Gender Roles And Are You Being Served?: A Modern Analysis

Uncover the infuriating gender roles perpetuated by “Are You Being Served?” and how they shaped media. Dive deep and join the conversation for better representation.

You won’t believe the audacity of the outdated gender roles perpetuated by Are You Being Served?. For a show that aired decades ago, the misogyny and stereotypical character portrayals are absolutely infuriating. It’s high time we scrutinize how this relic of British television both reflected and influenced societal norms. I’m going to dissect every inch of this show, exposing the appalling ways it tried to normalize gender pigeonholing. Enough is enough — it’s time we confront the historical baggage that has shaped our media and demand better from contemporary content.

Uncover the infuriating gender roles perpetuated by “Are You Being Served?” and how they shaped media. Dive deep and join the conversation for better representation.

Gender Roles And Are You Being Served?: A Modern Analysis

Introduction

Let me get this straight right from the start: I am LIVID about how we, as a society, have approached gender roles in television over the decades. Particularly when I look back at classic sitcoms like Are You Being Served?, my blood absolutely boils. This show, a relic from the 1970s, presents an opportunity to dissect how profoundly archaic viewpoints on gender roles have been, and somewhat unbelievably, continue to influence contemporary culture. There, I’ve said it. Now let’s get into the nitty-gritty of it all, shall we?

Context of Are You Being Served?

When Are You Being Served? first burst onto the scene in 1972, it quickly became a staple of British television. With its setting in the fictional Grace Brothers department store, it sought to — and succeeded in — creating an archetypal environment for gender stereotypes to flourish. This show is a masterclass in cringe, offering a seemingly endless parade of tired jokes, sexual innuendos, and overt caricatures. How it retained its charm for many viewers over the years astounds me!

The show capitalized on the cultural tensions and comic potential of conventional British social structures. But while it brought giggles to the masses at the time, it now serves as a cringe-inducing time capsule of the era’s gender dynamics. Let’s dig into why this is so problematic, and, of course, why we should absolutely be furious about it.

Problematic Gender Stereotypes

The Pigeonholing of Women

One of the most frustrating aspects of Are You Being Served? is the way it shamelessly pigeonholes women. I swear, it’s enough to make you want to throw your telly out the window! Mrs. Slocombe, with her ever-changing hair color and eccentricities, is reduced to the “comic relief” at the expense of her depth as a character. Her value lies in providing laughs through exaggerated behavior rather than meaningful contribution to the storyline.

Then there’s Miss Brahms, who is incessantly objectified. Her character is primarily defined by her looks and mannerisms, cementing this outdated portrayal of women as mere decorative appendages in the workforce. It’s galling to think that a show could so blatantly embrace and perpetuate these stereotypes without batting an eye.

Toxic Masculinity

Don’t even get me started on the portrayal of male characters. Men in this show, notably characters like Mr. Humphries, Captain Peacock, and Mr. Lucas, are boxed into equally damaging stereotypes. Whether it’s the macho posturing of Captain Peacock or the lecherous antics of Mr. Lucas, the show works hard to normalize toxic masculinity.

Adding insult to injury is the show’s approach to Mr. Humphries’ ambiguous sexuality. Rather than portraying him as a fully-realized character, he’s used as a vehicle for cheap laughs, immensely stereotyping queer identities in ways that are infuriatingly shallow and dismissive. These portrayals exasperate me beyond belief!

The Workplace Environment

Hierarchies and Power Dynamics

Hierarchy rears its ugly head in every episode, creating a power dynamic rooted in rigid social structures. Managers like Mr. Rumbold are portrayed as inept and foolish, contrasting sharply with Captain Peacock’s rigid authority. Meanwhile, sales staff like Mrs. Slocombe and Miss Brahms are consistently at the mercy of their male superiors’ whims, reinforcing pernicious structures of power.

The genderized roles within the store also illustrate a horrifying reinforcement of societal norms. Men are usually in positions of control and oversight, while women are relegated to subservient roles, making minimal impact outside their designated stereotypes. It’s vomit-inducing to see this dynamic play out episode after episode, perpetuating harmful gender roles that impact real-world attitudes.

Sexual Harassment as Comedy

Adding another layer of aggravation is the near-constant sexual harassment presented as “comic relief.” Mr. Lucas’ relentless flirtation with Miss Brahms and Captain Peacock’s thinly-veiled advances create an environment where workplace harassment is trivialized. This casual normalization of such behavior is not just retrograde but absolutely abhorrent.

How this was ever considered acceptable is beyond me. The painful part is realizing that many viewers found this amusing, completely desensitizing a whole generation to the very real and detrimental impacts of sexual harassment.

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Cultural Impact and Legacy

A Reflective Mirror

While we might wish to dismiss Are You Being Served? as a product of its time, it’s crucial to acknowledge how its reflections continue to shape cultural attitudes today. Shamefully, the show offers a window into the preserved mindsets that influenced decades of media to come. These stereotypes didn’t just vanish — they evolved but remain imprinted on current content in subtler, yet equally damaging ways.

