Gossip Girl

For my blog assignment I have analyzed an episode of Gossip Girl. Gossip Girl is a show on primetime televisions, which follows the lives of several rich Manhattan teens. The common assumption in the television industry is that sex sells, and sexual representation floods Gossip Girl. Episode fifteen titled “The Sixteen Year Old Virgin” from season three draws upon a minoritizing discourse. I have used Judith Mayne’s Women, Representation and Culture, Lull’s discussion of norms and hegemony, Douglas Kellner’s piece on media culture and several PowerPoints.

The episode begins by recapping the past episode then cuts to the present time. Jenny, age sixteen is grounded by her father for hanging out with Damien, an older guy who was caught selling drugs. The entire show revolves around compulsory heterosexuality. As the storyline plays out scenes change to show several different characters participating in sexual activities. When sex is represented so freely, it is likely that sex could be interpreted as a carefree activity, with little consequence. None of the characters who are engaging in sexual activity are married, and are often never in a relationship. Dan and Vanessa’s morning sex scene involves them talking about how they are just friends with benefits and that there are rules to causal sex. Blair and Chuck are seen just finishing sex, they too are not in a relationship. Next, Serena and Nate are shown finishing up having sex. Serena tries to talk to Jenny and explain to her how she would have liked to wait for someone special to lose her virginity to, but Jenny continues to be rebellious and stubborn. Nate, Jenny’s father and many other characters try to talk to Jenny about how important loosing your virginity is. Out of the eight characters six are engaging in sex within the first fifteen minutes of the show, seven of them have already lost their virginities years prior, and Jenny stands alone as the virgin at sixteen. Throughout the episode Damien tries to have sex with Jenny, she is hesitant at first because she is a virgin. Finally, at the end of the episode after all his pushing and already knowing this fact, Jenny lets Damien know that she’s a virgin. He says it’s “really not a big deal,” and Jenny pulls back and tries to reiterate that is actually is a big deal. “I chose you,” she says. He ends up leaving her and as he walks out of the room he says that she’s “just a kid.”

Minoritizing discourse on sexuality states that “heterosexuality is understood to be the norm of society. This means that an individual is straight unless they say otherwise.” All of the couples are heterosexual and I believe that this norm also leads to the representation of women as sexual beings. “Representations rely on various forms of cultural understanding.”(Mayne 162) The hegemonic notion that virginity is lost at an early age is how the female characters in Gossip Girl are represented. Normally women are represented by two opposing categories, the madonna versus the whore. Mayne states that the madonna is perfect, while the whore is sexually promiscuous or evil. Several characters can represent the madonna and Jenny represents the whore. However, Jenny is the virgin, but she is punished in the end for being rebellious and sexually active with Damien. Since social class plays a role in the madonna versus whore, it is often the poor or working class as the whore. Jenny does come from a working class family, while Serena and Blair are upper class.

 “Representation can function both to reinforce oppressive standards of feminine behavior and to imagine possibilities not typically available to women. Representation, then, is both a form of socialization and a form of utopia, representation can contribute to enforcing patriarchal stereotypes, but it can also envisage other possibilities, other ways of being.”(Mayne 163)

While Jenny’s brother Dan is telling her that she is only sixteen, Jenny turns around and says “everyone thought it was cute when you lost yours at sixteen with Serena”. This shows how double standards are enforced. Jenny is then seen as bad and wrong for wanting to lose her virginity to Damien. “Media images help shape our view of the world and our deepest values: what we consider good or bad, positive or negative, moral or evil.”(Kellner 7) Shows like Gossip Girl perpetuate hegemonic norms and creates categories of exclusion.

Joanna Blanchard "Basketball Wives Miami Photo Shoot"

Basketball Wives is a reality television show on the VH1 (Video Hits One) channel.  In its fourth season, the series follows the lives of eight women, who have all been in some way romantically involved with professional basketball players.  In the video clip, “Basketball Wives Miami Photo Shoot,” you can see all the women, a part of the recent season, participating in a photo shoot that took place before the fourth season of the show premiered.  The women are taking several pictures, followed by interviews with characters from the show other people involved with the production of the show such as, Sean Rankin and Angie Castro, being interviewed by interviewer, Elizabeth Black.  As pertaining to our class discussion on ways the body is represented in reality genres, focusing on ideas surrounding, femininity, and the gendered gaze, internalized gaze, male gaze, social and racialized gaze, I believe the video clip best illustrates these topics and engages the ideas of such gazes. 

The eight African American women whose lives are followed in this reality show are, Shaunie O’ Neal (the ex-wife of former Shaquille O'Neal, NBA superstar), Evelyn Lozada (ex-fiancé of Antoine Walker and current fiancé of Chad Ochocinco), Jennifer Williams (the wife of former NBA player Eric Williams), Suzie Ketcham (ex-girlfriend of Michael Olowokandi), Royce Reed (ex-girlfriend to Dwight Howard), Tami Roman (ex-wife to NBA player Kenny Anderson), Kenya Bell (wife of Charlie Bell), and lastly Kesha Nichols (ex-fiancé to Richard Jefferson).  I would like to point out that these women are not only known for being involved romantically with basketball players, but also for their own personal achievements.  Achievements such as how, Shaunie is the executive producer of the Basketball Wives reality show and has her own shoe line; Evelyn is in charge of a Miracle Mile shoe store called Dulce; Jennifer has a developing business venture in a lipgloss line; Royce was an NBA dancer for Orlando Magic and Miami Heat basketball teams; Kenya is pursuing her dream of becoming a singer; and lastly Kesha is a former New Jersey Nets dancer, has a master’s degree in dance education and is currently in charge of a New York City dance group.  The accomplishments of these businesswomen and the way the women portrayed themselves in the photos taken of them during the photo shoot defines what gendered gaze is.  The gendered gaze produces knowledge about how gendered bodies should act.  These women act professionally at the photo shoot and on the show, and they showed confidence in themselves.  The audience looks up to these women for their self-reliance, which leads into the internalized gaze. 

The internalized gaze involves the ways in which the relations of looking are internalized and then re-enacted by individuals.  In the video clip, Elizabeth Beck ask Angie Castro if she was surprised in how big the show became over the years and how influential it is from style/fashion to how so many people are fascinated by the women in the show.  The Basketball wives do have privileged lives and the photo shoot shows this.  The women are wearing expensive brand name heels and showing their jewelry off to on-lookers as photos are taken.  This is seen in the particular portion of the clip when the women are taking pictures wearing jeans and black tank-tops.  These actions are wearing such accessories shows the ethical or moral gaze relation of looking. 

