One of the most talked about shows on television is Jersey Shore. This show portrays eight east coast "drunks" living under one roof. The males in this show are all about getting girls to come back to their place after a night of clubbing is over, which is just about every night. Does this whole idea seem degrading towards women? I know I watch this show every week along with millions of other people for its entertainment but they really do not show any respect for women. The guys act as if these girls are property when they take them home at the end of the night. What are your thoughts on this show.> Is it a feminist issue?
Jennifer, I would definitely say that this show deals with many feminist issues. You are correct in saying that many of the males on this show do not show women much respect at all, even calling "ugly" women, grenades. As entertaining as this show can be, in reality they are just being paid for partying and acting outrageously. I think that it is much worse that millions of viewers tune in to watch this show weekly. I agree that this show is funny at times, but we have to look at the underlying factors of what they are really saying. Both the males and the females on this show bring back random partners to sleep with and I would argue advocate it. I definitely don't think that young teens should be watching it, even though I know my younger sister does. They have no real message to spread to anyone, their only message is partying. I think that it is fine to watch a show like this as long as people realize that this is not real life. These people have turned into characters who are trying to get their fifteen minutes of fame and some money. It is not only degrading to women, but it does not show men in a good light either. In my opinion all of the characters come off as being very shallow, I mean, their slogan is "gym, tanning, laundry", which they hold to be of most importance. The females on the show don't have much respect for themselves in my opinion either. They base everything on sheer looks. They advocate tanning, hair extension, wearing pounds of makeup, casual sex, and dressing provocatively. I don't know what this shows about our society if many people find this to be funny, entertaining, or cool. I just hope that people realize that this is not real life.
Jennifer, I completely think this show raises many issues, and yes feminist ones as well. You brought attention to how the men act towards/with women, and it is completely degrading. However, I tend to look at the flip side of that, and say that the women are not doing a great job of portraying themselves either. These women do not have to go back and sleep with the guys on the show, and the women on the show don't need to be dressing as they do and bringing back strange men either.
Society is also helping to perpetuate these views of women and men by watching the show. People say things like I hate Jersey Shore, I just watch it because they are so dumb that it's funny. Well, that is basically the wanted outcome. If society really cared about the feminist issues that are being raised, they would stop watching the show, and then people (at least not the millions that are viewing it now) would not be able to be exposed to this kind of blatant disregard for anything that is important in life.