Acceptance Through Repetition

Repetition is a powerful tool, and Are You Being Served? effectively normalized harmful stereotypes through its sheer ubiquity. The casual sexism and homophobia have a lingering impact, subtly reinforcing damaging societal norms. This normalization is deeply concerning when considering how media shapes public perception. Though we’ve made strides in modern television, the echoes of these stereotypes are disturbingly persistent.

Juxtaposition with Modern TV

Evolving But Not Evolved

There’s no question that television has evolved since the 1970s. Shows today like Fleabag and Killing Eve offer richer and more nuanced portrayals of gender and sexuality. But let’s not kid ourselves — modern TV is still laden with problematic tropes. Big Bang Theory’s perpetuation of the “nerd” stereotype, for instance, still often resorts to gendered jokes that wouldn’t feel entirely out of place in Grace Brothers.

Subtle Sexism in Modern Scripting

In more recent sitcoms, we see women in more diverse roles but still bogged down by expectations around beauty, behavior, and sexuality. Look at any contemporary show — women are typically slimmer, conventionally attractive, and dressed to the nines, even when the role or setting doesn’t justify it. This manipulation by the industry continues to echo the restrictive standards set in the past, albeit more subtly.

Queer Representation

While LGBTQ+ representation has improved, it’s far from perfect. Queer characters, often celebrated for their inclusion, can still be one-dimensional or defined solely by their sexual orientation. The shadow of characters like Mr. Humphries continues to loom, reminding us how far we still need to go. Modern shows have an opportunity — and indeed, a responsibility — to correct these misconceptions and offer fully realized, multifaceted characters.

┌────────────┬────────────┬────────────┬────────────┬────────────┐
│ Era        │ Gender     │ Representa │ Normalizat │ Queer      │
│            │ Stereotype │ tion       │ ion of     │ Portrayal  │
│            │ s          │            │ Harassment │            │
├────────────┼────────────┼────────────┼────────────┼────────────┤
│ 1970s (Are │ Overt      │ Poor       │ Commonplac │ Stereotype │
│ You Being  │            │            │ e          │ d          │
│ Served?)   │            │            │            │            │
├────────────┼────────────┼────────────┼────────────┼────────────┤
│ 2000s      │ Subtle     │ Improved   │ Less       │ Mixed      │
│ (e.g., Big │            │ but Flawed │ Common but │            │
│ Bang       │            │            │ Present    │            │
│ Theory)    │            │            │            │            │
├────────────┼────────────┼────────────┼────────────┼────────────┤
│ 2020s      │ Nuanced    │ Robust and │ Rare but   │ Increasing │
│ (e.g.,     │            │ Diverse    │ Not Absent │ ly         │
│ Fleabag,   │            │            │            │ Authentic  │
│ Killing    │            │            │            │            │
│ Eve)       │            │            │            │            │
└────────────┴────────────┴────────────┴────────────┴────────────┘

Why This Matters

Undoing Decades of Damage

These discussions are not just academic exercises. Every stereotype perpetuated and every damaging trope normalized have real-world implications. They contribute to the ongoing struggle against misogyny, homophobia, and other systemic biases. It is incumbent upon us to catalyze change by demanding better, more nuanced representations.

Cultural and Societal Reflection

Television, like it or not, holds up a mirror to society. When shows like Are You Being Served? perpetuate damaging stereotypes, they’re reflecting and reinforcing prevailing cultural attitudes. This is not just problematic in a historical sense — it lays the groundwork for ongoing gender biases and discriminatory practices. If we don’t confront these head-on, we allow them to perpetuate, fester, and evolve.

Embracing Forward-Thinking Content

Celebrating Progress

Have there been improvements? Absolutely. Shows like Orange is the New Black and Pose showcase diverse, complex characters whose identities encompass more than just gender or sexuality. These representations matter because they challenge the simplistic views of yesteryear and pave the way for richer, more authentic storytelling.

Demanding Better

Despite these advances, there’s no excuse for complacency. We need to consistently demand better from our content creators. Let’s not shy away from calling out problematic stereotyping wherever it appears and rewarding shows that take the risk of presenting nuanced, multifaceted characters. Every viewer has the power to influence what gets produced, simply through the choices we make about what to watch and what to criticize.

Conclusion

In the end, if my fury about Are You Being Served? has gotten you riled up, good! It’s high time we had more impassioned conversations about the roles gender representation plays in media. We need to recognize the damaging, dated ideas and actively uproot them. It’s not just about analyzing the past — it’s about shaping a future where every individual is portrayed with the depth, respect, and authenticity they deserve.

So throw off the chains of complacency, get angry with me, and demand better. Share this article, leave a comment, and subscribe to my Medium newsletter for more impassioned breakdowns of British television and its cultural impacts. Let’s spark change, one infuriated rant at a time.

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