Devious Decoding

Devious Decoding

Here in America, we value high class, wealthy lifestyles. If you’re not one of the lucky few living the “high life,” you are enviously intrigued by this lifestyle. Well, at least I definitely am captivated by it. Lifetime’s “Devious Maids” gives a glimpse into this high class Beverly Hills life through the eyes of the women who clean these incredible mansions. So why is this show creating such a controversy? The sassy, independent and sexy maids are all associated with the stereotypical Latina maid. This controversial show represents this stereotype on the screen, reinforcing our role of immigrant Latina women.

The five main maids featured on this show, Rosie, Zoila, Marisol, Carmen and Valentina, all embody the stereotypical Latina maid attitude. With their feisty, quick wit and sexy looks, all these women put a dramatic spin on their maid duties. All of these women came from countries of Latin origins. The show gives a glimpse into the dreams these women possess beyond cleaning a rich family’s floor since their immigration to the United States. Produced by Eva Longoria, a woman of Latina descent herself, it is supposed to break stereotypes that these Latina immigrants cannot amount to anything. However, many argue the show has had the opposite affect on viewers.

According to outraged viewers, the show demeans Latina women by placing them in minimum wage jobs, showing that immigrants cannot amount to the high class jobs of the people the maids work for on the show (Kaplan, 2013). Even one of the show’s stars, Ana Ortiz, who plays maid Marisol, commented that she was caught off guard by the script at first glance (Kaplan, 2013). One of the first episodes features the love connection between young maid, Valentina, and her employer’s son, Remi. Valentina’s mom, Zoila, a fellow maid, tells her daughter that rich people don't fall in love with the help (“Devious Maids”, 2013). This depiction adds to the idea that these women are stuck in roles typically viewed as lower class. The love story portrays the idea that these Latina maids are not good enough for the white Americans on the show.

It does not help the stereotypical show that all the wealthy characters are upper class white Americans. When producer, Eva Longoria, was asked about the show in regards to the controversial stereotype, she claimed that the show is supposed to make light of the stereotype and show it is still occurring (Vanessa Verduga, 2013). With Longoria’s comments, audiences became further outraged that not a single wealthy person on the show is of Latino or Latina descent. In one episode, a white American wealthy woman says, “the woman cleans tile grout for a living. If you can't shield this secret from her, you're not the brilliant degenerate I married,” clearly degraded the intelligence of her maid (“Devious Maids”, 2013). Critic Eric Deggans says the show does not go beyond these stereotypes and does not suggest how these can be broken (2013). It only shows the negative view of this profession. In turn, it actually enforces stereotypes. Many of the women have dreams beyond being a maid but these dreams are shut down. One of the maids, Carmen, dreams of becoming a famous singer. When the opportunity arises, she jumps at it but is shut down and left to her maid duties. Maid Rosie left her son behind in Guadalajara and became a maid in hopes of bringing him to the United States one day. This dream is out of her reach in many episodes despite her countless efforts. When asked to comment, Ana Ortiz, Marisol on the show, discussed how her grandmother was actually a maid during her working days (Kaplan, 2013). The various comments by the show’s actresses and producers continually enforce this stereotype of feisty, hard working, lower class, Latina women.

Women who do relate to the show find the portrayal to still reinforce the stereotype. Michelle Herrera Mulligan, editor in chief for Cosmopolitan Latina, discusses with the Huffington Post that she had a similar upbringing, watching her mother and grandmother work as maids (2013). However, Mulligan finds the portrayal of this maid role in “Devious Maids” to be offensive because it does not show the truth behind this role (2013). She claims, though her family did work in that industry, the difference is that they were working for something more than just gossip between each other and sex scandals (Mulligan, 2013). Mulligan discusses that they did not gossip about their bosses or get caught up in drama, but put on the uniform to show they could run things in the house (2013). Longoria’s “Devious Maids” seems to be lacking an element of defying this maid role if it is trying to bring light to the issue.

As the first season drew to a close this past month, a second season for this controversial show was announced. Enforcing this feisty, sexy, dramatic Latina stereotype has brought in viewers, whether angry or excited, people are tuning in to watch “Devious Maids”. If this second season does not bring a change in this stereotypical role, will viewers boycott the show? As maid Carmen says, “I should’ve been born rich,” (“Devious Maids”, 2013). Frankly, most of us weren’t so lucky, and as Longoria shows, neither were these maids nor will they be anytime soon.

References

Cherry, Marc, and Eva Longoria, prods. "Devious Maids, Season 1." Devious Maids. Lifetime.

New York City, New York, 23 June 2013. Television.

Deggans, Eric. "Can 'Devious Maids' Really Break Stereotypes About Latinas?" Code Switch.

NPR, 27 June 2013. Web. 20 Sept. 2013. <http://www.npr.org/blogs/codeswitch/2013/07/02/196204084/Can-Devious-Maids-Really-Break-Stereotypes-About-Latinas>.

Kaplan, Don. "Eva Longoria’s ‘Devious Maids’ Spurs Backlash from Some Hispanic

Viewers." New York Daily News. N.p., 24 June 2013. Web. 20 Sept. 2013. <Eva Longoria’s ‘Devious Maids’ spurs backlash from some Hispanic viewer Read more: http://www.nydailynews.com/entertainment/tv-movies/devious-isn-maid-order-viewers-article-1.1379551#ixzz2fyRAR5RN>.

Mulligan, Michelle Herrera. "Devious Maids Misrepresents Latinas." The Huffington Post. N.p.,

09 May 2013. Web. 22 Sept. 2013. <http://www.huffingtonpost.com/michelle-herrera-mulligan/devious-maids-eva-longoria_b_3248787.html>.

Verduga, Vanessa. "'Devious Maids' TV Show Review: It Isn't Offensive — Pure and Simple."

PolicyMic, June 2013. Web. 22 Sept. 2013. <http://www.policymic.com/articles/51511/devious-maids-tv-show-review-it-isn-t-offensive-pure-and-simple>.