Popular television sets back
Shows portray characters in stereotypical light, cater to lowest common denominator
Matthew Werlein
Issue date: 2/27/06 Section: Showcase
The issue of gender equality has been debated in the past and is still a topic of intense discussion.
I have been very fortunate to have been raised surrounded by strong, positive male and female role models.
It is because of this positive upbringing, along with friends, and even ex-girlfriends of mine who are committed to their beliefs in gender equality, that I find myself angry and disappointed in various media that stereotype both sexes and portray them in these so-called typecasted roles.
A few weeks ago, I was watching television with a few friends, and, after flipping through several channels; we had finally found a show that almost everyone liked.
I myself had, up until this point, never seen the show, "Flavor of Love," starring Flavor Flav.
Now, I'm usually not a fan of reality TV, although I have watched a few episodes of "Real World/Road Rules Battle of the Sexes," but I thought this show might be something worth watching. But I digress.
While the show definitely left an impression on me, it was probably not the one the producers were hoping for.
I was irate.
I had a great time hanging out with my friends, but watching this individual discussing how he is going about choosing which woman he likes and why, while wearing a native Viking helmet, infuriated me.
While ABC's "The Bachelor" hands roses out to those women whom he has chosen to stay, on "Flavor of Love," Flav puts a huge clock necklace on each of them and says something along the lines of "Baby, you are on my time now."
Roses are classy, however, labeling these women as being on your "time" is not only degrading to women everywhere, but it is unrefined and, yes, I'll even go so far as to use the word crass.
As the episode neared its conclusion, I attempted to suppress the urge to reach through the television set, grab Flav by the throat while he was discussing body image and shout, "Do you realize that you are single-handedly dragging women's rights back generations? Do the names Elizabeth Cady Stanton, Susan B. Anthony or Gloria Steinem mean anything to you?"
I have been very fortunate to have been raised surrounded by strong, positive male and female role models.
It is because of this positive upbringing, along with friends, and even ex-girlfriends of mine who are committed to their beliefs in gender equality, that I find myself angry and disappointed in various media that stereotype both sexes and portray them in these so-called typecasted roles.
A few weeks ago, I was watching television with a few friends, and, after flipping through several channels; we had finally found a show that almost everyone liked.
I myself had, up until this point, never seen the show, "Flavor of Love," starring Flavor Flav.
Now, I'm usually not a fan of reality TV, although I have watched a few episodes of "Real World/Road Rules Battle of the Sexes," but I thought this show might be something worth watching. But I digress.
While the show definitely left an impression on me, it was probably not the one the producers were hoping for.
I was irate.
I had a great time hanging out with my friends, but watching this individual discussing how he is going about choosing which woman he likes and why, while wearing a native Viking helmet, infuriated me.
While ABC's "The Bachelor" hands roses out to those women whom he has chosen to stay, on "Flavor of Love," Flav puts a huge clock necklace on each of them and says something along the lines of "Baby, you are on my time now."
Roses are classy, however, labeling these women as being on your "time" is not only degrading to women everywhere, but it is unrefined and, yes, I'll even go so far as to use the word crass.
As the episode neared its conclusion, I attempted to suppress the urge to reach through the television set, grab Flav by the throat while he was discussing body image and shout, "Do you realize that you are single-handedly dragging women's rights back generations? Do the names Elizabeth Cady Stanton, Susan B. Anthony or Gloria Steinem mean anything to you?"