This time, instead of a character week, I’m devoting a week to dissecting Glee’s less-than-stellar representation of gender dynamics and the issues that arise from them. I won’t lie, most of these issues have to do with the portrayal of the female characters and the misinterpretation of feminism for the screen - however, the stereotypical gender dynamics that Glee relies on also have damaging implications to the male characters as well.
This piece is not meant to be a diatribe against the male characters, or a week’s worth of whining about the injustices given to female characters. This piece is not meant to condemn the men or sanctify the women. Because that’s not the point of gender studies in the media. The idea is equal representation, across gender lines, free of stereotype when these characters are actually wielded in earnest.
Unfortunately, Glee has been remiss on many occasion in their portrayal of gender dynamics. Because of the show’s consistency issues, however, it can be difficult to draw absolute conclusions about these scenarios, and so there may be several arguments to combat these ideas based on viewer interpretation. For me, though, there is enough evidence both in frequency and pattern to make a substantial case for Glee’s thorny treatment of gender issues. I will be presenting this evidence in both what it suggests, with specific examples. The examples may not be enough for you, and that's okay. Or, you may have interpreted the text differently, and that’s okay too.
This piece is not meant to be a diatribe against the male characters, or a week’s worth of whining about the injustices given to female characters. This piece is not meant to condemn the men or sanctify the women. Because that’s not the point of gender studies in the media. The idea is equal representation, across gender lines, free of stereotype when these characters are actually wielded in earnest.
Unfortunately, Glee has been remiss on many occasion in their portrayal of gender dynamics. Because of the show’s consistency issues, however, it can be difficult to draw absolute conclusions about these scenarios, and so there may be several arguments to combat these ideas based on viewer interpretation. For me, though, there is enough evidence both in frequency and pattern to make a substantial case for Glee’s thorny treatment of gender issues. I will be presenting this evidence in both what it suggests, with specific examples. The examples may not be enough for you, and that's okay. Or, you may have interpreted the text differently, and that’s okay too.
That being said, the majority of this exploration will examine narrative construction and the choices made for male characters vs. female characters, and what those decisions mean. Narrative choice will not always be accepted at face value, rather inspected for its merit as a storytelling decision and the implications it brings under the lens of gender dynamics.
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MASTER POST: THE KICKOFF
PART ONE: MASCULINITY, MCKINLEY, AND GLEE
PART TWO: POWER, VILLAINY, AND CONSEQUENCE
PART THREE: EMPOWERMENT AND NARRATIVE CHOICE
PART FOUR: FEMINISM AND PRESENCE OF CHARACTER
PART FIVE: GENDER AND SEX (1 of 2)
PART FIVE: GENDER AND SEX (2 of 2)
PART SIX: FEMALE RELATIONSHIPS
CONCLUSION: THE WRAP-UP
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