Gender Roles - I Love Lucy

This is a clip of an episode from the popular American sitcom "I Love Lucy". In essence, this episode highlights how gender stereotypes are already ingrained into society and are so naturalised that any aberration from the norm will upset the balance, e.g. when both genders switched their roles they realised they were not up to the task.

Even though this sitcom dates back to the distant past, one can agree that traces of these gender stereotypes still prevail in modern times. The clip itself portrays a satirical sort of irony on stereotypes; first the notion that stereotypes can be broken free from and specialised gender roles easily be taken up by the other sex is portrayed, then the idea is smashed to ground as viewers realise that both genders had difficulty coping with their newly assumed roles.

I feel that the media is an important player that functions to perpetuate these stereotypes so that the "balance" can be well-maintained. While overly generalised, it's actually pretty important that these roles are somewhat maintained (even though I believe the separate circles are already beginning to overlap). Let's just say if most women decide to step out of their traditional position as Keeper of the Home, the family construct might well disintegrate over the years. There might actually be comfort in this balance after all !