Maria Shriver and the Center for American Progress conducted a study on the status of women, and some of the results find fault with the depiction of women in television today. Because so many of the female characters in popular shows like “House, M.D.” and “Grey’s Anatomy” have successful careers, Shriver and CAP have determined that women’s success is grossly over-represented on television today.
“Women’s professional success and financial status are significantly overrepresented in the mainstream media, suggesting that women indeed ‘have it all,’” the study says. What we see on television then are characters who “overrepresent how far women have in fact come in the workplace, underrepresent the kind of work most women do, and misrepresent how women can, and do, comport themselves on the job,” according to the report.
This is just the beginning. Get ready for a chunk of quotes that will help you understand why feminism gets a bad name.
If you spend anywhere near the 153 hours per month watching TV the average American does, according to A.C. Nielsen, you’re probably tuning in to a woman who holds one of five jobs: surgeon, lawyer, police lieutenant, district attorney or cable news pundit. The real top five jobs for women were, in first place, secretaries and administrative assistants, followed by registered nurses, elementary and middle school teachers, cashiers and retail salespersons, according to the Department of Labor’s 2008 statistics on women workers.
Surely this notion that television doesn’t accurately portray the real world only applies to women! Why, most of the men I know are surgeons and district attorneys and crime scene investigators!
So what’s the gold standard for an accurate protrayal of women? That would be “Roseanne.”
Much has been made of the idea that women’s physical images are driven toward unrealistic goals by the media, but Susan Douglas, author of the chapter of the Shriver report titled “Where have you gone, Roseanne Barr,” affirms the point made by the labor statistics and argues that the image of women’s success is misrepresented.
“It’s really about the media being funhouse mirrors, the wavy kind where you walk in and certain parts of your body are exaggerated and other parts disappear, that’s what’s happening here,” Douglas said. “The success of women, that they’ve made it to the top has been wildly magnified and exaggerated and the extent to which millions of women are still struggling to make ends meet, juggle work and family and doing so even with some sarcasm, the way ‘Roseanne’ did, that’s gone. When it’s not there on the screens of America, it’s easy to say, what do you mean, women, they’ve got it knocked?”
Okay. Let’s pretend most TV shows represented sarcastic struggling moms like “Roseanne.” You know what the findings would be? “Wah wah wah, there are no successful role models for women to emulate on TV!” I guaran-damn-TEE it.
Get bent, Susan Douglas. You too, Shriver.
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Is she implying that all women should be waitresses, fuck John Goodman, and make fun of Martin Mull constantly?
As long as the women in my life continue to portray hookers who are not too slutty about things, then everything is right in my world, feminists.
“If you spend anywhere near the 153 hours per month watching TV the average American does, according to A.C. Nielsen, you’re probably tuning in to a woman who holds one of five jobs: surgeon, lawyer, police lieutenant, district attorney or cable news pundit.”
And you’re probably watching a man who is a marketing exec/architect/detective/lawyer/surgeon who nails any and every chick he meets, gets to drink all the time, and lives in a fabulous Manhattan loft. Wow, television isn’t real? You’re kidding me!
Also, 153 fucking hours of TV a month!! That’s more than 5 hours a day. Lookin’ good USA!
On Mad Men, most of the female characters (who have jobs) are secretaries and administrative assistants (Lois, Jane (pre-marriage), etc.), registered nurses (…?), elementary and middle school teachers (Ms. Farrell), cashiers and retail salespersons (Joan). So Mad Men is the most accurate portrayal of women on TV — sweet!!
Finally, proof that Rachel Maddow is indeed a fictional character.
And Matt, you are absolutely correct that, if Roseanne were the norm, the lack of role models to emulate would be the complaint. And while we’re at it, where’s the study decrying the portrayal of married men as fat, dumb buffoons who inexplicably marry attractive women? That doesn’t reflect reality (OK, maybe a little bit).
I’ve got a research project they can work on – compare the TV and film illusion of life as TV or newspaper reporter with the actual life of either so these poor kids at colleges across the country can stop throwing their lives away thinking they’re just slightly above the retard line in terms of becoming the next Carrie fucking Bradshaw.
So if Roseanne is the norm, does that mean that lesbian kisses only happen between fat chicks and Sandra Berhard?
Won’t somebody please think of the children?
Seriously? 153 hours? No wonder this country’s retarded.
Maria Shriver’s husband has consistently played realistic male characters. Terminator from the future, cloned man in the future, Danny Devito’s twin brother, and Governer of California? I mean, come on.
The good news is that at 153 hours per month, It’s Always Sunny will soon be the most realistic show on TV.
The real top five jobs for women were, in first place, secretaries and administrative assistants, followed by registered nurses, elementary and middle school teachers, cashiers and retail salespersons
Yep, a show about a cashier, that’s some riveting television.
As long as they can make Wine in a Can a reality, Burnsy.
Hookers and Johns is an accurate portrayal as well. And True Blood i think
This is Time’s current issue cover:
“THE STATE OF THE AMERICAN WOMAN: A new poll shows why they are more powerful–but less happy”
They’re less happy because there’s so much competition in the ghost whispering field.
Holy shit. Does that mean its time for these bitches to stop diddling themselves over Dr McDreamy and McSteamy ?? This is bullshit. If women were portrayed on TV in supporting occupations to male superiors, there would be hell to pay. TV, Movies, its all fantasy. An alternate reality so people can escape the fucking mundane. Get a fucking grip you miserable bitches. Try to keep in mind that a man’s life is not a beer commercial and occassionally, a guy has to come home to a chick who hasn’t sucked a dick in 10 years ( well at least not his anyway) Fuck !!! Even Reality TV isn’t real. God it would be great if Earl Hickey really has a list though……
Are there any Indian doctors on TV?
That’s why women should stick to women’s sports, like hot oil wresting, foxy boxing, and such and such.
Wait a minute, why the fuck isn’t Maria Shriver in my kitchen making me a fucking sandwich?
Don’t forget movies. Every romantic comedy features a professional woman who is overly married to her job as a producer, publisher, entertainment executive, etc, pulling a six-figure income who is engaged to a rich boring assistant to the governor. Then she proceeds to meet a skydiving horse whispering treasure hunting ex-firefighter who sweeps her off her feet.
By the way, they are played by Sandra Bullock and Matthew McConaughey.
Also, the woman making all of these observations is a silver-spoon relative of the most powerful political family of the 20th century, who anchored network news programs and married a guy who was first the biggest movie star in the world and then the governor of California.
On the Shriver-O-Meter, most TV professional women are slumming.
Women also be shopping.
I’m a self-identified radical feminist. Center for American Progress is a worthwhile and important group.
This report/press release, however, is a pile of doo doo.
I heard their menstruation can attract bears.
Bears, Ron.
The jobs that women have are not the only thing that is not accurately portrayed on tv.
I forgot where I saw/read this, but houses are another aspect of life that is exaggerated on tv.
That house that “The king of queens” guy lives in would cost in the high 6 figure range in real life, but he is a UPS delivery truck driver.
The apartment in “Friends” would cost way more than they could afford in real life and the same goes for most shows about “blue color” families. The houses that blue collar workers live in are way more depressing.
“The houses that blue collar workers live in are way more depressing.”
No shit. “Good Times” = most depressing comedy ever.
When we watch female news pundits (who the fuck is watching them, anyway?), aren’t we watching actual females performing their actual jobs?
Sorry Burnsy, I know you said it funnier.
I just can’t believe the stupid reports like it. I guess I have to agree with what men have been saying about women all along: We do just need to bitch about something all the time.
Note how China has significantly closed the gap with these countries over time. ,