The ethical or moral gaze is a relation of looking that determines a body’s social value or moral worth by its appearance.  The women are showing their luxurious belongings that they have been able to receive because of their professions.  The women are also wearing a lot of make-up at the photo shoot so they can have blemish-free and perfect skin tone faces in their pictures; this not only goes to show the kind of standard the women in Basketball Wives are held up to, based on just who they are, (Basketball wives), and the reality show, but also how each women portrays their self-concepts.    As stated in the article, “You Need a Makeover!”: The Social Construction of the Female Body Image in A Makeover Story, What Not to Wear, and Extreme Makeover,” by Amanda Hall Gallagher and Lisa Pecot-Hebert, “Makeup is a primary means by which women transform their bodies and generate self-esteem with their “new and improved” looks,” (58).  So in a way the massive amounts of makeup, including the clothes and accessories, the Basketball wives wear on the show and during the photo shoot explicitly show and express their own female identities, and also what they think beauty is, and lastly what the show and photo shoot influence the audience’s view on such things.   

Fans who are women perceive the eight female characters and see the photos differently than males, who just look at the photos with a male type gaze.  The male gaze is a gendered way of looking where the female body is positioned as a passive object in a male-dominated gaze.  This type of gaze could be seen mostly in the portion of the video clip when the women were taking pictures dressed in toga-like clothing, just as Greek goddesses would.  The first thing you can notice is the amount of clothing the Basketball wives are not wearing.  Also some of the women are in submissive positions of either lying down or sitting down with their legs crossed to the side of them.  They have seductive smiles and also piercing eyes such as a, “come and get me look,” as a male would portray the look to be.  Also while taking pictures dressed in the black tank-tops and jean, the photographer told the Basketball wives to act playful; the women were touching each other’s legs, had their hands on their heads and stood to the side showing their profiles.  All of these poses are what the male gaze encompasses and what men usually pay attention to when looking at photos such as these.  (Check out the link below Photo Shoot Pictures to see the actual photos I am discussing above.)

The last gaze I will be discussing is the social gaze.  This gaze is the relations of looking that determines how certain bodies should interact in social relationships.  The social gaze is greatly shown through the commenting portions of the video clip.  Sean Rankine stated how fans know the show is always dramatic, over the top and always amazing because of the Basketball wives.  Rankine respects the women because they live open lives 24/7 for weeks at a time, just to make a good show for the audience.  Loyal viewers of the show know the conflicts each character has with each other and know that fights can occur at any time, whether physical or not, or that a drink could be thrown.  Angie Castro had commented to Black, “get any six women together; especially six women with big personalities, there will be a story.”  This goes to show that regardless of the season or the episode, the Basketball wives are expected to have some kind of encounter happen. 

The constant drama, the gossip, the crying, the laughing, and all the drink throwing does make the show seem as if the audience is watching the everyday lives of the eight women.  This reality show becomes familiar to the audience and the audience begins to relate their lives to the lives of the Basketball wives.  In a way this blinds the audience to the possibility of the show being scripted and all the conflicts not being real.  I feel fans of the show need to be careful as to not get too consumed with the Basketball Wives or any reality television show so they can save themselves from being disheartened when they find out that what they found most interesting on the show was untrue. 

"Basketball Wives Miami Photo Shoot" video clip:

http://www.vh1.com/video/misc/722218/basketball-wives-miami-photo-shoot.jhtml#id=1676549 

Photo Shoot Pictures:

http://thejasminebrand.com/index.php/2011/12/08/behind-the-scenes-basketball-wives-miamis-shoot-peep-new-cast-members/

Toddlers Too Young for Tiaras

Toddlers and Tiaras is a reality show on the TLC network. The premise of Toddlers and Tiaras is to document the preparation and journeys of the girls who will be competing in whichever competition the episode focuses on. The episode I chose to analyze was “Glitzy Divas”, in which the Glitzy Divas pageant was featured. There are a few requirements for this type of pageant as stated by pageant director Bonnie Crow, which include not being poor or chubby and that the girls must be pretty. This pageant features dresses that can cost up to $5,000, full-face makeup, hair extensions and encompass and age range from as young as  a couple months to as old as twenty-one.

            In this episode we follow Adrianna, Madi and Ever Rose who are ages four, ten and eight respectively. Adrianna has the least experience out of the three girls and is a bit of a tom-boy outside of the pageant. Madi is a well known and successful competitor in the pageant world and expects to win just as she has won the majority of the pageants she has competed in. Through this episode we also see how each girl prepares for the competition. Madi simply practices her routines but Adrianna and Ever Rose have to lose weight for the competition in addition to practice. Adrianna lost a total of four pounds and Ever Rose lost ten pounds overall. After all the preparation we see how the girls do in the competition, as well as their mothers’ opinions and anxieties about the performances. Once the Glitzy Divas pageant is over we learn the results. Madi came out on top winning the Ultimate Grand Supreme crown as well as a monetary prize, Ever Rose won the crown for most beautiful face and Adrianna was unable to win anything. The episode ends with the girls talking about the pageant.

            Within the “Glitzy Divas” episode of Toddlers and Tiaras we can see elements of internalized gaze at play here. The internalized gaze is one where the individual reflects upon themselves and in a sense determines what needs to be changed based on societal constructs. The pageants that the girls participate in are essentially telling them that they must look and act a certain way to win the pageant but because these pageants are also deemed to be very feminine it is not uncommon for the girls to take some of these pageant ideals with them into the real world. Despite how young these girls are they have concerns with looking fat because the competition tells them they need to be thin and they are also learning that makeup is important to femininity because the competition tells them that to be beautiful and ideally feminine makeup is necessary.

Toddlers and Tiaras also demonstrates the importance of size and the ideal image very.  In this episode size is particularly important in the cases of Adrianna and Ever Rose. The Glitzy Divas pageant values the “Barbie” look and it is well known by many that Barbie is tall, slender and blond. The director of the pageant Bonnie Crow even states, “You don’t want to see a chubby child on stage, and you have to have the Barbie look”. To adhere to these standards four year old Adrianna must watch her weight, and her mother says at one point “Have you been eating salads so we can fit into our dress?” Similarly Ever Rose must lose weight and she and her mother count calories so that she does not gain weight that will hurt her in the competition. Ever Rose states that she knows she has to watch her weight but that sometimes she gets hungry.  Pageants like Glitzy Divas are essentially teaching girls at a young age that in order to be ideally feminine you must also be thin.

