Central Michigan University Gender Analysis Essay

Watch the presentation from the groups who watched a different show than yours for their analysis. Give feedback to these teams. What did they see in the show that surprised you? Are there any additional theories or principals you could have applied? A LOOK BACK ON…
Gather Zoey Johnson’s
deepest secrets… more
inside!
Do Pops and Grandma REALLY
believe in gender roles? Find out
more on pages 7-8
Get your business popping
with America’s favorite
parents! pg 2 -3
Learn how opposite twins, Jack
and Diane, survived their childhood
together on page 6
A LOOK BACK ON….
black-ish
table of contents
2
Building Business as a Black Father
A Guide by Dre Johnson
3
Girlbossing Motherhood as a Doctor
A How-To by Dr. Rainbow Johnson
4
A Day in the Life with Zoey Johnson
Everyone’s favorite icon talks how to be
an IT girl
From Zero to Hero
How Andre Johnson Junior went from Nerd
to HUNK in just a few seasons
Double Trouble: How Opposites Survived Twinhood
A Closer Look with Jack and Diane Johnson
5
6
7
A Old School Guide to being a Man
8 Earl Johnson’s Favorite Tips
How to (ACTUALLY) be a Strong, Working Mother
A Step by Step Recipe by Ruby Johnson
Manhood
9
to Conquer
Taking Sexism in the Workplace to a Brand New Level
An Interview with the staff of Stevens
and Lido
10
Coming Out in a Religious Family
A Open Letter to Ruby Johnson by Rhonda
Johnson
BUILDING BUSINESS
AS A BLACK FATHER
If you’re looking for a father that
takes pride in being one & providing
for his family, then you found the
right guy in Dre Johnson, THAT’S ME!
Nothing makes me prouder than being able to move my
family into a decent neighborhood and being the Senior Vice
President of the Urban Division at my company, Stevens
and Lido. Name another brother that can make big business
moves all while rocking fresh swag like me; Have y’all peeped
my shoe collection?
Being the man of the house represents how I make business at Stevens
and Lido happen. Just like what I said in S3 Ep4, in the animal kingdom,
fathers are the alpha male and sons are the beta male. You think
Imma just let my son, who at first wanted to play field hockey (yes field
hockey!), just dunk on & assault me and my manhood like that? Taking
charge in business as an alpha is how you make deals happen and
become successful.
My sons may crack on me for still allowing a lady to go first but
that’s just called being a Gentleman folks. Treating women right in
business, whether they’re coworkers or business partners, helps you
be even more successful. Fellas, if you still believe in the good old
ways of treating a women right, just follow the advice I mentioned
in S6 E3: For men, feminism is simple if you remember these three
things:
Women are the same as men, never look at their cleavage, and
never ask her if she’s pregnant.
A problem I had with Rainbow early on in the first
season was dealing with the intersectionality of
gendered communication and issues. She thought she
was just gonna have the sex talk with my son without
even consulting me? Nah, I can’t have that. I firmly
believe that a father is the one who is responsible
for having that conversation with their son while the
mother is likewise responsible for having the talk with
the daughter. It only makes sense for it to be that
way. Being able to see issues with and without gender
allows us to be the best buisnesspeople.
2
3
The life of a doctor and mother is rough. From saving lives on a daily basis to being a cool
mom to five amazing kids, it’s often hard balancing both. In this how-to guide, I will tell you my
tip and tricks on how to be amazing at both.
The first step is to believe in yourself.
One of the first things you have to remember
is that you are amazing, confident, and
capable. Whenever I feel low I just tell myself,
“Hey Bow, you’re a doctor, and guess what?
You’re killing it,” and I immediately feel better.
I earned my degree and made a name for
myself.
As a mother, I know that I am not only a
capable mother but a role model as well. I do
my best and I’m always there to support them
emotionally. I know that I can not only provide
for them as a mother but that I can offer advice
and care when they need a friend.
As a woman, it’s so important to remember
that you are allowed to be confident and proud
of yourself. While others may view you as vain,
you have to remember that you have fought
for your right to stand before others as a strong
woman.
Connect with your kids
As a doctor, I know how
important it is to take care
of your kids. If a child doesn’t
receive love and affection,
they could become a criminal
or worse a squatter with no
dreams. Thankfully, Dre and I
have mastered how to connect
with our children and have 5
amazing kids to show for it.
Take for example my
wonderful relationship
with my son, Junior. As he
was growing up, we would
often go on trips together
especially if he was feeling
sad or needed to get away
from things. While Junior is all grown up
now, it is important to still form those strong
relationships with your children and realize that
while independent they can still depend on you.
Have a Support System
Being a doctor and a mother is EXHAUSTING.
It is vital that you have a support system when
you’re feeling low. After the birth of Devante,
I suffered from postpartum and without Dre, I
wouldn’t have been able to bring myself back
up. I think that it is important to find people who
will help you and motivate you to do better.
My husband and I are a team and while
I may be the brains of the operation, he is
always there to be the shoulder to lean on
whenever I need it. We laugh together, go on
dates, and have fun bantering with eachother
and sometimes that’s all I need. Dre is my
pillar much like I am his and it is through our
beautiful relationship that I am able
to give the best of myself to my
profession and family.
The last step it to….. GO FOR IT!
Living as a female doctor
has many drawbacks; systemic
gender bias and misogyny is
something that I always have
to deal with. I’m often the butt
of a joke within my field, yet I don’t
let that deter me. I think it
is important to realize that
there will always be people
waiting for you to fail and you
have to look them in the eye
and reach higher. If you are
to leave with one thing while
reading this article is to always
GO FOR IT!
Girlbossing Motherhood as A Doctor
with Doctor Rainbow Johnson
A day in the life with…
ZOEY JOHNSON
Are you
wondering what it looks like to be living
like Zoey Johnson?
Well, being the “perfect” firstborn is not an easy task. Zoey is
confident, assertive, and can be a bit stubborn.
Season 1 Episode 3: “I’m cool, plus I’m Black, which is cool, so I win twice.” Zoey
will typically start her day by putting on a flowery print or patterned outfit. She
will go about her day with determination and especially getting out of things.
When Zoey doesn’t follow her parents’ directions she doesn’t believe
there will be consequences since she will always be seen
as “daddy’s little girl.”
