What Is Gender Role in the Media

“The attributes of True Womanhood, by which a woman judged herself and was judged by her husband, her neighbors and society could be divided into four cardinal virtues- piety, purity, submissiveness and domesticity.   Put them all together and they spelled mother, daughter, sister, wife—woman.   Without them, no matter whether there was fame, achievement or wealth, all was ashes.   With them, she was promised happiness and power.” [3] I found this quote extremely interesting because in the 19th century, these four qualities were considered vitally important.   However, in Desperate Housewives, I do not think that any of the characters on the show have an equal balance of these characteristics.   If Desperate Housewives were set back in the 19th century, Bree, Susan, Lynette, Gabrielle, Edie and Mary Alice would be considered ash.   None of the women on the show are portrayed as having any religious believes, purity and they are not submissive. I do think that each housewife is domestic in her own particular way.   For example, each women appears to do chores and care for her family every day, which is something that was important to women back in the 19th century. Since the 19th century, women have challenged these very ideas, and now women maintain power and virtue, which most consider to be the best of both worlds. [3]

The pilot episode started out with Mary Alice coming out of her house, and a voice over

I think that Lynette is portraying a typical masculine quality by standing up to her husband because females are typically thought of as being quiet, and unwilling to say what is on their mind. Lynette went from breaking the gender norms, to falling right back into them.   I think this was interesting because in the Scavo’s story line, the gender roles seem to flip back and forth.  

3. Welter, Barbara. "The Cult of True Womanhood: 1820-1860." Summer 1966. John Hopkins University Press. 19 Nov. 2008 . [continues]

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