Brothers and Sisters...

I have been watching Kitty and Robert's relationship evolve on Brothers and Sisters each Sunday evening. I have always been impressed by the way they compliment each other and are able to bring out the best in each other. You wouldn't think that working with your spouse would be a positive and rewarding experience, but this seems to work Kitty and Robert's case. Traditional gender roles were not as apparent in their relationship, as they both were career oriented and seemed to work as a team. However, in recent episodes Kitty and Robert's relationship has taken a different course. This all started with Robert's heart attack and then with the adoption of a new child. Naturally, Kitty became the primary caregiver for the child as Robert was recovering. However, Robert still intends on running for Governor and Kitty has to quit her job as an economic analyist. Even as Robert is recovering from his surgery, he is never seen holding the child or even asking to see it for that matter. It seems as if the adoption and child rearing has been left solely to Kitty. This was expressed early on as Robert neglected to show up for the birth of the child and instead attended a politcial campaign. In the last episode, it seems as if Kitty is being beaten down serving as primary caregiver for the new baby and for Robert. It is seen as ok, however, for Robert to neglect household or family obligations to persue his position as governor. It should be interesting to see if Kitty and Robert's relationship survives and if the apparent gender roles continue or balance out.

I Love you man...

Last weekend I went to see, I Love You, Man, which is a story about Peter, a successful real estate agent who is engaged to his dream girl but the only problem is he doesn't have a best man or any male friends for that matter. Peter immediately begins to go on extremely awkward and often times bizarre "man dates" in order to meet a friend to fulfill the position of best man. He finally finds Sydney, a fun-loving and care-free guy, who becomes his close friend and allows him to simply let go and embrace life. However, Peter's relationship with his fiancee, Zooey suffers as he is establishing a relationship with Sydney. This film examines and magnifies the obvious "double standard" that exsists between both men and women when it comes to friendships and what is considered "socially acceptable." This double standard leads itself to specific gender roles within romantic and friend relationships. For example, it is normal for two women to have dinner together and shop all day long. It is not considered awkward if a woman asks another woman for her number to catch up to chat over coffee or simply hang out. However, it is seen as "gay" for a straight man to ask for another guy's number or to have dinner together, especially multiple times. Guys are supposed to casual make their "man dates" happen. For example, it would be considered normal to ask another guy to grab a beer after work or a basketball game but not just out of the blue for no reason.
In the film, when Peter asks another guy to dinner he automatically thinks he is gay and tries to kiss him at the conclusion of the date. It is considered acceptable for Zooey to tell her close girlfriends personal information relating to Peter and her sexual life but Peter must not discuss any details with Sydney. Even as a female myself, this doesn't seem right. Guys should be able to hang out and go to dinner without assuming a romantic relationship will follow. This film opened my eyes to the social limitations of men. Gender roles do put certain individuals at an unfair disadvantage.

Another look at Private Practice...

Tonight while watching Priavte Practice, I noticed several gender refrences. First of all, the main conflict throughout the episode is Addison Montgomery, leading obgyn and surgeon on the west coast is helping a women get through a tough and potentially dangerous pregnancy, while the woman's husband (who is also a doctor at the same practice) develops feelings for Addison. This just shows how when an independent woman, such as Addison Montgomery, lands herself a respected job and is treating a patient professionally, a guy comes in to bring her back down to a flirtatious female character. While she tries to maintain her professionality throughout the episode, she eventually admits her attraction to the doctor, fitting into the stereotypical feminine role. Also, at the beginning of the episode, Addison is seen sitting on the bleachers with her collegue Naomi Bennett watching male collegues and friends play basketball. As the men are focused "on the man's game," the women watch intensely commenting on the men's bodies and flirting with their eyes and facial gestures. This displays how even successful, professional women can act like "school girls" and take on this feminine role of admiration and obsession with males and acting out in flirtatious and desperate ways. The women are always waiting and looking for a man to make them happy even though they are world-renound surgeans! Also, even when they don't try to attract and engage men, attempting to remain professional, their feminine traits take hold and there they are like a school girl again

The Bachelor...what a twist!!!

This past Monday was the final episode of The Bachelor on ABC. The episode was two hours, consisting of Jason taking each of the remaining two women to meet his family and then another hour in which he chose his future bride. I first want to admit, that I do not believe that you can find love on reality television and I only watch reality TV for pure entertainment purposes. Recently, I have also been perceptive regarding gender roles in these popular reality TV shows. During the last episode, Jason purposes to Melissa and then during the "after show" breaks up with her in an attempt to pursue Molly (the woman he rejected to be with Melissa originally!). This came to a shock to viewers everywhere! I personally was shocked that Jason chose to break up with Melissa on live TV and that Molly even entertained the idea of having a relationship with Jason after he so harshly rejected her for Melissa earlier. The show exemplifies how women will leave their jobs, family's and commitments to simply be with one guy who guess what is interested in 25 other women as well! Even when Jason ended it with Molly, she still portrayed passiveness when she took him back. In the end, Jason got what he wanted! This show is similar to "Beauty and the Patriarchal Beast," in that the women are shown in many instances as independent, either in their careers or life experiences, but then submit to men-like Jason and accept his flaws, feeling guilty for anything they might have done (or any flaws they might have) to ruin their chances of winning or being his wife in the end. In this show, the women accept the man and he is the one who can be selective!