Now, let’s
get to know Zoey a little more:
Zoey is highly feminine when we look at Sandra Bem’s Scale of
Masculine and Feminine Identification. She is a proud Black female
and is not afraid to show it. She has a tendency to step up, oftentimes
without being asked, since she is the eldest in the family. Zoey is also
extremely independent, sometimes this shows her extremities
with falling into systemic gender bias.
How to
become everyone’s favorite “IT” girl:
First, like Zoey showed us in Season 1, Episode 21, IT girls NEVER take
no for an answer. When Zoey is grounded and her parents stand firm on not
letting her leave the house. She is able to join forces with her mother who wants to
be her best friend and convince her dad to bend the rules so she can go out. Again
in Season 2, Episode 15, Zoey gets a new car and when her dad tries to make
crazy rules before she can drive it she simply takes it without asking.
Remember, become the favorite daughter and you can
get away with ANYTHING.
Remember,
IT girls give life HACKS. In Season
1, Episode 5, Zoey is quick to teach Jack to use his
cuteness to get out of trouble and avoid being spanked. In this
same episode, Zoey immediately believes girls don’t get spanked,
luckily even when her dad disagrees she still gets out of it.
Stay tuned for more exclusive, insider information on Zoey
Johnson’s journey of growing character development in:
A look back on Grown-ish: Releasing in Fall
2023.
4
ZERO TO HERO
HOW ANDRE JOHNSON JUNIOR WENT FROM NERD TO
HUNK IN JUST A FEW SEASONS
Andre Johnson Jr. comes from humble beginnings as a man with many
talents and attributes that the rest of his family can’t understand or relate to.
Ranging from Wizard to Dothraki warrior, Junior has had a nerdy persona from
the beginning. He was the family’s black sheep and was constantly targeted with
jokes and pokes at his personality as well as his appearance, as he had yet to
grow into some of his features at the beginning of the series. However, he never
buckled and mostly always stayed true to himself. Junior’s innate ability to always
lighten the mood or give family members inspiration were incredibly important
aspects to his personality. There were times where he strayed from the family’s
wishes, like becoming a Republican because of a crush or buckling in fear after
a night terror and ending up in Diane’s room, but as the seasons
continued, he continued to grow. Junior decided to put his vast
amounts of knowledge to work showing impressive day trading
skills starting a business with his younger brother, Jack, learning
and understanding government and law while running for
school president, becoming more environmentally conscious
as California goes into a drought while urging the family to
become more water conservative, and even diving into
a deeper understanding of how schools in America
are even more segregated than they were in 1968.
Junior uses all these things he learns to become a
more responsible and respectable person. Entering
a long term relationship with Olivia allowed him to
grow even more through trying to move out to live
on his own, ending up in his car for a while but still
trying to find his way despite the toxic masculinity
hurled at him through every angle through his
young years. Going from his quirky beginnings
to independence, healthy relationships and big
responsibilities, while also being his mothers
emergency contact and favorite child. There’s
nothing more “zero to hero” than that.
5
DOUBLE TROUBLE:
How Opposites Survived Twinhood
If you’re looking for two funny, happy, positive, smart kids Jack and Diane are the
ones to go to. They are both talented but Diane thinks she has all the answers for every
situation that goes on in the household. Although she is older than Jack, she likes
to think she is smarter than him. Jack, on the other hand, is very sensitive towards
everything that he is caught up in. Jack has a mind of his own where he always needs
confirmation from others on how to deal with his own life. But, as he gets older, he
realizes that he is his own man.
My name is Diane and I have had to live with my dumb dumb of a twin my entire life.
Throughout all of the seasons, it is clear to see that even though we were twins and have
shared the same upbringing, we have had many different experiences based on the fact
that we are different genders. For example, Jack gets whupped but I don’t just because
I am a girl. My sister Zoey and I feel like we are protected from things like this but our
grandfather always finds a way to put us in check. You can also say that I’m a daddy’s
girl. You can even see it when my dad is talking to me in Season 1 and he offers me
candy, money, and ice cream but my brother has a much more intense interrogation
from my dad. In Season 2, Jack and I joined the Girl Rovers and Boy Rovers. I felt like
this was sexist because Girl Rovers had to do stereotypical women stuff like babysitting
while the boys got to get their hands dirty and do things like carve wood. This was
unfair to me because just because I am a girl does not mean I am not strong enough or
capable of doing things that Jack can do. Jack was even terrified on Halloween while
we were out purging and I wasn’t scared at all. You can say that roles were reversed
on that. My dad is a little biased when it comes to Jack and
I too. We’re grown up now and he freaked out about me
kissing a boy but when Jack kissed a girl, he was proud
of him. This just goes to show that we are not treated
completely the same just because of our different genders.
I am no feminist but I am well aware of the fact that I
am a strong and intelligent girl and probably
better than any boy. That could also be
my know it all tendencies coming through
though. Overall, we’ve had our ups and
downs throughout growing up together,
especially being as different as we are.
But there’s no one else I would have
rather grown up with other than Jack.
6
How to (Actually) be a
Strong, Working Mother
with Ruby Johnson
Grandma Ruby stands firm in her beliefs. Ruby is an “old soul” through and through.
Grandma Ruby is arrogant, sometimes selfish, but extremely religious. She is hesitant
to change her ways of thinking as the world and people around her constantly change.
Grandma Ruby has a deep love for family even if her ways of showing this aren’t the
best.
If it were up to Grandma Ruby, all women would be a conservative, sometimes racist,
sometimes homophobic worshipper of the Old Testament. Grandma Ruby believes to be
a strong mother, you need to treat the relationships with your kids and husband like a
rubber band and not a tightrope. Grandma Ruby’s rubberband approach to parenting
involves giving your kids space to experience things on their own but not giving too much
space before the rubber band breaks and pops. The rubberband approach relies on the
belief that even when you give your children space and room to grow, they will eventually
come back to you, the parent.
To Ruby, cooking is an essential part of motherhood so if you want to be a mom like
Ruby your cooking skills better be up to par. To her, cooking is her main connection to
the kids, and she believes this is how it should be. She describes a lot of experiences as
“back in my day” showing that she thinks things should
remain as they always have and that things should be
traditional.
