no one was safe from this sexist trope | Jane Lee

We reserve a special kind of contempt for women who are simply trying to organise their wedding

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In marriage, there is a contradiction between what society values (love, commitment) and what it diminishes (weddings). While vowing to spend your life with someone is considered serious enough to involve the state, the wedding where it happens can seem frivolous and impractical.

Maybe this is why many reserve a special kind of contempt for brides (and it is always the bride) who have a good idea about the kind of wedding they would like to have. She even has a nickname: the bridezilla.

Jane Lee is a reporter and host of Guardian Australia's Full Story podcast