This notion of thinness in children so young also ties into the “impossible perfection” that Judith Mayne mentions in her article Women, Representation and Culture. Mayne speaks about females narrow representation in early media in which women tended to be divided into two opposing categories, one representing impossible perfection, the other equally impossible evil (Mayne, 162). Mayne is referring to the madonna and the whore, and in Toddlers and Tiaras, we see elements of only the Madonna because with these types of pageants girls are only given the option of perfect beauty and if the girl cannot live up to that expectation she cannot compete. Such representation of femininity can be problematic at such a young age for these girls because it may cause them to reject their natural beauty in favor of a more unnatural one.

Even though Toddlers and Tiaras may create a false reality for girls watching the show, it is still a reality show in and of itself. The adults that watch the show may understand that the ideal images of femininity presented are not realistic especially looking like a Barbie, but the young female viewers may see things differently. Seeing images of their peers getting glammed up to display their beauty can cause impressionable viewers to think that they must do the same. The idea that beauty is accomplished with makeup and expensive clothing may stick with young viewers and leave a lasting impression on them.   

Thomas Pennachio

“Diversity Day,” an episode aired on NBC's The Office during its second season, touches base on the sensibility of people when it is related to race.  Michael Scott initiated this day by doing a stand up routine that many of the workers found offensive, and finds the instructor to be not useful, so he creates his own version of Diversity Day; Diversity Dat- Take Two.
     Michael Scott, portrayed by comedic actor Steve Carell,decides to take matters into his own hands by creating Diversity Day- Take Two, where he plays a game in which everyone takes a card and they must treat other people like the race that is on their forehead, which further minoritizes discourse, insisting everyone “relies on fixed and predictable meanings” (Transgeneration). Through one instance, Pam, who has Jewish , which coincidentally is not a race, and Dwight, who has Asian, are attempting to have a conversation as these races. Dwight walks up to Pam and says, “Shalom, I would like to apply for a loan,” which reveals the common stereotype that Jewish people are good with handling money. Dwight then insists Pam gives him an obvious clue to what his card says so he can figure it out quickly, and she responds with saying that she "likes his food." Michael encourages Pam to go further with the norms that have been represented by the media, and Pam states the he might not be a very good driver, followed by Dwight then saying, “Oh man, am I a woman?!” infering that woman are not good drivers and further minortizing. Thereafter, Michael goes up to Kelly in a terrible Indian accent acting as a stereotypical restaurant/convenience store owner, and Kelly slaps him, and Michael claims that Kelly, “knows what it’s like to be a minority!” All the stereotypes that The Office represents are brought on by the social influence of the media that is “not always recognized... and can easily go undetected” (Lull, 63). Just about everyone from the office, except for Dwight and Michael read the world from a universalizing lens, because they view race as open to interpretation, and not set in stone stereotypes (Transgeneration).
     Because of a comedic reenactment of a Chris Rock stand up about racism that was taken offensively, Michael introduces Diversity Day. Since he believes in everyone viewing the situation from his perspective, he does not realize that “the routines of stand-up comedians performing live and on television… reinforce ideological consequences,” and that are turned into popular culture and seem okay, but are really offensive (Lull, 63). Similarly, this routine represents African Americans in a negative view, and creates a negative stereotype, as stated by Mayne: “Representations both reflect the culture from which they emerge, and have the ability to shape that culture in turn” (Mayne, 163).
    This episode focuses the discourses that are created through different races, and Michael Scott attempts to universalize these discourses through several unsuccessful attempts that actually end up minoritizing them. When the instructor first arrives, Michael introduces him to Oscar Martinez, and “accidentally” forgets his last name, because they are such good friends, and because Michael does not notice his race. Similarly, when Mr. Brown, the instructor, states his name, Michael automatically assumes it’s a test, and refuses to call him by his name, because he is African American. Michael views life through a minoritizing lens, where he views people for exactly the race that they are, not what type of person they are. Michael continues to push this idea of not noticing race in the diversity session, because he believes that all people are “represented on a continuum, everyone is included,” (Transgeneration) but he does not understand that a “color-free zone” is enforcing the minoritizing discourse where everyone is exactly the same. Michael continues to minoritize other races by asking everyone in the office to claim a race that they are sexually attracted to, making the assumption that the norm is people are only sexually attracted to their own race, and “deviant or freakish” exception to be attracted to another race (Transgeneration).
     Because of a comedic reenactment of a Chris Rock stand up about racism that was taken offensively, Michael introduces Diversity Day. Since he believes in everyone viewing the situation from his perspective, he does not realize that “the routines of stand-up comedians performing live and on television… reinforce ideological consequences,” and that are turned into popular culture and seem okay, but are really offensive (Lull, 63). Similarly, this routine represents African Americans in a negative view, and creates a negative stereotype, as stated by Mayne: “Representations both reflect the culture from which they emerge, and have the ability to shape that culture in turn” (Mayne, 163).
      The emphasis of minoritizing discourses in this episode made it obvious to all the viewers that the stereotypes of race are wrong, offensive, and inaccurate.  It is not a coincidence in my opinion that this matter of race was portrayed through a comedy, similar to homosexual portrayals.The universalized discourse shatters the hegemonic norms created by society and the media, and even exposes the powers that created this norm which are used in everyday society.

Lull, James. “Hegemony.” In Gender, Race, and Class in Media: A Text-Reader. Eds. Gail Dines and Jean M. Humez. Sage Publications. 2003. 61-66.
Mayne, Judith. “Women, Representation, and Culture.” In Reading Women’s Lives.
Trangeneration Power Point Slide

The Way ANTM portrays Women

The popularity of reality TV shows have been on the rise in recent years because they are cheaper to produce and many people become addicted to them as more episodes air.  Most people watch reality television shows weekly.  Do they watch these shows for pure entertainment or is the audience educated by them?  Some people relate with the characters, and this causes them to base their identities around specific characters.  By identifying with characters, the individuals watching the show tend to feel better about themselves.

          Reality shows usually express social biases.  Women have been shown as catty,
bitchy, and manipulative. One reality show that is guilty of this stereotype is “America’s Next Top Model.”  The show has televised eighteen seasons of beauty.  There are a number of women who are competing, knowing that there can only be one winner.  The competition is serious, and everyone works their hardest to be the next “top model.”  Some women will do whatever they can to reach
this goal.

          This show is mainly focused on the female body.  The way their bodies are represented in reality TV is based off of certain gazes, or relationships of looking.  These gazes are shaped off of previous knowledge and societal norms.  This affects the way we perceive the characters of the show. Because we have a certain way of looking at people in society, it is required that all of the girls receive a makeover.  Makeover shows have become very popular today, and there has been a shift from beauty pageants to reality makeover shows because this makes it look possible to achieve idealized beauty.  Although “America’s Next Top Model” is not actually a makeover show, they are a significant part of the show.  It can sometimes change their look completely. The show’s host, Tyra Banks, even states that “beauty in real life and beauty in the model industry are two totally different things.”  So while a normal, pretty girl would be considered good-looking in the real world, this can be untrue for someone who wants to be a supermodel.

