Mainstream Media and Gender Stereotyping

It is well understood that the mass media holds the power to reinforce dominant social
understandings of males and females, further producing discriminating social systems (Ott, 2010, p. 180).
This is done through the medias ability to naturalize the link between various biological traits (born by
males and females) with gender norms (of femininity and masculinity). Stereotyping can occur when a
misleading or simplified representation is produced, usually by blending realistic aspects of life,
material conditions and social roles (Ott, 2010, p. 180). These categories of gender stereotyping can be
identified through such popular television shows as: The Simpsons and The Honeymooners.
The popular sitcom entitled, The Simpsons depicts an American working class nuclear family that
define culture, society, way of thinking, and exploits the problems that Americans face every
day (Hodge, 1999, p.1). Within the episode: Homer Alone, the characters will resemble the typical
gender and family roles, and at times contradict them through their actions and personalities (Hartman,
2009).
The first scene opens with a sped-up version of Marges (Homers Wife) daily routine. The
combination of cooking, cleaning, and taking care of her three children and husband lead to her breaking
point (Hartman, 2009). At this point, it is evident that the price of motherhood entails overworking and
under-appreciation from her family (Hartman, 2009). Marge decides to travel on a relaxing vacation,
leaving her household duties to her husband (Homer), and childrearing to her sisters. During her leave,
Homer struggles with tending to the children and keeping the house in order. Once Marge returns home,
the family realizes how much they missed and need her to properly function as a family (Hartman, 2009).
The episode does highlight the intense labour involved with taking care of the home and family (which
has been devalued and unacknowledged), but a resolution is only found once the well-constructed gender
norms are re-established (Miller, 2009, p.2).
In the situation comedy show entitled The Honeymooners depicts a working class man (Ralph)
and his wife (Alice). The episode: Brother Ralph explicitly defines gender norms and stereotypes
through its characters and their attitudes toward work, home-life, and leisure activities (Marx, 2011).
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Within this episode, Ralph is temporarily laid off from his job as a bus driver and must accept
Alices plea to land a new job as a typist. Ralph becomes jealous and embarrassed by his wifes new
position and insists he meet her new (male) boss and that they work at home (Marx, 2011). As Alice and
her (handsome) boss are working, Ralph learns he has been rehired and violently throws Alices boss out
of the house (Marx, 2011). Alice is both angry and flattered at Ralphs violent jealousy. She and Ralph are
extremely happy to return to their customary roles. This episode illustrates the necessity of maintaining a
traditional division of labor within the household (Marx, 2011).
It is possible to break-down gender stereotypes into three separate sub-categories, all of which
analyze the male and female notions that can gloss over the complex characteristics that actually define a
social group (Ott, 2010, p. 180). Therefore, one can analyze The Simpsons and The Honeymooners through
an: active or passive, public and private, and logical or emotional (Ott, 2010, p. 182).
Ideas of masculinity convey images associated with a mans agency, activity, control, and
physical strength (Ott, 2010, p. 182). In addition, ideas of femininity are associated with images of
weakness, innocence, and vulnerability (Ott, 2010, p. 182). Homer and Marge Simpson both fulfill these
feminine and masculine stereotypes (Vernay, 2012, p.1). It is evident that Homer holds authority over his
entire family, using physical strength and threats to control his children. For example, at the beginning of
the episode, Homers son Bart misbehaves and is chased and choked by his angry father (Hartman, 2009).
Marge, on the other hand, has little control over her family, rarely disciplining her children when they are
misbehaving. In this instance, Marges innocence makes her vulnerable to outside threats, many of which
are challenged by Homer. Marge, therefore, passively raises her children in a loving environment,
whereas Homer aggressively uses force and control to discipline his children (Hartman, 2009).
Alice, Ralphs wife is continuously portrayed as a woman with limited control over the familys
decisions, especially when problems arise (Marx, 2011). For example, when problems arose following
Ralphs temporary lay-off, Alice was able to stay in control of her emotions and develop a rational
solution (her employment). Each time Alice has a thought or solution of her own, each time she expressed
an opinion different from her husbands, the result was always the same: threaten her with his clenched
fist and yell to the moon, Alice! (Marx, 2011). As a result, Ralph represents the authority figure that
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Alice must passively accept. As a result of Ralphs temporary lay-off, the family decided to cut all
unnecessary spending (Marx, 2011). Ralph solely decided that these cuts were only directed towards his
wifes clothing purchases, allowing himself the ability to continue leisurely activities (bowling with
friends). Ralph is portrayed as a character with control over his wife, using his threats of physical strength
to restrain Alice and keep her dependent, weak, and vulnerable (Marx, 2011).
