#9

The message of this week's reading can be summed up perfectly by a quote from Jean Kilborne's film Killing us softly. Jean stated that, "media reflects and reinforces gender ideology." The forms of media that the readings referred to were commercials and television programs. Jennifer Maher wrote an article that focused on two television programs on the TLC channel. One of these television programs is called A Baby Story. This program follows a short time before the birth of a child through the first few days at home. Having a baby alone does not reinforce gender ideology but the focus on the family. The families that are filmed for this program are heterosexual couples who generally recieve lots of love and support from the extended families. These families are never struggling financially and it is safe to say that they are middle, upper middle class families. It is rare to see a family of a different race or a multi-racial family. In all of these families the father works and the mother stays at home. I have seen this program a few times and one specific one sticks out in my mind. The soon to be father was putting together the baby stroller. He was having a difficult time putting it together and refused to take the directions out of the plastic bag. He made a comment that was along the lines of, "a man doesn't need the directions." Anyways, essentially this program focuses on the "ideal" American family. This ideal is that there are two parents, one or two children, and everyone lives happily ever after. Media reinforces this ideal because they aren't showing the "broken homes" or children born out of wedlock families.
I became a televisionholic at a young age. My parents were divorced and the television became my best friend. I remember watching Xena:Warrior Princess on Sunday afternoons. I don't remember what exactly attracted me to this television show. Perhaps it was the greek mythology that I became such a fan of later on in life, or maybe it was that I was in a "girls kick boy's butts" group at school and Xena was my roll model. Who knows. Xena was a woman who stood up for herself and kicked major butt. She was the only person in telvision to do such a thing. Don't get me wrong, Sunshine bear from the Care Bears was pretty sweet too. Not many girls can have hearts erupting from their stomaches. I was also attracted to Xena's partner in crime, Gabrielle. Gabrielle was ying to Xena's yang. Looking back on the program I wonder about a few things. The main purpose Xena fought was becase she was trying to redeem herself from her violent past. To save her homeland she and a brother gathered an army to fight off invaders. Many people were killed including Xena's brother. Xena was blamed for these deaths and ostricised as well. One could look at this incident and say that Xena took on masculine qualities, but negetive things happened due to this new found masuclinity. In addition, Xena became pregnant and gave birth to a son. Instead of quitting her warrior ways she gave her son away because she was ashamed of her past and did not want her son knowning her sins. Who knows what would have happned if Xena had been married. Perhaps she would have kept her son and settled down, perhaps not.



Xena how you shined
kicking butt and saving innocent lives
You had a son but gave him up
in hopes he would have a better life without you
You removed yourself out of your child's life

Gabrielle what a rock you were
fighting for those who couldn't but always searching for peace.
You married and had a child
looking forward to a life with your happy family
Your child became the center of your world