          People tend to create specific internalized gazes.  The internalized gaze is a relationship of looking, internalizing it, and then reenacting it.  Women try to have the “perfect” body, but in reality, the only way to achieve this body is through extreme measures.  “America’s Next Top Model” portrays the perfect body as being tall and underweight.  All of the women on the show are 5’7” or
taller with the exception of cycle thirteen, which was the petite edition.  Even then the girls were as tall as 5’7.”  All of these factors give young girls the notion that they need to look similar to the women on television and express their femininity to those around them.

          We watch what is produced on TV, aspiring our looks and behaviors to be just like what we see.  The body is established as an object of knowledge.  Society has standards, and in order to be “normal” or accepted, we have to follow these social norms.  The way we present ourselves depicts what people think of us.  The cast of reality shows are everyday people, so they give us the idea that beauty can be achieved for anyone.  What’s controversial is that if what we see on TV is what we are supposed to look like, but this look is the supermodel look, then how are we supposed to attain these specific images?

           Some may argue that “America’s Next Top Model” is degrading to young women because it gives an unrealistic idea of what real beauty looks like.  No one is flawless, even when they are perceived as being flawless.  The ideal woman is unattainable.  The makeovers performed on these women change their identities to fit the standards of beauty.  They give us a false identity, causing women to be valued for their body rather than their personality.

           “The quest for the ideal…has taken on another dimension in television, found in popular television makeover programs…” (Gallagher and Pecot-Hebert).  This makes it seem like we are capable of doing the same.  Instead, we need to consider why it is that we wouldn’t enjoy watching average people getting made over into models.

            The guest judge in episode 2 of cycle 17, Ashlee Simpson, stresses the importance of image. This agrees with the article, which states that “…The female body is often objectified through the
makeover process” (Gallagher and Pecot-Hebert).  The importance of image and the way we look on
the outside has become so substantial.  We are judged solely on the way we look. But if these girls wanted to be models, they would have to follow rules and go through with a makeover.  One of the things that some of the girls were most worried about was getting a hair cut.  One girl in particular began to cry and even wanted to go home, stating that she no longer had confidence.  The way we look on the outside affects how we feel on the inside.

            We have a certain way of looking at bodies regarding sexuality.  Women are often shown touching themselves, as if to show vulnerability.  This holds true for the photo shoot the girls did in episode 2 of cycle 17.  They had a hotdog as a prop, and posed with displayed sexiness.

            The way the body is represented in reality television focuses on ideas surrounding thinness, femininity, internalized gazes, and makeovers.  “America’s Next Top Model” is an obvious example of how these characteristics are portrayed in the media.  The show has exposed its viewers to ideal beauty and has caused many young girls in particular to strive to become what they see; a flawless woman, which is something they aren’t physically capable of being, based upon the idea that the ideal woman is unattainable.  This media has engaged with viewers by showing them what has interested them for eighteen seasons.  Now, one can see that the show’s idea of “reality” is actually unrealistic.


Gallagher, Amanda H., and Lisa Pecot-Hebert. "You Need a Makeover!": The Social Construction 
            
             of Female Body Image in 'A Makeover Story,' 'What Not to Wear,' and 'Extreme Makeover'"

             Social Construction of Body Image (2007).

How Do I Look?

As reality television swept its way across screens and into our living rooms we could not help but become addicted to its drama filled episodes, as well as the variety among such shows.  Reality television has branched out into many arenas, one of those including the always popular make over show.  Some may resort to more drastic changes; including extreme weight loss and plastic surgery, while others will provide a new wardrobe.  One example of this type of show is the Style Network's How Do I Look? Much like TLC's What Not to Wear, this show takes a contestant whose appearance is seen as unfitting within society's standards and they are given a whole new look.

How Do I Look? picks women who generally fall into two categories of social unacceptability: the "tomboy" or a woman whose style could be described as "frumpy" and the overly sexual. Throughout the course of the show these women are torn apart from people who are close to them as well as complete strangers and then built back up in the image created by their peers.  Their new wardrobes are picked by three people: two that they know personally and one stylist and it is from these three new images that they must pick one. 

Upon watching this show, one immediately sees how this plays with the gendered gaze.  How Do I Look?, along with other make over shows, emphasizes what is feminine and what is not; what is acceptable in this society and what is not.  As women, being labeled with the female gender, we are expected to dress, look, and act in certain ways.  The entire make over process takes women who fall outside of that and squeezes them into a mold that places them into the proper category.  In Judith Mayne's Women, Representation, and Culture, she states: "Representation can function both to reinforce oppressive standards of feminine behavior and to imagine possibilities not typically available to women" (Mayne, 163). While looking through the before and after stories of these women, many talked about how this woman has transformed from "frumpy" to "classy" and  her husband is "happier than ever" or how she may have more luck with romance, emphasizing a woman's duty to satisfy or please a man.  For these woman, they did not improve their appearance for their own sake, but rather to attract men, to be perceived in a certain way that is desirable to a man.  However, this was not the case for all.  Others, upon receiving this make over, were able to excel in their profession or being single mothers, provide a better life for their child; which is very likely to include finding a suitable father figure. This expands on the notion that woman can be powerful in business, one that is still relatively new in our society, but how does she get there? By looking the right way. 

This show also touches on ideas of female sexuality.  A woman's body, through the male gaze is already sexualized and therefore, should not be played up in an extreme way.  Women should dress to enhance their features, but not in a way that reads only sex.  Women described as dressing as  "streetwalkers" are transformed into more modest looking women.  I think this is reflected in how women, both young and old, are expected to behave.  Today, it is more acceptable for women to have sexual relationships and be in touch with their sexuality, but more so behind closed doors; it should not be visible within the public eye.  Therefore, woman can dress in a sexy way, but it should still be classy. 

From the standpoint of the viewer, How Do I Look? provides its audience with an ideal notion of beauty and femininity.  According to Gallagher and Pecot-Herbert this is something that all women can achieve as long as they wear the right clothes and makeup, making a distinction between the right kind of beauty as opposed to the wrong kind. This ideal notion of beauty is generally associated with a certain female identity and body type, one that is slender.  Women who do not have that body type are taught how to dress in ways that flatter their body shape and hide their flaws, which further emphasizes a hegemonic femininity and beauty (Gallagher & Herbert, 66). 

