Gender Stereotypes In Reality Shows

The television industry is one of the largest industries in the world no matter where one goes. Reality shows are one of the most popular forms of programming available for viewers on most television platforms. These shows have helped create stars, employment, and given us plenty of entertainment. Nevertheless, they also have a negative impact on society. There are shows which have propagated stereotypes pertaining to sex, race, ethnicity and even religion. The most recognizable form of stereotype from a large majority of these reality shows are gender stereotypes which portray women as weak or subordinate. Generally, women are regarded as being inferior to men seeing that in the traditional setting, women were left to take care of the home, serve the husband and raise children. Women were not identified with superiority; they were solely dependent on men for almost everything. These stereotypes although outdated continue to be propagated in the majority of reality shows.
The reality shows produced today all tend to portray women in a negative light, as being …show more content…
Furthermore, the show 's producers make it a point to clarify that the women in the show do not have jobs of their own. As seen in the seventh episode of season one of the popular series, when Dana, one of the cast members, receives news of her husband’s nomination for an award, she decides to go out on a shopping spree, buying outrageously priced dresses and other things. This simply implies that the lavish lifestyle they lead is all courtesy of their husbands, a theme which has been ever-present since time immemorial. In many cultures around the world, women are simply regarded as possessions belonging to men. To the men, so long as a woman is living a comfortable and extravagant lifestyle, he does not believe he owes her anything