Following Stereotypes

Frank goes on a new medicine for his failing liver. One of the side effects of the medicine is erectile dysfunction, which Frank experiences. To try and figure out if he is experiencing erectile dysfunction he stares at mannequins with lingerie on and says he “feels nothing” It is stereotypical for men to turn to women when they want to experience an erection.

Ian goes missing right before his trial and Fiona, his sister gets worried about him and tells another brother that they need to go look for him. Fiona is extremely worried about Ian, but Lip the other brother says that he doesn’t want to be found and that they should let him alone. Fiona cares about Ian which is a typical thing for a woman to do is care about their family. Lip not caring about what his brother is doing is also stereotypical.

Veronica is talking with a customer at her bar about the times that they are sexually harassed by men every day. They are saying this because the men in the bar have no idea that other men or themselves harass women without even knowing it. Women being sexually harassed is seen more in media than men getting sexually harassed.

Not Following Stereotype

Kevin, the owner of the bar, is trying to make it more women-friendly. His wife Veronica who also owns the bar does not bring up making the bar more open to women. Usually, if a woman owns a bar it would already be open to women, and if it were not that the woman owner would try and make the bar more woman-friendly.

Kelly who is a new character introduced during this episode is the daughter of the head of West Point. She is going to attend West Point when the new semester starts. Women going into the military is not too stereotypical in media, although it is becoming more normalized.

Later on, in the show, Kelly goes to Carl’s house and kisses him. Usually, men make the first move on a woman.

At the end of the show, Fiona and her boyfriend are resolving an argument that they had and the boyfriend starts to sing to her. Usually, men do not sing to women to try and resolve arguments, the argument was also started by Fiona and Fiona’s fault, so he shouldn’t be trying that hard anyway.

Bechdel Test

Fiona and Debbie who are sisters are talking about Debbie coming out as a lesbian and they discuss her girlfriend. This conversation would pass the Bechdel test.

Debbie and her girlfriend Alex are at a diner and they are talking about their relationship. This conversation would also pass the Bechdel test.

When Ian goes missing Debbie and Fiona are talking about finding Ian since they are talking about a guy is does not pass the Bechdel test, but they are not talking about men in a romantic way.

 

Shared by: Meagan Ebertz
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