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Masculinity And Femininity In Friends

850 Words4 Pages

Isabelle Aboaf
ROMS 1109
Valeria Dani
27 August 2017

Title The celebrated Emmy-nominated NBC sitcom, Friends, is seldom criticized for its portrayal of women. This is likely due to a number of factors; institutionalized misogyny at the turn of the millennium may be a prime perpetrator. This paper will analyze the sitcom’s façade – innocent, relatable humor – to shed light on its subtle male chauvinism and demeaning female archetypes, offering a perspective whose legitimacy is ultimately ambiguous. The pilot episode of Friends aired in 1994, and its context is critical in assessing its portrayal of both masculinity and femininity. A few decades after the landmark Roe v. Wade Supreme Court decision and Title IX reforms, Friends came at a time …show more content…

Other men appear to threaten Ross’s relationship with Rachel even without any signs of an affair. This subtle sense of entitlement (Ross not wanting Rachel to be friendly with other men, for she is his girlfriend and his alone) portrays Rachel as restricted and overshadowed. Furthermore, Joey’s interjection only furthers Ross’s distrust in Rachel’s ability to carry out a nonsexual relationship with a pleasant male friend. Ross continues to berate Rachel about Mark, even though she is clearly not attracted to him. It seems Ross is unwilling to accept the notion Rachel’s independence and ability to interact with other men as she deems appropriate. Perhaps even more questionable is Rachel’s lack of retort. She fails to “turn the tables” on Ross – potentially affirming her trust in him – and thus reinforces Ross’s dominance in their relationship. His insecurities determine her …show more content…

The question arises whether the Friends’ writers would mock Monica’s weight if she hadn’t lost it all before the show’s advent. Perhaps Monica’s weight loss is a harmless element of character, but one might draw parallels between Monica’s weight loss (and subsequent slender figure) and her character’s celebrity in the television industry. Monica’s friends consistently poke fun at Monica’s fat past, normalizing a culture of body-shaming less visible in the male world. Monica’s lines even confirm the view that being overweight is a detriment to their attractiveness (“The One That Could Have

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