As a mother and grandmother, Ruby wants things
to be as they always have, she has little to no room
for modern day thinking and growth. To be a mother
like Ruby requires that you must be both strong and
protective, but Grandma Ruby takes this to a whole
new level.
Grandma Ruby teaches her lessons about
motherhood sometimes harshly, but her
love is like no other. To Grandma Ruby,
being a strong mother is ultimately a
fulfilling journey because it teaches
a lot of lessons, and you can always
count on the love of your kids. Being
like Grandma Ruby is a tough job but
no one can deny the love she has for her
family.
7
GUIDE TO BEING A MAN
EARL’S OLD SCHOOL
My name is Earl Johnson but my family calls me Pops. My son Dre
may take pride in his “swag” shoe collection and living in a nice suburban
neighborhood but I always make sure to offer my opinion on family issues
because sometimes the way Dre is raising my grandchildren just isn’t it. The
old ways are often the best ways to do things. I don’t know what’s up with the
younger generation but let me tell you a little bit about my guide on how to be
an old school man and life lessons I think are important to know.
Teach your grandkids how to be wise
One time while in the museum with Jack and Diane, they were a little
confused what an old man like me would be doing in the museum. You
see, once an old black man has a few grey hairs on his head white people
automatically assume you’re wise. That alone inadvertently proves I am
wise. Teaching your grandkids future skills they can utilize will make them
wise. They watched me go up to an old man and talk about a painting and it
showed them how people’s minds worked. In my opinion, a lesson learned.
Make sure your grandchild knows how to be proper.
Now let me tell you. I’ll be a fool if my kids ever walked up to someone they
first met and didn’t shake their hand. I still remember when Diane brought
home that no good boy Bradley or Bradlay whatever his name was and he
didn’t shake my hand. My grandkids know better that this old school man
loves respect and my grandkids will be expected to show that same respect
so they don’t leave a bad impression like Bradley did. Rule number one: hats
off when entering a house. Rule number two: always stand up and shake
hands while meeting someone. Rule number three: always say thank you
and yes ma’am or no ma’am when in a house. Lastly, rule
number four: always say thank you for having me over.
Children should be hit for discipline.
Now, I know I said this earlier but I still don’t
understand this new generation. When my son Dre was
growing up, I remember he came from college thinking
that he was safe. He was running his mouth and I still
spanked him. Spanking kids is the best way to get them
to listen. Otherwise, they’ll just walk all over you
thinking they can do whatever they want. When
I was talking with my grandchildren, Junior
thought he was safe because he was in the
ninth grade. I remember I said, “What
does age have to do with anything”.
Then Zoey got involved trying to
say she’s fine because she’s a girl.
What’s up with these kids? They
have no respect. Here’s my best advice:
a whoopin don’t care what age or gender
you are. ”An ass is an ass is an ass is a
ass.”
8
STEVENS & LIDO
STAFF
Taking sexism in the workplace to a whole new level
Interviewer (I): Today we’re taking a look back on Blackish and how the team at Stevens and Lido gave Dre
Johnson some truly terrible advice throughout the years.
We’re here with Leslie Stevens, Charlie Telphy, and Josh
Oppenhol. Welcome gents!
Charlie Telphy (CT): Thank you thank you… so where are
the complementary stacks of cash I was promised?
Josh Oppenhol (JO): I’m just really glad to be here.
Leslie Stevens (LS): Thank you… are you sure you’re
qualified to interview us… you know as a woman?
I: Yes Leslie, I’m qualified to be here. We’re going to start
off early on in Black-ish with something I’m sure you all
remember well. Dre steps up to give Bow a week off from
her parental duties and he gets praise from people in
all areas of his life for being a “superstar dad”, for doing
the bare minimum. One of Dre’s female co-workers was
admonished for being late to work due to dealing with
her children seconds after Dre is also late to work due
to dealing with his children and he received praise for it.
Thoughts?
LS: Well, Dre was just doing his best as a Black father. You
know how hard they have it… Women are meant to be
caretakers; they’re lucky we let them even come into the
office at all. They should be on time if not early to make up
for our generosity.
CT: Dre was doing what he had to. If I had kids, I would
do the same.
JO: Charlie, you do have a kid. What about Eustace?
CT: EUSTACE! Damn that boy.
I: Moving on… Later on, Dre failed to get a vasectomy
when he told Bow he did. We also see Dre go to you all
for help. What do you guys remember about this?
LS: It’s a man’s right to want to procreate. So what if
we didn’t want to listen to a woman’s wishes?
I: Let’s bring up another instance that’s memorable in
the eyes of the public… when it’s spoken about at Dre’s
job, Stevens made comments about “manning up”
when referring to a guy losing his virginity, and refers
to it as “giving it away” when Lucy tries to speak about
her first time having sex. How do you guys feel about
that instance?
JO: I remember my first time fondly…
LS: Josh, no one wants to hear about your flowery
experience. Men don’t talk about sex like that. I don’t
know what the matter is with either of you. It’s an
accomplishment for a man and that’s that.
I: Okay… that seems like a good stopping point.
Stevens, I genuinely don’t understand how you still
have a job. Thank you all for your time.
9
Dear Ruby,
Growing up, I felt as though I had to be someone else to be worthy of love. I had to hide who I
was to be worthy of your love, to be worthy of God’s love. As I grew into the strong, independent,
capable, gay black woman that I am today, I feel as though I have had to do this inspite of you. My
intention with my life was never to hurt you but I realized that while you may never accept me, I
couldn’t be happy hiding my truest-self.
I wish I had come to this conclusion sooner, but as we both know it took Dre outing me
to realize it was for the best. Though I am not really sure if you could call that “outing” me
considering I am sure you knew the truth before this. Had no one ever said anything, I am certain
you would have never addressed it, prayed that it wasn’t true and chosen to turn a blind eye to
who I am.
While it would have been nice to have your support, I am so thankful to Pops and Dre for the
relationships that we have built. In a heteronormative world, I had to face challenges that neither
you, nor Pops, nor Dre could relate to. Unconditional love and reassurance is all any child asks of
their family. If you had offered that to me, it could have made my journey a thousand times easier.
Instead, I felt as though your love was very conditional, and I didn’t meet those qualifications.
