Female gender cliche in mainstream cartoons: Is it true? Let’s find out. When you think of cartoon programs, do you consider gender? How biased, if at all, are cartoons with gender stereotypes and characteristics?
Some modern cartoons have taken steps to portray more diverse and untraditional characters. Despite this, many fail to break through rigid and harmful gender norms.
In 2020, Pakistani scientist Beenish Zaheen and his colleagues studied twelve cartoon programs. The shows from Nickelodeon, Disney Channel, Cartoon Network, and Pogo, aired in 2017.
The scientists studied this subject out of concern for the youngest generation. How does cartoon program intake affect their idea of society and the people in it? Mostly Females. Their study focused on a theory by George Gerbner, the cultivation analysis theory.
Females gender cliche – Based on a Theory
This theory assumes that television produces an inaccurate worldview. This worldview was then believed to become the reality. This is because people, in this case children, believe it to be so. The researchers wanted to test this theory because they felt there was a newer angle to be had.
They believed that it was a “mediated reality” that people use to understand the world. This isn’t the reality, but as children digest far more television today, it creates a major effect (Beenish Zaheen et. al, 2020, p. 461).
Disney movies have male characters who are “brave, strong, and dominating”. While often busy, they help the female characters and provide protection and support. The female characters are “attractive, fascinating, compassionate, [and submissive]” (Beenish Zaheen et. al, 2020, p. 462).
Boys in Cartoon Network shows are often given more screen time and backstory than girls. Girls will do household labor in scenes, as supportive or background characters. They are rarely if ever in the spotlight. Girls are also delicate and giving as a default, caring for children, baking, and doing acts of service.
Result of the Study – Character Cliche
Conclusively, this study’s results show that girls are mostly not treated equally. They are presented doing household tasks. Women are supporting children, parents, family, and husband or boyfriend (if applicable).
Feminine Showcasing
Girls are shown as feminine; beautiful, charming, polite, and submissive. Cartoons mainly have girls who are very traditional and rarely break this mold. Girl characters are more traditionally feminine and cater to older gender norms.
The boy characters have the most time on screen and are the most diverse in character. Boys had activities centered around themselves, their friends, their interests, and their lives. Girls existed in the background as support and love interest characters for the boys.
Conclusion
Overall it seems cartoons have not evolved as much as we would have liked at this point. They have adopted and are not seemingly ready to let go of the traditional gender norms. Characters are assigned different roles and characteristics based on their gender.
This mold is rarely broken. Cartoons could do better: a more balanced approach in choosing roles for characters. The norm needs to change; it would be exciting to see more cartoons breaking away from tradition.
Females Cliche Works Cited:
Zaheen, B. (2020). TV cartoon programs: An analysis of gender roles and characteristics. Pakistan Social Sciences Review, 4(II), 460–472.
