Parenting With Style

Each article worked to incorporate how issues surrounding gender exist within all aspects of the media industry. Specifically, within “The Magical Vulva of Opportunity,” the reader is given a firsthand look upon how gender inequality exists among writers of television shows. Pamela Ribon describes her experience of being a minority in the television industry, solely because she is a woman, and how she must work extremely hard to overcome the stigma that surrounds her. When she is told that she is only a “mid-level female writer” it significantly affected her self-esteem, so much so that she felt the need to express her feelings through her blog. Through one individual’s comment to another person, it can significantly impact their self-confidence and self-esteem levels. This scenario made the “Sabrina, The Teenage…?” article resonate with me once again. It reminded me of how the media can have such a strong influence on viewers, and we as the audience are unknowingly affected by these messages every day. Though Sabrina may not have known she was impacting many teenage girls during the time of the show’s airing, she was a positive role model for many.

Within the article, “Women Watch TV Like This, But Men Watch TV Like This,” James Poniewozik discusses television shows that are created to be geared to one audience, yet instead attract a different demographic. Particularly, I found his opinion of Up All Night interesting that he believes it may speak to women more and appeal to a predominately female audience. He did not elaborate as to why he thought this, yet the “What Makes A Show Aimed At Women?” article picks up where Poniewozik left off. Alyssa Rosenberg believes the show will appeal to either sex, but mainly to women because many are struggling to balance a career and a family, making Reagan a relatable character. I argue that the show could relate equally to men because the character Chris could appeal to men like Reagan appeals to women. As seen in the image, Reagan is not playing a traditional female role, but instead is acting as a strong role model for women, much like Sabrina did. She is able to maintain her sense of femininity through her impeccable fashion sense, yet is able to dominate the corporate world by being a successful career woman. Chris acts as a stay-at-home father and supports Reagan from the home. He can be viewed as a role model for men by proving it is still a noble, enjoyable profession to raise children. Male audiences may be able to relate to the nontraditional role Chris plays, making the show desirable by both sex demographics. As Poniewozik notes, “It’s just worth remembering that when you assume that a show is ‘aimed at’ one gender, you may be pointing at the wrong target.” Though a show may be designed to appeal to more women than men, or vice versa, each article discusses that the media industry is highly unpredictable.