Benevolent sexism in popular
television
Link: http://xfinitytv.comcast.net/watch/Parks-and-Recreation/5883799404534408112/15792707589/Women-in-Garbage/videos
While watching one of my favorite TV shows, parks and recreation, it became blatantly clear to me that this show although funny is extremely sexist. The story line of the latest episode was about attempting to get more women jobs in the government system, especially the sanitation department, because the only woman they had in that department was the receptionist. The men in that department thought that women were not capable of doing the work because it is very physically demanding. This act is known as benevolent sexism. The way the men act in the show are institutionalizing gender biased ideals by teaching children through using popular media sources such as television. The sexual scripts are being perpetuated when shows such as this one continue to discriminate against different genders and gender identities.
While watching one of my favorite TV shows, parks and recreation, it became blatantly clear to me that this show although funny is extremely sexist. The story line of the latest episode was about attempting to get more women jobs in the government system, especially the sanitation department, because the only woman they had in that department was the receptionist. The men in that department thought that women were not capable of doing the work because it is very physically demanding. This act is known as benevolent sexism. The way the men act in the show are institutionalizing gender biased ideals by teaching children through using popular media sources such as television. The sexual scripts are being perpetuated when shows such as this one continue to discriminate against different genders and gender identities.
Also in this episode one
of the male government workers was asked to watch his girlfriend’s two
elementary aged children. He being a stereotypical manly
man couldn't take care of the girls on his own, so he was forced to
enlist the help of a woman in the office. On the contrary to the other story line in this episode
this woman stopped typical social stereo types by knowing nothing about
children. This humorous story of the young woman not having
any parenting skill alluded to the social change that
is taking place in society that not all women must be home
makers and can focus on a career.
After we had this week of discussion about retro sexism, it became hard for me NOT to find sexism in the media. I always thought how clever it was that comedians were being "tongue in cheek" about it. The problem is that most times it is just sexism. Everything I watch seems sexist now. I haven't watched this show but I see it in all my shows that I watch. In fact, there is something my little sister and I call the CW boobs. There is not a single show on CW that does not feature women with extreme cleavage and large boobs. Even the characters who wouldn't wear something like that do. One of the guys on the show is extremely sexist and you just laugh at him. Now I have taken the class I see how sexist it is and it kind of makes me sad. I guess the important part is knowing that it is there and doing something about it. Still very frustrating though....
ReplyDelete-Rachael Belcher