The representation of women in television is widely viewed from a masculine perspective. Women are disproportionally underrepresented in television shows. Combine that with the male dominance in production, and it is easy to see how representation of women is skewed towards the male perspective. Women and their portrayals of gender and attitudes about sex as seen in television are sensationalized for ratings, but it also emphasizes the underlining ideologies constructed in everyday life.
 Graph shows distribution of men and women's roles behind the scenes. |
Women are confined to strict gender stereotypes in their roles on mainstream TV. They are often seen as housewives and mothers, and when they do work outside the home, it is often in typical occupations reserved for women such as in the education system. Although there are some shows where women hold higher status jobs like a doctor or lawyer, this is not the norm and there is usually a man costar in the same position or above her. For example, in Grey’s Anatomy, the chief surgeon is a man, and the surgeon in charge of the residents is a woman. The roles of women in TV are shown “doing gender” by subscribing to and following traditional gender roles. Women are supposed to be dependent, submissive, passive, quiet, pretty, sexually available, etc. “Doing gender” is the dividing of society into sex categories combined with “the social arrangements based on sex category accountable as normal and natural” [7]. Once this is deemed natural, it is legitimatized, and then these traits and norms become fundamental to their respective sexes. If one “does gender” successfully, the system is reinforced and sustainable, however, if one fails at “doing gender,” others will become alarmed, and instead of questioning the system, the individual is questioned [7]. Francine, for example from Arthur, is an athletic girl who also likes to play the drums, but her best friend, Muffy, tries to get her to do her hair, wear different clothes, give up her hobbies, etc.
Also, women transition between their different roles in a show depending on the specific setting. A woman might be seen differently in her work environment than at home. When different social interactions occur between a body and its behavior and the receptor is termed “embodied gender” [8]. An example of this is in, Desperate Housewives, when Lynette plays different roles depending on whether she is at work or at home. |   |
Prevalent focuses for female characters are fashion, makeup, beauty, and body shape. Women are shown in full body shots while men are filmed in more close up shots. For example, when the camera from a worm's angle films a woman in a short dress that is blowing in the wind while she is walking down the street. This focus on the woman's body objectifies them into a product for the man to enjoy. The actresses are already thinner than the average woman watching and when that is combined with effective camera angles, clothing and makeup and unrealistic image is presented to its viewers. Women are portrayed as being obsessed with clothing and their looks. Gossip Girl characters, Blair and Serena, "solve" their problems by shopping. It's important to note that Blair and Serena shop in high end, designer boutiques which is also unrealistic for the average viewer.
 | Beauty is also tied into intelligence. It is not often that a beautiful woman, both inside and out, is also an intelligent character on screen. Sex And The City's Miranda is not known for her looks on the show, but she is the most educated one of the 4 women. Another exampke is Daphne and Velma in Scooby Doo. Daphne is not as clever as Velma but has longer hair, a thinner waist, and shows her legs while Velma is stockier, has short hair, and wears knee socks. |
Violence against women is common in TV programming. Perhaps what is most alarming is that it sensationalizes the violence to the point where it becomes acceptable. Shows lack a focus on the consequences of the violence towards the women; the focus is solely on the act itself and not the aftermath. |  Chart of violent storylines from 2004 and 2009 season. |
It is common knowledge that sex sells, so it is only fitting that TV is saturated with sexual content. The image of sex on TV is from a male, heterosexual point of view. Janna Kim's study of the heterosexual script on TV found that women were shown as needing a male partner, and they are judged by their sexual conduct [9]. Women's sexual history is available for public scrutiny whether she has had to many partners, is a virgin, or not currently active. The women are also responsible for setting sexual limits. It is their responsibility to regulate the man's sexual desires. Many times a woman will be shown saying "no.. stop" only to give in later. It is acceptable for a man to be open about his sexual encounters, he demands sex, he expects it, but a woman must be reserved. It is not acceptable for her to exude a sexual agency by either exerting her sexual desires or to protest [10]. Female homosexuality is basically accepted. It is interesting to note that lesbian couples on TV are not common, but lesbian activity is enjoyed, encouraged, and welcomed.
The frequency of sexual messages in TV programs is quite high. One study found that roughly 4/5 teen programs in the 2001-2002 sample contained at least 1 scene with sexual content [11]. The average number of scenes/hr containing sex was 6.7. The problem may not be the frequency of sexual content, but the lack of safe sex messages. The same study found that the frequency with which sexual risk and responsibility were addressed were small. Only about 4% of scenes in 2001-2002 addressed risk and responsibility topics, and when safe sex messages were present, they were brief and not the primary emphasis of the scene. MTV's series of 16 & Pregnant and Skins are full of sex scenes with little focus on safe sex.