As a result, women will internalize these messages sent out and buy into these notions of the ideal feminine identity.  We base a large part of our identity and who we are on how we look.  In a way, make over shows like this one are reducing women simply to their appearance.  They do tell women that by dressing the proper way they will be taken more seriously both inside the workplace, as well as outside, but the only way to do so is through the right dress.  This idea of "reality" television, gives young girls and women the impression that there is a realness to dressing right, looking right, and acting right and many will take drastic measures to fit the requirements. By bringing women onto How Do I Look? the people that she knows and loves, as well as, society as a whole is suggesting that there is something wrong with her, that there is something that needs to be fixed. Those who watch the show, will buy the make up products and the clothes in order to also "fix" themselves and fit themselves into that ideal feminine role. 

Works Cited

Mayne, Judith. Women, Representation, and Culture. pg. 161-165.

Gallagher, Amanda Hall and Lisa Pecot-Herbert. "You Need a Makeover!": The Social Construction of Female Body Image in A Makeover Story, What Not to Wear, and Extreme Makeover. pg. 57-77.

Downton Abbey Season 2 Episode 7

I absolutely love Downton Abbey.  I think it is beautifully written and the filming is gorgeous.  The stories flow naturally and I cannot help being invested in the plight of the characters.  It is a very female centered show and while there are men they seem to be secondary to the women.  The show explores the issues of class and wealth since it covers both the aristocratic family and their servants.  It also, explores this double standard women of the period face and even now still rears its head.  It is able to show the injustice of it while allowing the story to develop naturally within the time period.
I think that even though it is a period piece many of these concepts are still closely related to the norms we hold today and are still prevalent in representation now.  According to Judith Mayne "...representations both reflect the culture from which they emerge, and have the ability to shape that culture in turn" (Mayne 163) I believe Downton Abbey reflects both of these things.  It reflects the culture of the early 1900's, but that culture is still one that influences our norms and beliefs today.  These representations will in turn influence those same beliefs.
While the show itself shows the minoritizing discourses of the time.  It explores this idea of hegemonic femininity and how it provides norms for woman to live by and also how it creates this double standard of how woman can either be the virgin or the whore.  This is shown on many occasions throughout the show.  One of which is seen through the treatment of the character Ethel, a servant who has a child out of wedlock.  After being fired from her job as maid at Downton Abbey, she is sent to live in poverty and upon meeting the child's paternal grandparents (in this episode) is tossed aside as a mere whore.  It was believed that she made up the story after hearing that the father was their only son and had died in the first World War and that she assumed they would be easy targets in their greif.  Her actions were the ones called into question and not the fathers.  She was the one who had to pay dearly for the indiscretion of the two.  Meanwhile, Lavinia is on the other side of dichotomy.  She is everything a woman should be.  She is kind and gentle and caring.  She refused to give up on Matthew even when he could not be everything a man needed to be.  She is praised by everyone and will be a great wife for Matthew now that he is better, which is all a woman needed to be at the time and even now this idea has a hold in society.
This discourse is also shown through the character Lady Mary Crawley and her sexual escapades with the Turkish diplomat, Mr Pamuk.  This storyline follows her throughout both the first season and the second.  The possibility of this getting out threatens everything she loves.  It would bring scandal to the Crawley family and potentially force her out of Downton Abbey and risk any chance she had at gaining a husband.  This is seen in this episode through her soon-to-be husband, Sir Richard Carlisle, whom she is marrying simply because he has the power to keep her mistake a secret.  He uses this information against her on many occasions.  However, the sexual activities of the men are not questioned in the same way as the women.  It does not threaten their very existence and it has little effect on the way people perceive them.
However, I believe the show can provide opportunities for universalizing discourses.  It does not portray these situations in a positive light and allows us to see how these violate the rights of the women.  It also allows us to see another side to these women and their circumstances.  It lets us think that maybe this is wrong.  Maybe men and women should be held to the same sexual standards.  Maybe femininity is not so black and white and on the cusp of the women's suffrage movement it allows us to see the circumstances that made it necessary.  I believe the show makes a good argument for feminism, why it existed then and why it is still needed now.  Lets face it, these things still happen to women today whether through the stigma of single motherhood or the decision to step outside the social norms of femininity.  The pressure to conform to the ideal womanhood is still felt and while the ideal has shifted some since the early 1900s, I do not believe it has changed as much as it should have in the past century.

Works Cited
Mayne, Judith.  Women, Representation and Culture. pg. 161 - 165.
Transgeneration. Powerpoint. Race, Gender and Sexuality in Pop Culture.

Marlise Cammer

Santana Comes Out on Glee

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sGASGDFUVEs&feature=results_video&playnext=1&list=PLAEBEA9AFA28D1C08

In the television show Glee, one of the main characters, Santana, decides to come out to her grandmother. Santana describes her grandmother as “strong” and “never cared what anyone thought of her”. Santana’s grandmother disgraces her granddaughter’s choice of sexuality and even tells her it is a sin not only to be gay but to also make a scandal of it by talking about it. Santana’s grandmother shows us a good example of minoritizing discourse, as described in our class PowerPoint. Santana’s grandmother tells Santana to get out of her life after finding out that she is gay. This supports the aspect of minoritizing discourse that society should be situated around what works for heterosexuals. Santana’s sexuality doesn’t work for her Grandmother so she is forced out of her life, left feeling ostracized. Santana’s grandmother represents a person who looks at the world as black and white, though a minoritizing lens. The grandmother’s views and reaction places heterosexuality and homosexuality at a binary (black vs. white), ultimately showing heterosexuality as correct and homosexuality as incorrect and because of her reference to sin, immoral. Santana’s grandmother’s reaction shows heterosexuality as the hegemonic norm and a denial of anything other than the norm.

James Lull argues that “mass-mediated ideologies are corroborated and strengthened by an interlocking system of efficacious information-distributing agencies and taken-for-granted social practice that permeate every aspect of social and cultural reality” (Lull, 34). Lull’s argument is validated everyday on television when gays or lesbians are condemned for their sexualities. These validations of the hegemonic norms allow ideologies of sexuality to remain the same, causing anything other than heterosexuality to remain ostracized. Lull also states that “messages supportive of the status quo emanating from school, businesses, political organizations, trade unions, religious groups, the military, and the mass media all dovetail together ideologically” (Lull, 34). Lull’s argument states that elite groups formulate the standards of we call socially or culturally correct. Because most of our society gains knowledge from schools, political organizations, religious groups, or mass media we as a society tend to side with their opinions. This tendency is shown through the grandmother reference to sin, showing that she believes in the hegemonic Christian belief that homosexuality is wrong, a sin, and immoral. Lull’s argument of mass media supporting the status quo is shown through the grandmother disapproval; this disapproval could be construed as the writers of the show and the broadcasting network supporting hegemonic beliefs and maintain power structures that already exist within the hegemonic society.

