Erica Lee Lee 1
Dr. Mieras
FSEM 100-019
Popular Culture Research Assignment One Lena Adams, a motivational mother figure within the television show “The Fosters” once said, “DNA doesn’t make a family, love does.” The program follows two middle-aged women who are married to one another and care for a biological son as well as four adopted kids. “The Fosters” is an emotionally captivating show which takes strides towards introducing viewers to a new concept of what a family could consist of through marriage, gender roles, and children. To begin, the show greatly contrasts traditional family styles through marriage. One way that it does this is by broadcasting divorce. Stef Foster, one of the mothers, was previously married to a male …show more content…
This is also not the case within “The Fosters.” Stef and Lena fostered and then adopted two young Hispanic twins name Jesus and Mariana. This is particularly significant as they are of a different ethnicity than either parent who are Caucasian and African American. It presents the characteristic of a mixed family, which was very rare in the past. They then foster, and later decide to adopt, two more siblings by the names of Callie and Jude. One way that Callie opposes a classic family style is her love interest in Stef’s biological son. Throughout the multiple seasons of the show, she has an on-and-off love affair with him, despite his legal standing as her brother. Jude also strays from a traditional child, as he follows in the footsteps of his adoptive parents, and comes out as homosexual. He goes as far to enter into a relationship with another male for a long period of time before the latter moves away with his family. The character, according to Bergado in an article regarding the scene, broke a new barrier as he and his counterpart shared the youngest same-sex kiss broadcast on television (1). His sister Callie was originally very opposed to the concept of him being into males, but like society has over the past two centuries, she became more accepting of the …show more content…
Peter Paige, a creator of the show, commented in an interview that the program represents “a very simple belief: that we’re really, fundamentally, all the same” (Hale 1). This holds true for the show, and it can be clearly seen within the different beginnings that the children come from to how they are all still able to care for and understand one another. Jesus and Mariana faced a mother who was heavily addicted to drugs. Their father was absent as he had been sent to jail for statutory rape. Callie and Jude’s mother died in a car accident. Jude’s father was charged with drunk driving, while Callie’s father was unaware that she even existed.
“The Fosters” challenges traditional viewpoints on what a family should be by showing divorce, a same-sex marriage, and adoption. By doing so, it shows that someone’s race, sexuality, or DNA should not affect how to feel for another person. The program leaves viewers with the heartwarming reminder that although society tries to put limits on how certain bonds should be, love is unconditional. Nothing about a person that is unalterable should stand in the way of that. Lee
Dr. Mieras
FSEM 100-019
Popular Culture Research Assignment One Lena Adams, a motivational mother figure within the television show “The Fosters” once said, “DNA doesn’t make a family, love does.” The program follows two middle-aged women who are married to one another and care for a biological son as well as four adopted kids. “The Fosters” is an emotionally captivating show which takes strides towards introducing viewers to a new concept of what a family could consist of through marriage, gender roles, and children. To begin, the show greatly contrasts traditional family styles through marriage. One way that it does this is by broadcasting divorce. Stef Foster, one of the mothers, was previously married to a male …show more content…
This is also not the case within “The Fosters.” Stef and Lena fostered and then adopted two young Hispanic twins name Jesus and Mariana. This is particularly significant as they are of a different ethnicity than either parent who are Caucasian and African American. It presents the characteristic of a mixed family, which was very rare in the past. They then foster, and later decide to adopt, two more siblings by the names of Callie and Jude. One way that Callie opposes a classic family style is her love interest in Stef’s biological son. Throughout the multiple seasons of the show, she has an on-and-off love affair with him, despite his legal standing as her brother. Jude also strays from a traditional child, as he follows in the footsteps of his adoptive parents, and comes out as homosexual. He goes as far to enter into a relationship with another male for a long period of time before the latter moves away with his family. The character, according to Bergado in an article regarding the scene, broke a new barrier as he and his counterpart shared the youngest same-sex kiss broadcast on television (1). His sister Callie was originally very opposed to the concept of him being into males, but like society has over the past two centuries, she became more accepting of the …show more content…
Peter Paige, a creator of the show, commented in an interview that the program represents “a very simple belief: that we’re really, fundamentally, all the same” (Hale 1). This holds true for the show, and it can be clearly seen within the different beginnings that the children come from to how they are all still able to care for and understand one another. Jesus and Mariana faced a mother who was heavily addicted to drugs. Their father was absent as he had been sent to jail for statutory rape. Callie and Jude’s mother died in a car accident. Jude’s father was charged with drunk driving, while Callie’s father was unaware that she even existed.
“The Fosters” challenges traditional viewpoints on what a family should be by showing divorce, a same-sex marriage, and adoption. By doing so, it shows that someone’s race, sexuality, or DNA should not affect how to feel for another person. The program leaves viewers with the heartwarming reminder that although society tries to put limits on how certain bonds should be, love is unconditional. Nothing about a person that is unalterable should stand in the way of that. Lee