The bond I have with Pops has really helped me in my darkest times. However strong and
independent I am, the love and support from a parent means the world and then some for
someone navigating a life with many challenges. Dre and I weren’t always super close growing up,
but in recent years I am so thankful for the effort that he has put in to show how much he cares
for me. I am grateful to Bow and the kids as well for making me an aunt and showing me what it is
like to be a part of a healthy, happy, and loving family.
This is one of the reasons I decided to have a child of my own. I will give my child unconditional
love and support throughout their life. They will never question if who they are and who they love
is enough. I will give them everything you didn’t give me.
Growing up in a religious family, I could see how religion
brought people hope and purpose. From a young age, I
struggled with Christianity because of the way the church
regards gay people. Your homophobic rhetoric only
cemented my feelings on religon. I could never find my place
in a church that didn’t accept me and I could never find my
place as your daughter, when you never truly accepted me.
I am writing to you not to cut ties, but to share with you
the feelings I never got to openly express. I hope one day we
can have a face to face conversation about this.
With love,
Rhonda
COMING OUT IN A RELIGIOUS
FAMILY
An Open Letter to My Mom, Ruby Johnson
10
A Thank You to our
Contributors
2
Building Business as a Black Father
contribution by Devon Kennedy
3
Girlbossing Motherhood as a Doctor
contribution by Nathaly Rayo
4
A Day in the Life with Zoey Johnson
contribution by Nicole Cardoso
5
From Zero to Hero
contribution by Amaran Subramanian
6
Double Trouble: How Opposites Survived Twinhood
contribution by Dionte Marks
7
How to (ACTUALLY) be a Strong, Working Mother
contribution by Dylan Critton
8
A Old School Guide to being a Man
contribution by Haley Jorgenson
9
Taking Sexism in the Workplace to a Brand New Level
contribution by Erin Wentley
10
Coming Out in a Religious Family
contribution by Caroline Daniels
11
Succession Final Streaming Project
All members equally participated in completing this project:
Overview
Julia O’Sullivan
Systemic Gender Bias
Nina Kaderabek
Daniela Palacios-Herrera
Five Facets of Intimacy
Julia O’Sullivan
Ashlyn Brunner
Power Struggle
Kellen Stephenson
Jessica Arends
Halen Soloman
Toxic Masculinity
Alanis Lim
Bronson Reano
Seasons Watched (6,16,20,27,28,41):
Major Themes:
●
●
●
●
●
Feminine and Anti-Feminine
Behavior
Masculinity and Masculine
Oppression
Religious Impact on Gendered
Perspectives
Intersectionality of Gendered
Communication and Issues
Romantic Identification
Feminist and Anti-Feminist Behavior
Our tribe has voted on three seasons displaying this behavior the most:
Season 6 The Tribe Has Spoken
●
Feminist and Anti-Feminist Behavior:
○
○
●
●
●
Feminist Behavior:
■
Any behavior or attitude that
recognizes and works to
change a masculine-dominant
society
Anti-Feminist Behavior:
■
The opposite of feminist
behavior in that there is no
effort to change a
masculine-dominant society
Women display anti-feminist behavior
The idea that women are weaker
than the men is shared between both
tribes
Women however have better
communication between each other
Nominees For Most Toxic Masculinity
Toxic masculinity is the idea that “manliness” perpetuates cultural pressures for
men to behave in a certain way. Our top three seasons are 16, 28 and 41.
Season 16, 28, & 41 The Tribe Has Spoken
Season 16: Erik was upset with Amanda for hiding her idol, called her sneaky, when he did the
same thing and was fine.
Season 41: Abraham tried to vote off Tiffany for being the ‘weakest’, simply based off of her
appearance and her age, she made it to the final 4 and he got voted off early.
Season 28: Spencer: “Kass will fly in the face of strategy just because of how she feels. She’ll go
basically wherever her estrogen takes her, not where her brain takes her.”
Spencer in this season also has many other offenses for season 28, such as
– Spencer used the image of women sitting in the water together, lounging and giving
directions to the men, to make Tony paranoid about a women’s alliance.
– Calling Trish a skeleton to her face and behind her back because of how skinny she was.
Religious Impact on Gendered Perspectives
Our tribe nominates JoAnna and Krystie from season 6 for allowing religion to get
in the way of cooperation within the tribe.
Gender and Religion
●
●
●
●
Group of women find the idol, and Krystie tells the group that she cannot
touch the idol because it goes against her religious beliefs.
Krystie believes the idol is related to the Devil.
After she says this, the awkwardness between the group quickly escalated, as
they are confused by why she believes this.
Further, an argument breaks out and creates a divide within the women.
Krystie
JoAnna
Intersectionality of Gendered Communication and Issues
●
●
●
An example of Intersectionality of gendered communication becomes
prevalent in the first few episodes of Season 16: Micronesia, when Kathy
confronts Chet, a member of the tribe who identifies as homosexual. In this
exchange she seems to be almost amazed and claims she “has never been
friends with a gay person before”.
From watching season after season it is apparent other players as well as
those in the LGBTQ community are very supportive and give everyone a fair
shot when playing for the million dollars.
With season 41 being at the forefront of seasons to address how
intersectionality is a factor in the show and how the players would like to
continue playing the game. Most notably by changing Jeff’s iconic phrase,
“Come on in guys”.
Romantic Identification
●
Romantic Orientation/ Identification – Describes an individual’s pattern
of romantic attraction based on a person’s gender(s) regardless of
one’s sexual orientation. For individuals who experience sexual
attraction, their sexual orientation and romantic orientation are often in
alignment (i.e. they experience sexual attraction toward individuals of
the same gender(s) as the individuals they are interested in forming
romantic relationships with).
Romantic Identification
●
After Colton previously competed
in Survivor One World he came
back for redemption in season
27 but soon quit when the going
got tough. However before his
demise from the game he was
very open and at one point broke
down in tears when explaining
how rough his life had been
being gay and coming from a
small country town.
●
Season 16: Micronesia also
showed viewers Natalie Bolton
who used her looks to convince
Erik to give up his immunity to
her. At the final tribal council
she became famous for asking
Parvati how her flirtatious
strategy translates to the
bedroom and admitting Parvati
had flirted with her during the
show.
