The Real Housewives: Postfeminist Symbol or Patriarchal Stereotype?
Over the past decade, representations of women on television have evolved dramatically. Roles for women are no longer limited to the secretary or office assistant, the stay-at-home housewife, or the damsel in distress waiting to be saved by the manly hero. Women are now represented in both film and television as complex, multi-faceted characters who exist independently of their romantic relationships and home lives. In an age where women are fighting desperately to keep these robust roles available to women and pushing for even more diverse representation, how does a franchise like The Real Housewives maintain its appeal? This ideological analysis will examine the ideological …show more content…
Michael Lee and Leigh Moscowitz (2012), in their article “The ‘Rich Bitch,’” argue that the Real Housewives franchise is “a vivid post-feminist narrative in which wealthy stars contravene class and gender norms” (p. 67). While on the surface it may seem that the women of Bravo network are superficial, unaccomplished patriarchal stand-ins, in fact they are multi-faceted, complex characters at the centre of a massive cultural phenomenon: “the appeal of [Real Housewives] exists not because of its particular take on either class or gender relationships but at an intersection of cultural presumptions about class and gender simultaneously” (Lee & Moscowitz, 2012, p. 67). The Real Housewives has an all-female cast that focuses on telling women’s stories from their point of view. Yes, it focuses on a select group of wealthy women whose life experiences are not those of most women in western society, but themes of female entrepreneurship, motherhood, the struggle of balancing home and work life, and female friendship carry through and can resonate with women from all walks of life. These themes are signifiers that represent the modern struggle of womanhood and the postfeminist backlash that either pits women against the traditional role of wife or pushes them full-force into the stereotype. The women in The Real Housewives are shown in all facets of their lives: spending quality time with their children, running successful businesses, dealing with grief and loss, and managing busy schedules. The women are humanized and portrayed as real people with real issues. And despite the show's ironic title, most of its cast members are not actually housewives in the traditional sense of the word. Many have extremely successful careers as entrepreneurs, actresses, and models, bringing in
Over the past decade, representations of women on television have evolved dramatically. Roles for women are no longer limited to the secretary or office assistant, the stay-at-home housewife, or the damsel in distress waiting to be saved by the manly hero. Women are now represented in both film and television as complex, multi-faceted characters who exist independently of their romantic relationships and home lives. In an age where women are fighting desperately to keep these robust roles available to women and pushing for even more diverse representation, how does a franchise like The Real Housewives maintain its appeal? This ideological analysis will examine the ideological …show more content…
Michael Lee and Leigh Moscowitz (2012), in their article “The ‘Rich Bitch,’” argue that the Real Housewives franchise is “a vivid post-feminist narrative in which wealthy stars contravene class and gender norms” (p. 67). While on the surface it may seem that the women of Bravo network are superficial, unaccomplished patriarchal stand-ins, in fact they are multi-faceted, complex characters at the centre of a massive cultural phenomenon: “the appeal of [Real Housewives] exists not because of its particular take on either class or gender relationships but at an intersection of cultural presumptions about class and gender simultaneously” (Lee & Moscowitz, 2012, p. 67). The Real Housewives has an all-female cast that focuses on telling women’s stories from their point of view. Yes, it focuses on a select group of wealthy women whose life experiences are not those of most women in western society, but themes of female entrepreneurship, motherhood, the struggle of balancing home and work life, and female friendship carry through and can resonate with women from all walks of life. These themes are signifiers that represent the modern struggle of womanhood and the postfeminist backlash that either pits women against the traditional role of wife or pushes them full-force into the stereotype. The women in The Real Housewives are shown in all facets of their lives: spending quality time with their children, running successful businesses, dealing with grief and loss, and managing busy schedules. The women are humanized and portrayed as real people with real issues. And despite the show's ironic title, most of its cast members are not actually housewives in the traditional sense of the word. Many have extremely successful careers as entrepreneurs, actresses, and models, bringing in