Judith Mayne also agrees with Lull’s argument that mass media and other forms of organizations support that status quo. Mayne says “representations rely on various forms of cultural understanding. Artists, writers and producers are a part of the very culture that they represent in their works” (Mayne, 162-163). Mayne is explaining that artists, producers, and writers support hegemonic views through the stories they decide to convey to audiences; Audiences that look to them for guidance and direction of how to feel about a particular topic or cultural issue, in this case homosexuality. These writers choose to portray homosexuality as wrong and immoral, showing audiences that they should feel this way too. Another interesting aspect to look at is that the disapproval comes from a grandparent; a figure generally looked to for guidance, wisdom, and situations rulings in our society and culture. This aspect in itself is important to highlight because it shows the importance of authority figures in decision making processes and the importance of their approval in life.

We also see Santana’s actions and explanation dictated by hegemonic norms. Santana says that she feels that she can come out and be herself because her grandmother has taught her to be strong and not care about other people’s opinions; however, by searching for approval from her grandmother she is trying to gain approval from the hegemonic community. Lull argues that “hegemony requires that ideological assertions become self-evident cultural assumptions” (Lull, 34). This offers another explanation for Santana to seek approval from her grandmother, a figure representing hegemonic society and norms. According to Lull, Santana seeks approval because it’s a cultural assumption that heterosexuality is the right path for sexuality; therefore, this assumption leads Santana to seek permission and approval for an alternative path of sexuality.

Lull, James. “Hegemony.” Gender, Race, and Class in Media. Ed. Gail Dines and Jean M. Humez. Editon 3. London: Sage Publications, 2011. 33-36. Print.

Mayne, Judith. “Women, Representation and Culture.” Reading Women’s Lives. ANGEL.

Michael LaPenna

"Television and other products of media culture provide materials out of which we forge our very identifes our sense of selfhood; our notion of what it means to be male or female; our sense of class of us and them"( Kellner) MTV last year produced a show called skins. The show is based on the real life everyday encounters that high school students are forced to face. While going to school each character of the show undergoes certain experiences that teenagers are suppose to face. These experiences include fighting, drug use, partying, stealing, and the big one, exclusion in the social circle. The main character is Tony and he going to be used as my point of emphasis. Tony is the good looking, in shape, and charming jock. Tony throughout the season is seen doing many things that represent the Male, as being cocky, ignorant, and naive. Tony has a girlfriend that is beautiful she has long blonde hair a pretty face and a great body. Typical glamorized high school couple if you asked me. As the season goes on their is an episode where Tony tell his best friend that he can have his girlfriend since he can tell he loves her. Tony begins to have sex with almost the entire town as his girlfriend believes that he is being loyal the entire time. Eventually Tony's girlfriend contracts and STD from him. "Recent times have a fiery generational contest where women are the new professionals health alerts about their sexual behavior"(Harris). Tony who is now talking to other girls gives his best friend the okay to lose his virginity to his ex girlfriend. "Their is a fear for girls as the new risk takers"(Harris). Since Michelle has contracted an STD, this innocent girl can be known as the victim while Tony walks away scott free. Tony represents the typical cheating male who is only interested in himself and the women that come into contact with him. Tony represents the typical cheating Male, as his girlfriend represents the passive victim of a sexually charged relationship. Skins overall shows how dangerous a high-school relationship can be, but at the same time exploiting males for not taking sex seriously. Having sex is suppose to be one of the most important moments in a young man and women's life. However when Tony tells his best friend that he can have sex with his girlfriend michelle, he goes ahead and does it. Why is this problematic? "In media and cultural studies escapism for women and could be understood as reproducing traditional women's roles behaviors and attitudes"(Kellner). When Michelle Tony's girlfriend is being cheated on constantly and mistreated by her boyfriend it brings up many negative events that have happened in the past. Men and Women need to respect themselves especially the Man to the women. The fact that someone is taking the sexual term of virginity and throwing it around so lightly shows me something, that losing your virginity has become a word without meaning. The males and females in this show mainly Tony show how irresponsible teens are in sexualizing themselves. Tony who is very good looking shows younger audiences that it is okay to cheat on your girlfriend, have sex, and mock other for still being a virgin. Skins showed me and the rest of its viewers that if you are not good looking you will not have the opportunity to lose your virginity, unless your good looking friend throws a girl at you for sex! I did not appreciate how Tony represents the ruthless, cheating, and sexualized male that has no feelings for others that respect themselves. It also shows how if your not the good looking guy (sexualized male) with all the right moves than you will ultimately not get the girl. After analyzing Kellner I realized that if we are going to constantly put out media that sexualizes male and females, we are going to revisit the past where males were seen as being the dominating man in the household where they get away with everything.

Through my analyzation of the text of have realized that women are being put on TV to make the male look more dominant. Tony as stated earlier is constantly cheating on his girlfriend, who eventually contracts clymidia. The fact that this was taking so lightly shows me that we are backtracking, and showing less respect towards males and females alone. If men are represented as cheaters, virgins as losers, and women as STD recipients, it will be very hard to change the way people view teens when they are growing up.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=79s4IedJDn0

Works Cited

Kellner, Douglas. "Cultural Studies and Multiculturalism and Media Culture.

Harris, . "The Can-Do Girl and The At Risk Girl."

Jordan Reiley

ENTRY 2- GAY WITCH HUNT: THE OFFICE AND ITS TELEVISUAL REFLECTION OF THE AMERICAN WORKPLACE

The Office is certainly an entertaining and equally hilarious television show. The series, which at point revolved around a seemingly insecure and timid boss, Michael Scott (played by Steve Carrell), is known to persistently drop in on racy themes of gender, race, and sexuality. Based on the messages displayed by the respective series’ episodes, points taken can be either perceived as merely satirical (as intended) or directly relative to some sort of sociological mainstay, in that the points made by ‘Office’ characters (mainly Michael Scott) both minoritizes and scrutinizes groups and individuals. There is no better Office text to touch upon regarding this than of the now-iconic episode “Gay Witch Hunt”, an episode which evidently deploys notions of blatant and absolutely hilarious homophobia and gay hysteria. The episode is surely a gem in regards to the comedy series, but may not be seen equally so by all audience types.