Reflection
Throughout the American Survivor series there are some common themes seen in each season that allow us
as the audience to summarize the role that gender plays in the production of the show. Beginning with
season six, the idea of pinning men vs. women in competitions is a commonality in the show from a very
early stage, and progresses all the way into the more current seasons where we observe female participants
teaming up and male participants doing the same in order to essentially eliminate the opposing gender from
the game. This could be caused because of the stereotype created from earlier games in which men and
women were competing in challenges as a divided gender group, which later led to the current contestants
seeing this as a necessity to win the game. The show also showcases multiple instances of toxic masculinity,
sexualization, and gender bias which often assist in leading to a male v. female based game.
References
●
Amy Morin, L. C. S. W. (2020, November 26). What is toxic masculinity? Verywell Mind. Retrieved April 20, 2022,
from
https://www.verywellmind.com/what-is-toxic-masculinity-5075107#:~:text=Toxic%20masculinity%20involves%20cultu
ral%20pressures,domination%2C%20homophobia%2C%20and%20aggression.
●
https://www.forbes.com/sites/kathycaprino/2017/03/08/what-is-feminism-and-why-do-so-many-women-and-men-hate
-it/?sh=62ef4867e8e6
Thank You!
#MeToo
&
Poetry
Streaming Research
Project
Alexa Koenig | Alejandra Nation Amor | Maria Rocha | Gabriele Young
The Morning Show
Major Themes
–
Gendered Violence
Romantic Identification
Feminism
Toxic Masculinity
Intersectionality
Illustration by Yonatan Popper
Please look for the speaker icon for audio clips.
Let’s Get Started!
The show kicks off with a
breaking news report on an
investigation into multiple
complaints of Kessler’s sexual
misconduct, eventually leading
to his termination.
Our Bad Guys:
– Toxic Masculinity
●
●
Mitch Kessler: Offender
Fred Micklen: Enabler
Gendered violence
●
●
Ashley Brown: Verbal
Hannah Schoenfeld:
Direct/Physical
LIVE!
Breaking News!!
Mitch Kessler is fired for sexual misconduct!!
Fierce & Feminist
Season 1
Bradley Jackson:The Change TMS needed
The Unification of Bradley & Alex
– Never afraid to speak out for change
– First broadcast: Speaks out about her
abortion entering a controversy
-After opposing eachother all season
the two unite to expose the networks
sexual misconduct on live TV
-Raises support from women with the “My
body, My choice” walk outs by
Highschool students: 4th wave Feminism
-Marks an end to Alex’s complicity in
cover up culture & shows the power of
women when they speak out
Fierce & Feminist
Women in the Workplace
Stella – President of
Entertainment
Mia – Producer of
the Morning Show
Season 2
Feminist
Icon
After exposing the network she worked
for, Alex is now regarded as a feminist
icon. People look up to her as an example
of speaking against male oppression and
sexual assult/harassment.
Our king Daniel is the
first gay man to be on
TMS. He identifies
himself with pride
throughout both
seasons and often
times uses his sexuality
as a way to value his
“it” factor.
Badass Laura Peterson was
outed while being the
anchor of TMS many years
ago. After being outed she
was no longer able to lead
the news. She acts as a
guide/gf to Bradley as she
goes through similar
circumstances.
Our poor baby Bradley..
Bradley goes through a
huge identity crisis as she
hooks up with Laura. She
doesn’t truly stick to a label
and hits road bumps in her
coming out journey. She
was also outed in the
news.At least she’s got a
badass gf now!
Cory.. Cory.. Cory.. At first
he’s an ally. He even supports
Laura with a witty comment
of “Laura Peterson putting the
L in LGBT.” We loved this
Cory and he still does support
his rainbow peeps on the
show. Yet, he outed Bradley
for media gain soo we are
mad at him. He still identifies
as an ally tho..
Mitch speaks
over women
Toxic Masculinity
Fred
covers up by
promoting
women
Mitch Before:
– Ex: When Mitch speaks with
Hannah towards the end of
season one, he makes Hannah
believe she was not raped
and the moment with Mitch in
Las Vegas was a decision SHE
made. His argument was she
never said no.
Mitch After:
–
Ex: He becomes friend with
an Italian women named
Paola. She makes him reflect
on his past action when she
asks him to make a video
about his truth. He takes
into account Paola’s opinion
and thoughts.
Circle of
Silence…
Mitch takes advantage
of women
Mitch harasses different
women in the network
and makes them feel
powerless.
Hannah gets shut down
and rewarded with a
position.
Hannah wants to speak
up about the situation
Hannah’s voice is
covered up. She is
rewarded with a
promotion to keep her
quiet about Mitch raping
her.
Hannah decides to speak
up about happened and
goes to a higher up to
emphasis the wrongdoings
of Mitch’s actions.
Hannah goes to Fred to
speak up about what
happened
Fred takes into account
what happens and
decides to cover it up and
act like nothing
happened. He tries to
shut down Hannah’s story
to save the reputation of
the company.
Intersectionality!
“Like many women of color
before me, I have never been
able to be just a woman. . .
My womanhood is messy.”!
– Bernadette Marie Calafell
Intersectionality
In Season 2, the network made changes
to repair their reputation following
the cover up scandal.
As two women of minorites in positions
of power, they both had troubles with
their authority and discrimination.
●
●
Mia is promoted when The Morning Show
is at its worst, so she’s questioning
her ability to do the job because she
has to get the show back on track.
Stella deals with issue of not being
taken seriously as the new president
(due to her age) as well as issues
involving her race.
Korean
American’
,Womanl
‘Millennial’
African
American’
‘Woman’
Gen-X’
Dickinson
Major Themes
–
Feminism.
Romantic Identification.
Masculine oppression.
Systematic gender bias.
First, meet!Emily Dickinson!
THE ROAD TO FEMINISM
Lavinia Dickinson:
-First wanted to be a housewife
-A suitor (Shipley) comes along
to marry her for her
submissiveness
-Realizes she is a strong,
feisty, and young activist.
-Becomes spinster/activist
-Ft. Feminist spider dance
Sam Bowles:
-Published female
writers
Emily Dickinson:
-Published poem under
brother’s name
-Gets smacked by father for
going against his antifeminst
ways
-Rejects being a housewife
-Treats Emily with
respect
-Sees Emily as a
writer, not just a
woman.