When men are portrayed within the media, they are usually portrayed in the public working
sphere, providing for their family as the role of a breadwinner (Ott, 2010, p. 184). In contrast, women are
more likely associated with the private, unpaid labour sphere, as a housewife and family nurturer (Ott,
2010, p. 184). Both The Simpsons and The Honeymooners portray their male and female characters within
this stereotypical association. When analyzing Homers character, it is evident that he represents the
white, American, lower to middle-class concepts of masculinity (Hartman, 2009). Although he is
irresponsible and extremely lazy, Homer is the sole financial provider for the Simpson family, working
full-time in the towns power plant to pay the bills (Hartman, 2009). Marge, in contrast, is well organized
and extremely self-motivated, yet is bounded with the responsibility to maintain her house and the
livelihood of the family (Hartman, 2009). Marge rarely ventures into the male, public world of work as she
is pictured almost exclusively in the domestic, or private realm. This dynamic enables Homers financial
freedom, as Marge and her childrens survival depend on Homers paycheck (Hartman, 2009).
The family scenario between Ralph and Alice on The Honeymooners is very much the same.
Ralph is the sole provider and Alice must stay home and tend to her husbands needs (Marx, 2011). Ralph
becomes the center of Alices world, and his financial problems evidently become obstacles for her as
well. It is only when the family falls into heavy debt that Ralph reluctantly allows Alice to venture off and
find paid work (Marx, 2011). In this instance, the masculine and feminine roles are reversed, as viewers
watch Alice come home from a long day at work to find Ralph in the kitchen cooking dinner and cleaning
the house. Ralph is forced to take on the domestic, homemaker role and act out traditional feminine
behaviors as Alice ventures off into the public world of paid work (Miller, 2009, p. 2). This creates feelings
of inadequacy and incompetence within Ralph as he feels he has failed to fulfill the traditional masculine
role of family provider (Ott, 2010, p. 184). Consequently, once Ralph learns that he has been re-hired, he
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quickly and abruptly demands Alice to quit her job, finally restoring his feelings of masculinity (Marx,
2011).
Finally, the masculine characteristics associated with men in the media are portrayed as logical
beings, ones which keep their emotions in check and exude assertive, competitive, and independent
behaviors (Ott, 2010, p. 185). In comparison, women are depicted as highly emotional beings, usually with
loving, compassionate, and caring personalities (Ott, 2010, p. 185). Within this episode of The Simpsons,
Marge is the rock that binds her family together. Without her, the family knows they will not function
properly as the housework, school work, cooking, and cleaning will deteriorate (Hartman, 2009). In
addition, Marge binds the family together with her loving and emotional character, often (and at her
expense) de-stressing the family from their hectic lives (Hartman, 2009). This fact is evident when Marge
goes on vacation alone, leaving her family alone and with no support. As a result, the physical state of the
house worsens and Homer fails to properly understand and fill Maggies needs (Hartman, 2009).
It is also evident that Alice provides the same emotional support to Ralph as Marge offers to her
subsequent family members (Marx, 2011). Although Ralph is an independent and logical husband, Alice
provides a certain source of strength, one that is essential to her husbands well-being. In this episode, a
reversal of gender roles and responsibilities is shifted, as Alice is portrayed as the logical problem solver
and Ralph communicates his lack of emotional control (Marx, 2011). As Ralph becomes emotionally
distraught by his lay-off, incapable of providing logical solutions. On the other hand, Alice is able to
calmly generate a rational solution to the family issue (Marx, 2011). Throughout Ralphs period of
unemployment, Alice is able to take charge of the challenge by securing a job and generating cash for the
family (Marx, 2011).
In conclusion, gender stereotypes can be located and analyzed within mainstream media (Ott,
2010, p. 180). Subsequently, these stereotypical depictions can generate social oppression and
disempowerment of individuals within these stereotyped groups (Ott, 2010, p. 180). Such popular
television shows as: The Simpsons and The Honeymooners provides many examples of masculine and
feminine stereotypes following a gendered binary of active or passive, public and private, and logical or
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emotional (Ott, 2010, p. 182). It is important to recognize these hidden stereotypes in order to understand
that they largely ignore the complex characteristics and dynamics of men and women within society.
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