Feminist Perspective on the Media

In Van Zonnen’s  article “Feminist Perspective on the Media” she introduces three kinds of feminist viewpoints: Socialist, Radical, and Liberal. Each deals with a different way of examining the representation of women in media, but all three are focused on the way that Media represents the female person and the idea that gender depictions in media cause the audience to assume the norms of gender roles in society. There is no question that media influences the masses, but I believe the “brainwashing” is not as direct as a two step process from media to audience.

In the first place while many programs follow a stereotypical depiction of gender roles in media, many attract their audiences by the fact that they do not follow assumed gender roles. A notable example is the television show Maude starring Bea Arthur that aired from 1972-1978. The program focused on Maude Findlay a upper-middle class, liberal activist, and her appliance salesman [fourth] husband, Walter. Maude’s divorced daughter lived with them with her child out of wedlock and provided another generation’s representations of the same feminist activism of Maude. It tackled timely and typically taboo topics around the lives of women specifically in the first season where an episode centers on Maude deciding to and undergoing an abortion operation (the episode aired two weeks before the Roe vs. Wade supreme court decision).  The program not only addressed gender-role issues directly, but also tackled social issues through the actions of Maude. For example one episode was in direct response to new marijuana possession legislation and centered on women in Queens banding together to fight the unfair regulations

On one hand the show seems like the answer to all feminist outcries for non-stereotypical representation, but after becoming intimate with this show I have noticed some very interesting qualities that perpetuate the female myth. For example Maude herself, being married four times, still takes the last name of her newest husband, Walter Findlay. However small the namesake may be, it is still a grand gesture to lose a piece of your identity in marriage. Also, the divorced single parent daughter, though with agency of her own, cannot support herself and must live in her mother’s house to maintain her life. Another example is the fact that Maude hires a female African American maid, Florida. While the issue of racial equality is addressed directly since Maude makes a big deal about hiring the maid- insisting they were “equals” and that she use the front door to the house. In this example, Florida’s race is addressed, but not her gender. It is assumed that a maid should be a female; and while two other maids replace Florida, they are also both female, post-middle-age women.

The show did great things for the roles of women in the media and household there is no question about that, but  it was being broadcast on a national network and trying to maintain  a widespread audience. I’m sure that some sacrifices were made so that the program would not be seen as a radical feminist piece so that it could be consumed by audiences just enjoying a situation comedy as well.