-Defends women against
antifeminist men
Emily & Sue – Romantic Identification
Schaefer and Olson: 5 Facets of Intimacy
Emotional
Intellectual
-Emily through Share several
Activities
her poems
-Sue tells her
-Outdoor walks
directly
Recreational
Social
Sexual
Discuss range
of Topics
Share a common
friend group
The two share
intimacy sexually
several times“Volcanoes”
-Education
-Lectures
-Marriage
-Social Clubs
-Death
-Inspiration
-Gender Issues
Masculine Oppression
Daddy Issues
]
Before
During the first season we can
see how Emily is oppressed by
her father in various moments:
– Emily wants to publish her
poem and her dad shuts her
down
– She publishes her poem under
Austin’s name and her father
punishes her
– Edward gives Emily the paper
written by him: “Proper
place of a women”
Masculine Oppression
Daddy Issues
After
-In the first season, Edward decides to move the
train track he planned to build to let Emily
keep the tree she wanted. He did not oppress her
opinion after noticing the importance of the
tree to her.
Through the third season we makes a shift in his
mentality and let’s Emily have more freedom:
– He is glad when Emily’s first poem is
published
– He declines the offer of putting Emily in a
mental hospital even though a man advised
it.
Systemic Gender Bias
Being
a ‘True’
Woman
Systemic Gender Bias
Mrs.Dickinson represents the ideal ‘True
Woman’ that was expected during this time
period.
●
●
●
She didn’t want to get a maid because she
felt it was her duty
She Wanted Emily to get married and learn
how to be a housewife.
In the later seasons, she connects with
Emily more and comes to accept Emily for
who she is.
Laviana & Shipley
●
●
In Season One, Lavinia is introduced as the zany boy crazy
younger sister, but she later realizes she wants more for her
life than marriage.
Shipley proposes to Lavinia because he thinks she can be his
prim and proper housewife, but they later break up.
That’s All, Folks!!
Olivia Pope
I am Olivia Pope…
I’m a gladiator in a suit. At Pope and Associates we don’t just fix problems, we fix
people. We take on clients who are at their lowest point and elevate them to a better
place. We don’t just make their issues disappear; we force them to become the best
versions of themselves and grow beyond the situation at hand. I’m not simply looking
for employees. I’m searching for those who can become gladiators in suits- those who
can make such miracles happen and excel in doing the impossible.
I was raised by my mother Maya Lewis and Eli Pope. I attended Princeton for my
Undergrad degree in Political Science and then attended Georgetown Law.
My relationship with my parents was strained, and from a young age I had to learn how
to rely on myself. Despite this, I managed to come out on top and achieve great
success. I previously worked on Fitzgerald Grant’s presidential campaign trail and then
in the White House as the Communications Director. After leaving the White House I
opened Olivia Pope and Associates in hopes of helping individuals in crisis.
Do you think that you can defy all odds? That you can bring about the light while
working from the shadows? This is your chance to prove that you have what it takes.
-Olivia Pope
Potential Candidates
Susan Ross
Based off resume
•
Feminist
•
Use knowledge to overcome Systematic Gender
Bias
•
Unwilling to be compromised in any
illegal manner
•
Progressive
•
Wears “White Hat”
Observations/Liability
•
Lied about husband being in the army
•
Ex-boyfriend who is the biological father of her
daughter is in prison
•
Over-reliance on daughter
•
Emotionally fragile in relationships- Feminine
Identification
Abby Whelan
Based off resume
•
Ambitious, career-oriented
•
Feminist ideals
•
Previously worked as White House Press
Secretary
•
Unafraid to challenge others, opinionated
Observations/Liability
•
Divorced, survivor of domestic
violence/abusive marriage – Gendered violence
•
Broke into David Rosen’s house and stole
memory card
•
Loyal to those who helped her out of domestic
situation – Trauma bonding, female bonding
•
Feels as if she can never come forward to the
public about her past abuse as she feels it will
define her – Double standards, systemic gender
bias
Quinn Perkins
Based off resume:
•
Renowned “Gladiator in a Suit”
•
Feminist
•
Nurturing
•
Is able to adapt and adjust personality
situationally (dominant or submissive depending
on goal)
Observations/ Liability:
•
Called “damaged goods”
•
Demonstrates feminist behavior
•
Has violent side and dismisses Huck’s violent
behavior as “normal”
•
Picks up a lot of Huck’s traits which she results in
her taking on a more masculine persona
Potential Candidates
Observations/ Liability
Jake Ballard
Former Head of CIA
•
Loyal beyond measure
•
Follows direction without question
•
Surplus of Leadership Experience
•
Constantly struggling to expel violence
instilled in him by oppressive father
figure
•
Manipulated into family dynamic with
overbearing, toxic masculine patriarch
•
Prone to allowing inner-violence to harm
those he loves (directly and indirectly)
•
Forced to break away from family due to
father figure’s gendered intimidation
& threats of harm
•
Requires someone to keep him from
going too far (allowing violence to
consume him completely)
Huck
Based Off Resume
Based Off Resume
•
•
Observations/ Liability
•
Only “ambitious” when someone in
command assigns him a mission
•
Expects Liv to save him from oppression
of toxic masculine “father”
Reduces violence and conflict with
ease
•
Conditioned to avoid emotion,
connection, and free thought (Masculine
Oppression)
•
Unwavering focus on the task at hand
•
•
Impressive adherence to deadlines and
time constraints
Only true goal is to achieve normalcy
(never received while experiencing
gendered violence of birth father
or masculine oppression of 2nd father
figure)
•
Assists team by any means necessary
•
Exceptional manipulation of technology
•
Unparalleled skills of observation and
analysis
•
Adept at handling victims of trauma
•
Excels in defusing conflict/ violence
•
Level-headed in violent situations
•
Views team members as family
•
Dedicated to safety and well-being of team
Former Candidates
James Novak
Based Off Resume:
• Highly intellectual within his journalism career
• Loyal friend
• Will stick to his guns when put in a situation he knows needs to be
fixed
• Truly believes in doing things for the good of people
Observations/ Liability
•
His loyalty is beneficial for the most part, but his attachment to
others can be a problem (Subordinate masculinity)
•
Occasionally cannot let go of an issue even when it could do more
harm than good
•
Can be manipulated with ease and not realize it due to his desire to
please others
Harrison Wright
Based off resume
• Former car salesman, served time for insider trading
• Describes self as “gladiator in a suit” and “fixer”
• Fast-talker, extremely influential
• Loyal and obedient to those he feels indebted to
Observations/Liability
•
Objectifies women, demonstrates toxic masculinity, and engages
in anti-feminist behavior [“On blind dates I like to buy a
woman dinner because it makes her more likely to either sleep
with me or give me a second date…”]
•
•
•
•
Despite hegemonic masculinity, he is unable to reap full privileges
of masculinity due to identity as a POC/marginalized
person. (Marginalized masculinity, intersectional identity)
Suppresses emotions out of fear of showing vulnerability and
appearing “weak”
Was sexually manipulated and drugged by ex-girlfriend Adnan
Salif (portrays gendered violence and a reversal of gender norms)
Is able to use charm and physical appearance to get women to
cooperate with him (portrays gendered violence, coercion, and
sexism.)