“Gay Witch Hunt”, the season three premiere episode, is focused mainly on character Oscar Hernandez, an accountant within the office. Not openly gay within the workplace, the episode opens to boss Michael Scott calling out a derogatory homophobic epithet aloud within the office, though not directed to anyone in particular. Taken aback by Michael’s language, Oscar reports the incident to “corporate”, the office’s managing firm. Soon enough, Michael finds out Oscar is gay himself. Michael then calls on an office meeting to address homophobia in the workplace, all to end up declaring Oscar’s homosexuality in front of all coworkers, etc. It is with this that Michael brings to light to dozens of exaggerated homophobic slurs and name-calling, all to make point against homophobia within the workplace, a trait that it is evidently backdoor within Michael. The nonsense continues, and the episode concludes with Michael, in attempt to right his wrongs noted by corporate, kissing Oscar right on the lips. Stated by character Oscar, in proclamation and in response to Michael’s actions, "this is the worst, most backwards day of my life.”.

So, there is a good several things inherently wrong/ very right about this episode- and by that is meant that both extremes of “wrongly” absurd humor and political correctness are equally displayed, and respectively. The original conflict in the episode is based on boss Michael’s use of term “faggy” within the office space. This word is really unacceptable for several reasons, but most evidently in that it is simply a derogatory term and one that scrutinizes homosexuality. With saying “faggy”, Michael, though not necessarily a homophobe, shows a good display in discourse for gay persons and immaturity through a juvenile diction. It is probably even worse in Michael’s making up for it, for example, making mention of the following and encouraging others to follow in suit, among others:

- Michael asks himself whether the gay Oscar and presumably gay Angela (fellow office accountant) are having a gay affair

- Michael assembles an office meeting to address homophobia in the workplace (alwhile it is just Michael who have displayed homophobic actions, and in cue with Micahel’s character traits, he exhibits his own anxieties upon others, making it seem as if it is them, not him, whom is the problem. This is a recurring idiosyncrasy of Michael’s, and it is hilarious… he can never put himself at blame for anything.)

- Character Dwight, salesman and loud nerd-type character, calls out for all gay office workers to identify themselves.

- Dwight fashions a gay-detector wand to classify persons by “HOMO”, “BI”, and “HETERO”

- Michael kisses Oscar on the lips to fend ideas by employees that he is a homophobe

Again, though that mentioned above undeniably holds large comedic value to audiences due its simple absurdities, many could find that just as notably offensive. If taken in literal stride, “The Office” is emulating the modern-day workplace as a lair of homophobia and assuming to ideals which do not take up with standard American morals, such as homosexuality. The episode does a good job in displaying the obvious minority status of homosexuality in the workplace and how everyday happenings in such setting chronically minoritizes persons of different sexual tastes (vs. hetero) and etc. The consistent scare of homosexuality in close quarters (such as workplace) indeed encourages an exclusion complex or reinforcement of such (as noted by Dwight’s HOMO-wand, among others), as well as the creation of an official noting of seeming “deviancy” in the workplace and how it should be methodically treated (Michael’s office meeting on homophobia).

Being that “The Office” is written and produced in a documentive, reality-esque setting (IMDb), the weekly show repertoire is designed to reflect the ins and outs the daily work place, not overly exaggerated, but just enough for effect. In this comes the character of Oscar, a homosexual, yet not one that matches the television and cinematic make of how a homosexual should act or behave. As noted by Battles and Hilton-Morrow in text, “Gay Characters in Conventional Spaces…”, on the televisual representation of gays and the effect of it on the cultural perception of all gays,

…the camera comes to a rest on Will and Grace, her sitting on his lap. He tells her, “I am so into those earrings.” Immediately, Will is defined as being different from (more feminine than) his masculine heterosexual college buddies. Will and his roommate eventually meet up at the keg and the audience is again exposed to Will’s more feminine concerns, asking his roommate if his “butt look[s] big in these jeans.” His roommate replies, “Dude, I’m a guy. I don’t know. Just get some pants that fit and leave me alone,” insinuating that Will is not a real “guy.” (Battles, Hilton-Morrow)

The given excerpt notes how television has created a seeming ideology, a guideline which all gay men must adhere to; in the case which a gay man does not follow such protocol, hysteria ensues- and such is noted within this episode.

The Office is certainly an entertaining and equally hilarious television show. Led by Michael Scott, insecure and hesitant ringleader of the office, the series is known to often touch on racy themes of gender, race, and sexuality. Such is made apparent in “Gay Witch Hunt”, making notice of “gay hysteria” in the American workplace and public spaces. Though there is little lesson learned, the episode makes great mockery on how people perceive gay persons, all when to prior knowledge the other was seemingly heterosexual. The episode critically minoritizes character Oscar for his homosexuality, but not to crude avail, simply to display how it really, or probably is (exaggeratedly so), in most American workplaces. As noted in the series’ tagline, “A comedy for anyone whose boss is an idiot.” (IMDb). Such rings true.

Works Cited

Battles, Kathleen, and Wendy Hilton-Morrow. "Gay Characters in Conventional Spaces: Will and Grace and the Situation Comedy Genre." Web. 8 Apr. 2012. .

"The Office." IMDb. IMDb.com. Web. 08 Apr. 2012. .

Clarissa Williamson

Clarissa Williamson

The Client List

During the first episode of The Client List “The Rub of Sugarland” the main character Riley is depicted as the stereotypical southern bell with a husband and a family that is present. As the episode starts sexuality is shown to be the focal point. The scene opens with a white man naked and Riley behind a transparent room divider getting ready. The man asks “are you coming or what?” and then the scene cuts to three weeks earlier where the family is shown celebrating Riley’s husbands birthday with their two children and families from both sides. With this representation of family as an example, the show is displaying a minoritizing discourse of sexuality and gender. The fact that the show is set in the south adds the limitations of relatable elements for a viewer. Riley and her family live in a beautiful home with a remodeled kitchen and upper-middle class neighborhood. The all-American ideal is soon short lived when Kyle, Riley’s husband, opens a gift from Riley and is upset that she bought such an expensive leather jacket. The family has been going through financial struggles with Kyle’s disability checks not covering expenses, which has leads to Riley finding the job at the spa in Sugarland. Riley’s mom Linette, played by Cybill Shepherd, is the definition of a stereotypical. Linette often makes comments to and about Riley that reinforces heterosexual ideologies. An example would be when Riley was upset about finding out that Kyle had left her, Linette mentions that she had been married four times and says “the lord never intended for us girls to be alone”, insinuating that women are meant to be with men. This heterosexual gaze being displayed encompasses the minoritizing discourse that society should be arranged around what works for heterosexuals (i.e., marriage). The minoritizing discourse ideal begins to shift as the show continues. One aspect that does not shift is the focus of heterosexual relationships, both physical and mental.

