In episode 11 of New Girl, season one, there are gender stereotypes everywhere. First, it starts off with Nick’s new girlfriend, Julia, helping Jesse get out of a parking ticket. Julia doesn’t accept Jesses’ cupcakes and feels uncomfortable when Jesse tries to give her a blanket and be caring to her. A typical feminine trait. Jesse and her friends automatically assumes this means Julia doesn’t like them and then discusses how girls fight by not being confrontational and saying “little things.” This is another gender stereotype of girls not being able to be decisive and confrontational. Julia says, “if I acted like you at work, no one would listen to me” to Jesse. This shows that if Julia shows emotion at work, since she is a lawyer, no one will take her seriously and will see her as an emotional female. In this conversation you can tell the gender stereotypes of a woman having a big job and being in charge but not being allowed to be emotional and having Jesse’s traits which is “feminine”. Julia also says Jesse should use the “bird defense” as getting out of her ticket. She describes the bird defense as being “emotional and too nurturing”. This shows that Julia was trying to use Jesse’s feminine traits to get out of a ticket because Julia isn’t like that and doesn’t have those feminine traits, breaking stereotypes. Jesse then says to Julia “I hate your pantsuit, I wish it had ribbons on it or something to make it slightly cuter but that doesn’t mean I’m not smart and tough and strong.” This is a perfect example of others seeing a woman as nurturing and caring and not seeing them as strong people too.
Shared by: chloe vandenhouten
Image Credit: New Girl, season one- episode eleven