References
Fitzgerald (Fitz) Grant
Cyrus Beene
Professionally
“Olivia was the reason I became president as she was my
campaign manager. She is intelligent, confident,
assertive and became a fixer while continuing to be an
asset to the White house. She’s strategic, a quick thinker,
straightforward with her tactics which have saved the
Republic more than once. Olivia has also gotten my
family out of harm’s way many times, especially Karen
my daughter when she was being threatened with sex
tape by her peers. Beyond helping others, she has
independently built her business, obtained many career
advancements and showcased a model picture of a
Black woman in D.C. political ground.”
Professionally
“Olivia has been my friend and colleague since I saw her
potential and hired her to manage Fitz’s presidential
campaign. She was my greatest asset when we worked
alongside one another in the White House. Though she
has left her position here, she’s returned to help diffuse
any issues that arise along with her team of gladiators.
She is reliable, as I have relied on her to find solutions
and show up for the President numerous times. She is
smart and committed. She can turn a negative into
a positive, which is why I can always tell when her mind
is behind a power move.”
Personally
• Bias due to prior relationship between him and Liv
(Emotional, Sexual, Intellectual) preferred him
unavailable
• Nurtured a push-and-pull relationship
Mellie Grant
Professionally
“Olivia led Fitz’s campaign to victory and has been the White
House’s lifeline. Whenever I amoverwhelmed, or feel like
falling apart, I call Olivia. Even when she tries to avoid the
White House, she comes to help because she is loyal. Olivia
will never give up on you and would rather help you than
judge you for your actions. Olivia is strong-willed, ambitious,
and was the best choice to guide my presidential campaign.
Olivia is a savior. If you ever need someone to push you to be
the best version of yourself, she is the person to call”.”
Personally
• Blamed Liv for ruining her marriage
• Her and Liv reached point of understanding over their roles
in relationship(s) w/ Fitz
Personally
• Had solid connection to Liv [developed through his
teaching of her and through her helping with Fitz’s
campaign]
• Connection wavered over attempts to obtain more
power and through his involvement in her and Fitz’s
relationship
• Liv holds some of his deepest darkest secrets
References
Sally Langston
Hollis Doyle
Professionally
“Olivia is not my coworker neither would I address her as
a companion, however her ambition and drive in her
working to fix others is admirable indeed. She uses her
prior knowledge and networks to get the job done. As a
follower of our dear Lord, I do not approve of her prior
relationship with the President. In the same vein, I also
have my concerns regarding her tactics for getting the
job done. However, I must applaud her for trying to serve
this nation and bring scorners of liberty to justice.”
Professionally
“That damn Olivia is sharp as all get out. I’m not one to
blow smoke up anyone’s ass but you best believe if you
underestimate that woman you’re in for a rude
awakening. While me and Olivia have our differences…
we’ve come to a mutual understanding, and I would
never discredit her ability. You need to get out of a tough
spot? That girl will have you slicker than a greased hog
and save you from the slaughterhouse.”
Personally
• Bias due to her beliefs and faith
• Feels as though she is the cause to Fitz stepping out
of his marriage leading to him dishonoring Mellie
which is disapproving in the Lord’s eye
• Has used her religion for an excuse for her behavior/
actions even though it contradicts her faith
David Rosen
Professionally:
“Yes, I serve as the Attorney General of the United
States but, before all else, I am a preserver of
justice. I wear the white hat. Olivia Pope shares
this trait with me. Although I have admittedly
questioned her motives in the past, I have come to
realize that her purpose has always been to protect
our republic.”
Personally:
•
Past relationship with Abby, (Emotional,
Sexual, Recreational, & Intellectual)
•
Follows rules too closely
•
Tied to the White House (via Abby, Elizabeth, &
Susan)
•
Known to engage in questionable acts within
my relationships
Personally
• Has used Olivia’s tactics for his personal gain
• Willing to shed blood even when other options are
available
• Has the mentality, “the end justifies the means” and
“sacrifice the few to save the many”
• Uses blackmail and manipulation get his way, won’t
settle for anything other than his end goal
• Has used verbal manipulation to convince powerful
people to grant him a power or other benefits
WARNING: THE FOLLOWING FILES CONTAIN
CLASSIFIED INFORMATION REGARDING OLIVIA POPE, HER
POTENTIAL EMPLOYEES, AND PAST COLLEAGUES.
