Your Favorite TV Shows Normalize Sexism in Society
Shows that would have made my top ten list last year: “Friends,” “How I Met Your Mother,” and “The Big Bang Theory.” Each of these sitcoms surpassed the 200-episode mark, a true testament to their fame and popularity, and I’m sure many of you would agree that they may be some of the best shows of all time. Turns out, we couldn’t have been more mistaken.
Taken from the pilot episode of the acclaimed TV show “Friends:” “What are you talking about, one woman? That’s like saying there’s only one flavor of ice cream for you!” Joey exclaims, attempting to convince his friend to start picking up girls. “Grab a spoon!” While it’s upsetting to see one of the most beloved main characters in “Friends” reduce women to a dessert for men, this is only one of the countless moments that reinforce gender stereotypes, as sexist jokes and storylines were commonly used to incite laughter in the audience. From Joey’s constant objectification of women to Chandler fat-shaming Monica only to marry her years later after she becomes thin, “Friends” is one of the many TV series that perpetuate sexist beliefs, which continue to permeate the minds of its viewers.
“The Big Bang Theory,” another such sitcom, uses geekiness and a lack of social skills to justify the men’s inappropriate behavior toward women, clearly evident when Sheldon says, “A woman is like an egg salad sandwich on a warm Texas day: full of eggs and only appealing for a short time.” Because Sheldon is so abnormally intelligent, his inability to understand basic human decency and respect for women is passed off as simply a humorous flaw. As a result, viewers are taught that such behavior is acceptable and normal, and they often find themselves laughing along at Sheldon’s debasing “jokes.”
In the same way, the sitcom “How I Met Your Mother” incorporates jokes on women’s sizes: “Now you just sound like a fat girl on Valentine’s day” and “a check so fat, after you have sex with it, you don’t tell your buddies about it” shocked me when I put them into words, as I hadn’t realized the extent of their degradation while hearing them on TV.
Lines like these, casually slipped into the script, make fun of women who do not conform to society’s “thin” standards. As a fifteen-year-old girl, it feels as though I have been brainwashed over the years, fostering my own negative self image and mindset on what I should look like. When I was in middle school, any time I saw male characters on TV judge other women based on their body shape and appearance, I didn’t think much more of it. It’s common. It’s expected. It’s normalized. It wasn’t until recently that I became aware of the glaringly obvious sexism displayed on TV.
As children begin to enter their teenage years and face more pressure to fit into society, exposure to media portraying men and women in their stereotypical roles and appearances further cements these ideas in their minds. According to Common Sense Media, one study of teenage girls in Belgium discovered that the sexual objectification of women in the media led to a “greater internalization of beauty ideals.” The harm resulting from beauty standards is long-term and destructive, especially toward girls and women, including self-objectification, body image issues, lack of self esteem, and mental health problems such as depression and eating disorders.
As if that wasn’t enough, shows also influence our impressions of what women are capable of. Gender stereotypes in TV shows, though sometimes subtle, is a contributing factor to the lack of women in STEM fields. Twice the amount of male characters on TV work in STEM than female characters–-in “Friends,” the men hold jobs as an IT procurement manager and a paleontologist, while the women work as a chef, a masseuse, and a fashion executive. Research has shown that these stereotypes are ingrained into the minds of adolescents, who then grow up believing that STEM careers are more fitting for men. According to the Chicago Tribune, one study revealed that 80 percent of the girls and women interviewed would be more inclined to pursue jobs in STEM if they saw female role models on TV. Sadly, the lack thereof instead discourages women from entering STEM industries and dissuades men from hiring them. How can we achieve gender equality and put an end to negative stereotypes when the media is constantly working against us?
While it may be that many shows exhibiting sexist ideas were made years ago, reflecting the “norms” of society back then, the popular ones are still widely known and continue to maintain the same gender stereotypes that plague our world today. If new generations remain oblivious to the blatant sexism on TV, shows will continue to reinforce sexist notions in their minds and in society. These are not “just jokes” to be taken lightheartedly, for their impact goes much deeper than humor.
Although banning such esteemed TV series is close to impossible, we can generate discussions, particularly with children and teens, about sexism and how it appears in the media. Whether we introduce new shows with characters defying gender norms or boycott existing sexist shows, I believe we are capable of change as long as we recognize these issues and educate ourselves on how to combat them. The Journal of Media Literacy Education reminds us that “because gender beliefs are socially constructed, they are flexible and capable of shifting.