critical

"To what extent does the representation of women in The Walking Dead challenge traditional gender stereotypes?"

Over the years there have been many traditional roles of women in TV shows. Now that we are living in a modern society some TV shows and some parts of shows still show the traditional roles of women. For example, The walking dead have been showing these roles in since the show first aired in 2010. The walking dead is a TV show that airs every Monday at 9pm on FOX TV. The story is about a zombie apocalypse and is focused on a group of survivors that have to go through many different tasks and situations in order to survive in this post-apocalyptic world. There are traditional male and female roles involved that point towards the way society has not really changed over the past few years and still clings to tradition.

Feminism has a big part to play in the roles that the women have to take over on. Even though it is acting feminists can still say and show what they feel is right about the situations and what is being aired on TV shows. Feminists believe that both women and men should be equal in society. This means women getting paid the same as men, women being allowed to go out and not have to stay at home and be a housewife or have a male take on that role. For example a quote that supports this is “They all have expectations for the way women and men, girls and boys, should dress, behave, and look”. This means that society and has expectations and believe that women and men should act and be a certain way. They want to become more modern and get rid of the traditional roles that have stuck by them for many, many years. Many years ago women weren’t allowed to have a job or go out with friends. They would have to stay at home take care of children, feed the family. This was a role of a traditional housewife.

Over the couple of years the role of a “typical housewife” has changed. For example, “The young woman is a supporter, someone who can stay home and help with household tasks while the men earn income and develop their education.” Women aren’t seen in that way as much as society itself has changed and has gotten used to the fact that women are developing more and more. Women are still showing that traditional stereotype but not as much. For example, in TV show Sarah Connor chronicles, Sarah is shown as a strong young mum who fights off a a female robot which is seen in a sexual way. Feminists don’t want to be seen in that way. They want to be shown as equal women who don’t depend on anyone and work for themselves, who fight and argue without anyone’s help. But why is still hard to show this?

As i said before i am focusing on The walking dead a great TV show that shows that females can handle themselves. This show does show some hints of stereotypes with the women in the show but it also contradicts itself by showing the non traditional side which is the part that should be shown more in TV shows and films.  The women in this show are shown as strong, independent women who are defending themselves everyday from evil people and the zombies that they have to fight. The men are also taking care of themselves. Women aren’t associated with fighting or have anything to do with it. Women normally associate aggressive behaviour with men.  Women in the walking dead aren’t like this and they can handle seeing blood and gore, they can handle getting a few bruises or getting a wound. These are women that other women may see and find inspiring as they may want to be able to not let that tradition define who they are. Michonne is the main girl who shows that she isn’t a typical woman. The way that she dresses is simple and plain-she doesn’t wear dresses or carry handbags as she needs to carry weapons to defend herself. Women don’t carry weapons around with them but because she needs to kill zombies she needs to carry it so that she can survive. Michonne and Carol have to be like this. They have to show that they can survive and that they don’t get upset when someone close by dies because they are used to it now. Normally women would be sensitive and emotional when seeing things like this happen but when put in difficult situations you have to be tough and that’s hard for women as in general they are emotional.

 For example, at one point the women will be fighting and killing then in the next episode they will be caring for children and babies and providing for the friends and family around which means that they would be cooking for everyone. This shows that women can show their traditional stereotypes but it would be good if they showed the other side to it as well so that it shows that women shouldn’t be underestimated by what they do and how they do certain things. It’s good that women can show their natural maternal traits but when they don’t want to be portrayed in that way then it’s hard to show that as many roles are dominated by men. Even men are showing their maternal side in TWD (The walking dead) when they have to care for the children or cook. So, it’s not just women that has to do these things-men can also do it.

