Desperate Housewives- Traditional and Modern Stereotypes

             Modern feminism in America has made it difficult to interpret what is expected of the ‘ideal’ woman in female stereotypes. In the early-mid 1900’s, women knew their gender role was to get married, have children, maintain the home, and always look beautiful. Progressively, the feminism movement is enhancing since women are becoming more independent and successful. Given that women’s gender roles are changing, the American female stereotype is getting more complex. Although now-a-days women are gaining more rights and respect, the modern day female stereotype expects women to still maintain their roles as the perfect housewife by cleaning, cooking, and taking care of the children, but now women are expected to be independent, career oriented, and while doing all of this they still must always look their best. Is this even possible for women to perform? ABC’s hit comedy-drama series, “Desperate Housewives”, demonstrates the traditional and modern female stereotypes. The show is based off of four middle-aged women living in Wisteria, a suburb filled with four main characters that are women. All four women represent both traditional stereotypes and modern stereotypes but they are executed in a way that shows the audience that women struggle to maintain both stereotypes at once. On the show, there is Gabrielle Solis, a model that knows how deceive men. Susan Mayer is a divorced mother. Lynette Scavo, who quit her job to stay home to take care of her children. Plus, Bree Van De Kamp, also a stay-at-home mother, is a replica of Martha Stewart and known for her perfectionism. Even though, “Desperate Housewives”, is made in the 21st Century, viewers would anticipate the modern representations of women, such as a career-driven individual who is independent from men. However, the show renders the traditional housewife roles. Because these worn-out old stereotypes are still being demonstrated, the show misrepresents modern stereotypes for women in the 21^st century.

Susan, Lynette, Gabrielle, Bree

Gabrielle Solis represents the traditional female stereotype for being labeled as a sex object. Feminist Germaine Greer writes: "every woman knows that regardless of her other achievements, she is a failure if she is not beautiful”. Gabrielle is always dressed in form fitting clothes and high heels. Her make-up and hair is always done perfectly. Typically, her character is seen in her home and more specifically her bedroom. The male gaze, where men do the looking and women are to only be looked at, is focused on Gabrielle. Her confidence on the show suggests that she understands that women need to look good for men. Gabrielle Solis does not just use her good looks to please men; she also uses them for her career. Since she was a teenager, Gabrielle has been a successful professional model. Her career illustrates a modern stereotype for females. Throughout the series, she brags to her neighbors about how makes so much money from modeling but without having her seductive looks and size zero body, Gabrielle would not even have a career. All-in-all Gabrielle’s sex object image and career is the same thing therefore, she cannot have one without the other. Must models be labeled as sex objects in order to be a successful model? Gabrielle Solis demonstrates the struggle with having a successful career but still having to be labeled as a sex object in order to be independent.

Susan Mayer conveys the modern female stereotype that it is a lot more common in the 21^st century for women to get divorced. Being a single parent, Susan seems to be independent but in reality she is devastated that her ex-husband cheated on her and still wishes they were together. In the mid 1900’s, “women were more frequently shown as weak, ineffectual, victimized… women's interactions were very often concerned with romance” (Gunter, 1995). “Desperate Housewives” reinforces the stereotype of women in the mid 1900’s. On the show Susan Mayer is presented as a weak character since the majority of the time she gives into her children’s devious ways and often ends up crying after romantic relationship disasters. Although Susan shows the modern female stereotype by being a single parent, in reality she is not confident and unstable therefore she is still trapped in the traditional stereotypes of relying on a man.

Lynette Scavo represents the traditional female stereotype since she is a mother who stays home to take care of her children, clean, and cook. Lynette has not always been the traditional stereotype, she sacrificed her dreams of being a success businesswomen. Lynette’s husband wanted her to quit her job and become a stay-at-mother. Instead of showing pride and defending her years of hard work, Lynette surrenders her business accomplishments for taking care of the children and house. This explains that although women are allowed to have their own career, child rearing is still the women’s job. Unlike Gabrielle, Lynette always dresses in baggy clothes, wears no makeup, and constantly looks tired. This illustrates the exertion of trying to be the perfect traditional housewife. Lynette Scavo noticeably demonstrates how combining the traditional and modern female stereotype is almost impossible.

In the series, Bree Van De Kamp is known to be the most traditional out of the four. Being compared to Martha Stewart, her home-cooked meals are divine, her house is spotless, and her hostess skills are exceptional. She also stays at home to take care of her children and always has a smile on her face, even when her husband divorced her. Although Bree’s life looks like it came from the sitcom “Leave it to Beaver”, modern female stereotypes do appear. Her teenage son reveals that he is gay and her teenage daughter gets pregnant. Since both of these topics are becoming more renowned in the 21^st century, they are becoming more accepted. Bree demonstrates that the “perfect” traditional female stereotype does not exist and that modern feminism is more realistic.

The series, “Desperate Housewives”, demonstrates that although the modern female stereotype allows women to be successful and independent without a man, women still rely on the old traditional stereotypes. I believe that the modern female stereotype is a work in progress and it is exhibited through Gabrielle, Lynette, Susan, and Bree. Each one of these women represents an idea of traditional stereotype that seems to be holding them back.

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