Masculine
Identification
Sexual/
Romantic
Orientation:
Sexual/
Romantic
Orientation:
Homosexual
Sex:
Male
•
In possession of subordinated masculinity
•
Often exerts what power he has over his feminine
partners (who have even less power than him)
•
ALL his (feminine) partners have stated that he makes
them feel lonely
•
Experiences sexual and emotional intimacy in his
relationship with James, which he took for granted
•
Shares a social relationship with Fitz and Olivia
•
Heterosexual
•
In possession of hegemonic masculinity,
and demonstrates so, but unknowingly
•
Aware of how his father’s hypermasculinity and lack of intimacy affected
him, so he tries to break the cycle via
embracing feminine traits
•
Attempts often fail as he expresses a
sense of ownership over Liv and regularly
neglects to accept guilt for his role in the
downfalls of his two major mixed
identification relationships
Male
Male
Shares sexual, emotional, and
intellectual intimacy with Olivia
•
Began relationship with Susan to get her to
run for president
•
Relationship w/ Susan
displayed emotional, social,
sexual, recreational, and intellectual facets
of intimacy
Sexual/
Romantic
Orientation:
Heterosexual
Male
Submission in romantic/ sexual
relationships stems from feminine partner
having a dominant personality (as opposed
to him identifying as feminine)
•
Hurt Susan by cheating with Elizabeth
•
Benefits from hegemonic masculinity but
uses his privilege for good
•
Expresses sexual and emotional intimacy
with Abby
•
Sex:
Tries to receive love from Liv (high
fem. identification) that he never
received from his hyper-masculine
father figures
Sex:
•
Has general fem. qualities (urge to
soothe children’s hurt feelings, softspoken, etc.) but they’re largely
undeveloped as he hasn’t yet grown
past his violent/ hyper-masculine
upbringing due to his relationship
with Quinn (attempting to kill her
and licking her) and Becky.
•
Displays all five of the facets of
intimacy w/ Liv and Quinn
F itz: High Masc. & Moderate Fem.
Sex:
D avid: High Masc. & Low Fem.
•
Conditioned into his high
masc. identification, as his life and
that of his family were on the line
whenever he displayed fem.
characteristics
Male
Cyrus: High Masc. & Low Fem.
Sexual/
Romantic
Orientation:
•
•
Heterosexual
Sex:
Jake: High Masc. & Low Fem.
• Acquired all the masc. traits of his
“father” (enabled him to take over
the same violent system that at one
point oppressed him)
Huck: High Masc. & Low Fem.
Sex:
Sexual/
Romantic
Orientation:
Male
Heterosexual
Sexual/
Romantic
Orientation:
Heterosexual
Expresses all facets of intimacy but lacks
recreational in his relationships
Sexual/
Romantic
Orientation:
Heterosexual
Sex:
Male
Hollis: High Masc. & Low Fem
•
Takes charge in sexual/romantic relationships
through toxic masculinity. Shows dominance,
forcefulness, and aggressive and charisma to
subdue partners
•
Not familiar with not getting his way due to his
powerful influence over others through networks
and money and lacks loyalty to sexual partners
•
Has had multiple divorces with a great number of
divorces with settlements in each.
•
Has no respect for female partners and instead
throughs money at situation or relationships.
•
Relationships are lacking in intimacy because of
his allegiance to money and power (ulterior
motive behind efforts to save kidnapped daughter)
Harrison: High Masc. & Low Fem.
•
Epitome of hyper-masculine male
•
Forceful, dominant, aggressive, &
competitive
•
Keeps himself guarded with his “Gladiator”
persona, never allowing himself to appear
vulnerable or show break in his dominant
personality
•
Romantic relationships w/ women usually
initiated solely w/ sex in mind (physical
and recreational)
•
Able to share high level of emotional
intimacy with Liv due to the gratitude he
feels for her (displays affection and respect
by standing behind her no matter what)
Sexual/
Romantic
Orientation:
Sex:
Sexual/
Romantic
Orientation:
Female
Heterosexual
Sexual/
Romantic
Orientation:
Heterosexual
Sex:
Heterosexual
Quinn: High Fem. & High Masc.
•
Dominant feminist personality
•
Quinn is feminine in presentation and
identifies as such, but has acquired
masculine traits via being introduced
to Huck’s violent
world (mixed identification)
Abby: High F em. & Moderate Masc.
•
Romantic relationships with other
men are difficult for her to navigate
due to trauma with domestic abuse
•
Sympathetic, loyal,
compassionate, yielding (Feminine)
•
Sex:
•
Female
•
Also exhibits masculine traits such as
ambitious, analytical, defends own
beliefs.
•
Physical, intellectual, and Emotional
Intimacy in her relationships with
others
Renounces Huck after he commits
an “unspeakably violent” act until
she reflects on her own desire for
violence.
Displays recreational intimacy as she
shares an interest in killing with Huck,
which brings them close
Female
Liv: Fem. and Masc. Traits both present.
•
Presents and identifies as feminine and
has fem. qualities (e.g. being loyal,
understanding, and compassionate)
•
However, she exhibits many of Bem’s
masculine traits (assertive, leadership,
ambitious, independent, etc.)
•
Many of her traits derived from her
father (who is almost hyper-masculine)
•
Has physical, emotional, and
intellectual intimacy in her relationships
with others
•
Faces trouble in accepting love due to
strained relationship with her parents
Sexual/
Romantic
Orientation:
Sexual/
Romantic
Orientation:
Heterosexual
Sex:
Female
Susan: Low Fem. and Low Masc.
•
Sally: Moderate Fem & High Masculine
•
•
Shows dominance in her relationship with
Daniel Langston (calls all the shots and
husband follows) **Contradicts this in her role
as VP**
Distant intimate and sexual relationship with
husband; marriage is used as a face case for
soc iety to seem personable and portray the
perfect “holy” marriage (Spiritual intimacy)
•
Feminine
Identification
Sexual/
Romantic
Orientation:
Heterosexual
Mellie: High Fem. & Moderate Masc.
•
While Mellie is extremely diplomatic
and has great aspirations, she is willing
to give up her ambitions for her
masculine partner (Fitz)
•
Is willing to accept Fitz affair with
Olivia to keep position as First Lady
Sexual/
Romantic
Orientation:
•
Has a sense of entitlement, willing to
do anything to obtain power
(masculine)
Homosexual
•
Has social, emotional, and intellectual
intimacy in her relationships with
others
Heterosexual
James: High F em & Moderate Masc.
Negatively perceived due to her physical
appearance as well as her height (it was noted
that she wasn’t attractive enough and had to
go under extensive feminine makeover to run
for VP)
Though her relationship with David started as
social intimacy, eventually they went through
the first five stages of
interpersonal development in romantic
relationship which led to emotional and
sexual intimacy
Sex:
Female
•
Presents as masculine, but took on the
normative role of feminine identification by
being the stay-at-home partner/parent
•
Very submissive and sensitive in
relationship with Cyrus
•
Longed for a child and then became the
primary caregiver of he and Cyrus’
•
Intimacy with others is highly emotional and
intellectual
Sex:
Female
Sex:
Male