Riley was introduced to Sugarland by running into her old co-worker, Selena. They both were waiting for their car to be pulled up by valet. Riley mentions that she has been having trouble finding a job and Selena offers to put in a good word with the boss. When Selena’s car arrives Riley is in shock from the hot red two-seated Corvette. Selena says that the tips over at Sugarland were great and that’s how she can afford it. When Riley goes to apply for the job she is immediately hired. Unknown to Riley she was hired based on her looks because Georgia, the owner, is hiring her for a specific client list. During Riley’s first day of work her client, Hank, starts to caress her and she smacks his hand stating “that is off limits.” Hank responds “the girls that don’t give extra don’t do very well here.” This interaction between Riley and Hank signify sexuality as the basis of success within that particular business. Riley confronts Georgia about this interaction and declines to be a part of the “client list.” As the show progresses Riley is still struggling to make the payments on her home so she decided to engage in “extras” for certain clients.

Black representation within the show is small but present. The owner of the seductive spa, Georgia, is played by Loretta Devine and a one of Riley’s co-workers, Kendra, is played by Naturi Naughton. The physical characterization of Georgia is somewhat stereotypical of obese black women, appearing on screen wearing a low cut shirt exposing her cleavage. Although displaying a black individual owning a business definitely shatters primacy of norms within a Texas suburban community. The incorporation of Georgia as the owner displays the show embodying a universalizing discourse of society’s fluidity. Seeing as “representation can function both to reinforce oppressive standards of feminine behavior and to imagine possibilities not typically available to women” The Client List gives a different aspect to why women may use their bodies for their benefit (Mayne, p.163). Mayne states that typically women are represented in popular culture as either “Madonna” (middle-upper class) or whore (poor-working class), being sexual (Mayne, p.162). Riley’s character plays with both sides, adding to the universalizing discourse of the show. Selena, Jolene, and Kendra are Riley’s roommates who also engage in the client list. They all give a little background into their romantic relationships and each person as a different motive. Kendra has a fiancée who doesn’t know about what she does and when asked does he know, she responds “my business, is my business.” Another co-worker tells that her boyfriend knows all about her job and that it gets him excited. The mentioning of different aspects of life creates different avenues for audience relation, placing all forms of sexual expression on a continuum.

Danielle Trumbull

“Ugly Betty” is a show that is filled with examples of minoritizing and universalizing

discourse. The setting is in a fashion magazine workplace where the norm is naturally pretty,

thin, heterosexual and of course those with authority are the people who are most admired.

Betty shows up to her job interview in a sad poncho and braces. She is looked upon with disgust

even when she starts to dress a little better according to their taste. Even when Betty does

receive the job as assistant to Daniel Meade she finds out she was hired for the one purpose

that Daniel will not try to sleep with her as he had with other assistants. It is assumed she will

not be considered sexually attractive. This is the very first episode of Ugly Betty that I will focus

on. It is the episode where we see the most minoritizing of discourse. Marc St. James is another

character who is considered a minority. He is rejected by his mother for being homosexual but

continues to be himself. He does not allow the preferences of others to affect being true to

himself. One of the most prominent minoritized characters is Alexis Meade who used to go by

the name of Alex. She allowed her family to think she was dead and underwent a sex change

surgery to become a woman. While watching this show I have noticed the emphasis on Alexis

Meade’s character. During the first season it served as one of the biggest twists in the storyline

because it is still one of the most unusual things that people have difficulty understanding.

There are also characters in Ugly Betty who play the role of dominance in typical society. Daniel

Meade is the straight man with fame and an outstanding income. He has the impressive job and

is portrayed as a ladies man with scenes showing him with a different girl at least every night.

Wilhelmina is the feminine role of dominance with all of the assets that are admired by society.

She is the role model society sets for women and expects them to live up to. The contrast

between those preferred in society and those that are not is very obvious.

Hegemony can best be defined as dominance in subordination in the field of relations

structured by power. According to Lull’s reading on Hegemony it is not just social power itself,

but also a method for gaining and maintaining power and dominance. Lull also points out that

Hegemony can be fragile, especially from a political standpoint. It can be lost and it must be

earned and given. Groups that wish to change the norm and highlight things that are not

considered the norm may do so through messages delivered in unique but significant ways.

Examples of this are street art, feminist organizations and punk groups.

A lot of the story lines for the episodes of Ugly Betty instill in us that we should be more

accepting of those who are not considered to be the societal norm. During the first episode she

walks into the workplace and is given disgusted looks while she is taunted by Marc St. James and

his accomplice Amanda. She is purposefully portrayed as a disaster in her poncho, frizzy hair and

braces. She is short and not as skinny as the models and employees at Meade Magazine. I think

it is extremely interesting how the portrayal of minoritized characters progresses from this point

on and eventually lands in an area of universalizing discourse. An example of universalizing

discourse in Ugly Betty is when Alexis Meade returns and becomes a significant art of the

company. She in turn becomes responsible for a lot of success that the company comes by

shortly after her return. This shows the audience that she may not be the societal norm but that

meanings can change. Meanings are not fixed but spontaneous. She can be a transgendered

woman and be successful even though she is not considered the norm. The beginning of the

series very strongly minoritizes discourse because it highlights preferences and shows how Betty

is considered “not good enough” compared to Daniel Meade, the fashion designers and the

skinny models. The norm is most definitely at the center of these episodes and renders

meanings predictable with solid categories of exclusion. As the episodes progress and we move

from one season to the next we see changes in meaning. We see Betty become more acceptable

even when she is not at the prime example of what society wants her to be. We see people

accepting those who do not fit in perfectly to the norm such as Alexis Meade and Marc St.

James. Betty especially tends to make sense of her subordination through what she has learned

in her everyday surroundings. She is used to not being considered as pretty as her sister Hilda

and so when she enters the fashion world she is not surprised when they treat her as if she is

not worthy. According to Lull, Hegemony is best produced in everyday activities that we can

relate to. In Betty’s case her everyday activities included her family.

Ugly Betty shows prime examples of universalizing and minoritizing discourse. In the

beginning of the series, Betty is considered undesirable and “not as good” as the rest of the

people she wants to work with or is competing with. This is because the norms are at the center

and there are categories of exclusion that include Betty. As the series progresses we see

different characters come into play that demonstrate universalized discourse. The main

character that we see this with is Alexis Meade. When we see her come into the work place and

take over with a position of authority we see the primacy of norms shattered. A voice is given to

a minoritized subject. The messages that certain groups are able to send to society can

challenge cultural assumption and I think that is one thing Ugly Betty does very well. The show

instills in the audience that watches it, that there is not one fixed, predictable meaning. The

audience is shown that things can change and those who are considered less desirable to society

or outside of the norm do not have to be subordinate. They can be successful and hold positions

of power as well. The transition from minoritizing discourse and universalizing discourse is

extremely evident throughout the series of Ugly Betty.