This is difficult for people to understand as still to this day they will still not let women do a certain role because “it’s a man’s job” or won’t let women play the strong female character as much in films. This does still happen. Most films nowadays and TV shows do let women be that character but they still have that slightly traditional role of being a sex object and damsel in distress in between. You won’t often see woman play a normal aggressive, masculine role as they think they can’t do it or that it will upset other females because they are shown to that extent. For example, “These women engaged in masculine types of violence (fought against males and strangers most of the time, often used weapons and caused high levels of destruction), yet retained feminine stereotypes due to their submissive role and romantic involvement with the dominant male hero character.” This shows that women will still have to show their feminine side. For example, they could be killing someone but be seen as a sex object or be a sidekick for a male actor etc. The roles that women have will always stick on them.

Some females are still traditional themselves they believe that they should be housewives or only stay in the kitchen and be known for it. For example when women are being shown in a tough way they will still sometimes be in the background, rather than the limelight. For example they will have a strong male character then a sidekick which would normally be a woman and this happens in TV and in films. “Despite an increase in tough and even violent female characters in American films, women continue to be shown as sidekicks to more dominant male heroes and they are also frequently involved in a romantic relationship with them. This shows that women still don’t get the main part they would like to play and be stuck with the part that still portrays them as weak and sensitive females.

When women are being shown in this way then its harder for people to process that times have changed and women can be aggressive and rude or be violent just like men can be. Women should be allowed to play the roles that a man can. Why can’t they? Because there not supposed to? It’s not a good thing for this to keep happening as i said times have changed and they should be able to do whatever role they want and feel comfortable with. For example, “You can have many different types of women like aggressive, sad, happy, seductive; manipulative etc-but a majority of them aren’t what they used to be or what they are “supposed” to be like 30 years ago or less.” This is true as many women can be like this and do think like this.

Sarah Connor is a good representation of what women can do what they want, when they and how they want and they can show this in the TV industry. Sarah Connor is a well-known TV show that is part of The terminator played by Arnold Schwarzenegger. You can see that they changed the role to women as they thought that women would be right to play this role-and they were. This show was successful and it showed other women how many women can be or do. For example, the way Sarah fought or knew how to do certain things was empowering to some women. Sarah did show and spark many problems as many people didn’t believe that women should condone violence etc. The other character that was played by a woman who was the robot was not an enemy but a friend and she was shown as a sex object due to the revealing and tight clothes that she was wearing and the way that she represented herself. Even though, she was a good actor and was supposed to be seen in an aggressive way she wasn’t as many people couldn’t see pass the sexual object phase that she had. Feminists believe that women shouldn’t be seen as sexual objects and e seen as equals and be seen in good ways.   

However, in TV show Desperate housewives Bree Van De Kamp is shown as a sexual object and is a feisty character. She is known for getting her way through poising people, being aggressive towards male characters etc. Even though this isn’t a TV show that relates to action packed programmes like TWD and Sarah Connor chronicles, it still makes sense to use it as it’s something that supports my question that females are showing that they can be non-traditional and do what they want. Bree has been a character that has shown her funny side and serious side-meaning that if something went wrong she would make sure that she fixed the problem with killing or hurting them.  Michonne, Sarah and Bree all have something in common and that’s that they are women and that they share traits that aren’t a traditional role that women take one. You don’t see women fighting in road or women killing other people as much because its not in their nature. But now that society are allowing films and TV shows to allow for people to watch what they can do-opens the frame of mind that women can be like this and that they should feel underestimated in what they do. For example, if a women was a playing a role of a cheerleader and she needs to act unintelligent-a lot of people are going to think that because she isn’t smart she can’t do anything. Which isn’t true.

In conclusion, The walking Dead has challenged the traditional stereotypes by the way that the females have to act in order for their role to be good. The walking dead women do sometimes show their sensitive side but because of the role that they are playing they need to stay fit and healthy and fight a majority of the time and be strong minded. Women are seen as not strong minded, sensitive and sex objects. TWD doesn’t show these things. If women are seen as a sex object in TWD its not by the way she dresses or how she walks its how they are and what they act like. You don’t need to be women to cook, clean and look after kids. Men can do the same and the walking dead does show that. Many TV shows and films need to show women in the best of their ability of what they can do and not keep them in the same role that they are used to-this could be a damsel in distress or a sidekick etc. Women have a lot more to show than the role that get given and this shown in The Walking Dead.