Modern Family Stereotypes

Modern Family: Examining Gender Roles and Stereotypes

Modern family focuses on the interactions and daily lives of three families. The Dunphys, the Prichett-Tuckers, and the Pritchetts. This paper will explore the topic of traditional gender roles and stereotypes within a family by examining each family in the show, how they are portrayed within the show, and how many of the traditional roles and stereotypes are either kept or broken. Throughout the show, there are many elements that comprise a typical American household in each of the three families, but traditional roles are constantly being broken. The show introduces the traditional lifestyle of the Dunphys, but also introduces a homosexual family lifestyle, as well as a mixed-race

Claire and Phil are husband and wife with three kids, Hailey, Alex, and Luke. In many ways, Claire and Phil personify a stereotypical American household. Phil is the sole breadwinner, working as a real estate agent while Claire on the other hand, is a typical stay-at-home mom whose sole occupation is taking care of the kids and making sure everything in the household runs smoothly, just as it is in a traditional American household. Because of the traditional gender roles that Claire and Phil fill, the show constructed their characters based on previous gender stereotypes that existed in television shows mimicking what a household should look like. These previous shows place greater emphasis on women in relationships and the various stereotypes of those relationships. In these shows, women are shown as inferior to men, as they don’t contribute to the family income, and therefore are portrayed as weaker than men. Because men in these shows typically are the bread-winner, they control the family income, resulting in control of the household, fitting in with the traditional role of a male in the family. Claire’s character fits the stereotype of being portrayed as motherly, focused on family and domestic issues, and Phil’s character fits the traditional role of being the breadwinner and in control of family

The most interesting aspect of this relationship is the difference in age between Gloria and Jay and how this ties into their gender roles within the family. Their age difference fits a stereotype of Gloria being a “gold digger.” She fits this image as her character is shown as a fiery young Latino woman who is portrayed as very feminine. Her clothing accentuates her femininity, and her hair and makeup are always flawless, all characteristics of what gold diggers are typically described as. She often needs help doing things, and is also portrayed as fairly emotional and irrational. She is characterized with traits that fit what society deems as stereotypically “feminine.” For example, in the episode “Moon Landing,” Gloria gets in a car accident` and is portrayed as a terrible driver. She gets very emotional and refuses to acknowledge that the accident was her fault. This fits the stereotype that women are worse drivers than men and are