blog 6
Like most of the other people in the class, when I think about portrayals of mothers in the media, the picture of the typical 'domestic goddess' pops into my head. These women cook, clean, usually stay at home, and are the backbone of the entire family. They're usually white, polished, middle class and heterosexual. Basically, a whole sitcom world full of perky Pleasantville moms who seem to put their family's needs and wants ahead of theirs. However, I think recently tv has begun to steer away from this stereotype and concentrate more on women with careers. There are shows like Cashmere Mafia and Lipstick Jungle that showcase high-powered corporate women who still have kids and don't stay at home and do the traditional housewife chores. Nancy on Weeds runs her own business and is tough and independent, two qualities that you don't see all that often. On Grey's Anatomy, Miranda has a child, but there are frequent conflicts about her not spending enough time at home with him. I think tv has gotten better at showing mothers in the workfield but I also think that there is an emphasis on these women not being home enough for their families. I think there need to be more shows that get across the message that mothers can have both a career and a life while also balancing their family and at-home duties.