Doin' it Our Way

Although there certainly was notable change in the portrayal of women on television from the 1960s to 1970s, it is astounding how long it really takes to successfully achieve societal progress in this country. The 1960s television show Green Acres sported a theme song that manifested the idea that dominant male figures in the household make the calls. The wife in the show cooperatively succumbs to the countryside lifestyle of her husband and gives up her dreams of living in the city. Within a matter of only a decade, remarkable progress was made in the portrayal of women and their roles in society on television. In the mid 1970s, the show Laverne and Shirley inspired countless women by challenging the norm that they should depend on men, remain submissive, and shy away from fighting for equality. The catchy lyrics of the Laverne and Shirley theme song go as follows:  “We’re gonna make our dreams come true. Doin’ it our way.” These lines were empowering and showed that any woman should be able to lead her life the way that she desires and no man should dictate the outcomes of decisions she must make. These television shows in the 1970s shed light on issues of gender inequality, such as the wage gap, and encouraged women to take action, but how come so many women are still discriminated against in the workforce or still viewed as gentle, submissive, and emotional in nature nearly 50 years later?

Two shows that aired in the 1970s, The Archie Bunker Show as well as The Mary Tyler Moore Show, brought attention to unequal pay. Each show aired an episode where a lead female character angrily complained about how she was making significantly less money than the man who previously held her job, even though she was convinced that she was just as qualified. When the female character addressed the unfairness of the wage up, the male character was disengaged and ignorant in considering her argument. Although legal action has been taken and this wage gap has been tightened, women are still treated unfairly in the workforce and are often viewed as less qualified than men. For instance, it is still challenging to this day for women to attain jobs in several fields, such as the technology sector, and it is even more difficult for women to earn promotions or become managers. 

Advertisements and television shows are extremely influential broadcasts that people of all ages are exposed to. Imagine watching some of these sexist television shows as a young teenage girl in the mid 1900s and assuming that your fate is to become a housewife and nothing more. This is what young women were exposed to and expected at the time because tending to the house and family was the norm. Today, I am lucky enough to be exposed to tv shows and movies that star powerful, courageous female actresses. The Hunger Games, Hidden Figures, and Stranger Things all have strong female characters that are brave enough to stand up for themselves and what they believe in. This serves as a great example for young girls who are still in the process of figuring out who they are and who they want to be when they grow up. It is safe to say that we have made imperative progress with regard to the way we portray women on television shows; however, we have much more improving to do in fighting for true equality in the real world.