Sarah Snyder

4/6/17
Gender Roles/Stereotypes Analysis

Both in real life and media, gender roles and stereotypes continue to thrive in our society. They

have been spread across generations, similar to other expected behaviors and customs. The definition of

gender roles is how the genders are expected to behave, in essence, the roles they are expected to play

when it comes to everyday life. Gender stereotypes are the expected qualities that the genders possess, for

example, a gender stereotype of men is that they are more prone to aggression than women. Most

stereotypes exist for a set reason, but the further push of certain stereotypes can seen detrimental to the

focus target, giving off an inaccurate portrayal of the subject. Overall, they can be easily observed

through all mediums of experience, first and second hand, including life and media.

Since the medium of television has a significant generation span, we can notice differences

between shows from different decades and how they decide to portray men and women. One show with

inclusive examples is The Brady Bunch. In the episode entitled, The Subject was Noses, the oldest

daughter Marcia is easily-swayed by her classmate, Doug, agreeing to go on a date with him, despite

previous obligations with another boy, Charlie. In the midst of her situation, she is hit with a football,

leaving her a swollen nose. Just as how women and girls are often stereotyped, caring more about their

looks than most men, she is upset and unable to focus on anything other than how her nose looks for a

significant portion of the episode. However, the show also uses characterization to break certain

stereotypes; Charlie was more sweet and sensitive compared to how men are expected to behave. This

show from the 70s overall showed a traditional look in gender roles, behavior, and dress with an accurate

portrayal.

Secondly, another show that observed gender roles more closely was I Love Lucy. In the episode,

Job Switching, the characters Lucy, Ricky, Ethel, and Fred switch roles with the women going out to
get jobs and the men tending to domestic affairs, like cooking and cleaning. Stereotypically, both sexes

struggle in their then-unconventional roles. In the 50s, gender roles and stereotypes were mostly adhered

to in television, with little aberrance. This is even depicted through dress, with women only wearing dress

and skirts. Despite sticking to traditions, some things are different from the norm. One example is how the

boss of the chocolate factory acted, as she was loud and in-charge.

Finally, the 2017 show One Day at a Time, there are several examples of how gender roles and

stereotypes have changed from the past. The show breaks some of the well-known conventional roles.

The mother Penelope was once a soldier and now a nurse, plus a single mother. Women in this show were

much more outspoken than other examples from previous decades. The daughter Elena even spoke out

upon not wanting a Quinceaera, as she found it to be sexist. However, she later agrees to have one to

please Penelope who wanted desperately to prove her capabilities as a single mother.

Concluding, gender roles and stereotypes are a prevalent part of how humans perceive each other.

Based on what we have learned over time, we make assumptions on how someone will act based on their

gender. We learn from experiences in life, people around us, and through media how the two genders are

expected to behave. Gender roles can vary between different cultures and time periods, though some are

even universal. Roles overtime have changed dramatically within a short time frame as exemplified by

these shows. Gender roles and stereotypes can be traced back as they continue to change.