The Big Bang Theory

The Big Bang Theory

The Big Bang Theory is one of the most popular television shows. This popular Sitcom has evolved from geek boys to original and robust female characters. The film is unique, given that it revolves around the daily lives of scientists. During its premiere in 2007, the film revolved around Sheldon Cooper and Leonard Hofstader and their friends, Raj Koothrappali and Howard Wolowitz. Over the seasons, the show received a lot of support from the fans for its focus on unsexy stories, such as STEM research and daily activities of scientists. The Season Finale of this longest Sitcom in the last ten years aired on the television this year, attracting millions of viewers. What remains after this Sitcom are hard questions on the narrative regarding females and their representation in the media. A feminist scholar watching would argue that the film reflects supports and creates a system of unequal gendered power that places STEM men above women.

Feminism, as a political project, aims to explore the different ways society disempowers or empowers male and women. There has always been confusion that the modern feminism is anti-male. However, this is not the case. Ott and Robert define feminism as “feminism is a movement to end sexism, sexist exploitation, and oppression” (p. 194). Rather than focusing on individuals or men as a group, feminism intends to expose and eliminate social developed systems of sexism, which harm members of the society in many ways. Thus, Ott and Robert summarise feminism as “a political project focused on deconstructing sexist oppression present in our everyday norms and experiences” (197). Several factors lead to this sexist social system that defines the way society views male and female. First, from the existing confusion between gender and sex. While gender refers to the culturally constructed differences between male and female, sex implies biological differences between these two groups. Patriarchy is another factor critical to the formation of this system. A patriarchal system involves the subordination of women interests and uplifting of those of male.

A feminist watching The Big Bang Theory will be quick to identify several cases of gender stereotypes. Amy’s makeover is the first consideration in the film. This happens when the character is thrown in the limelight after emerging the winner in the Nobel Prize together with Sheldon Cooper. Amy is depicted as overly feminine, and this appearance is developed over the period. There are many incidences where Amy is excited about tiaras and makeovers. Her admiration of Penny emerges from the idealization of Penny as the female goddess. Amy’s character paints a picture of women as individuals only concern with beauty and appearance. Society has different roles for men and women. When Amy wins the Nobel Prize, the pressure to cater to society’s scopophilic needs overwhelms her. Society always expected successful and celebrated women like her to cater to these needs. Amy experienced moments of anxiety and panic, and this was also evident in the previous episodes where the thoughts of failing to win the prize and letting down female scientists haunted her. While Sheldon is focused on his personal life, Amy centres her conversation on future generation and the need to motivate and empower the girl child. From the feminist perspective, Amy lives in a male-dominated society where women like her have to rise and inspire the next generation of women.

The film raises questions on women’s ability to excel in STEM areas. Although there is an appearance of physicists Winkle, the first two seasons focus entirely on male. Feminist will disagree with the way these first two episodes depicted the field of science an area for males. In Season three; however, neuroscientist Amy Fowler and microbiologist Bernadette join the cast. Amy represents the sexist view of a female scientist. She is blunt, poorly dressed and deliberately masculine. Amy Fowler represents what the society expects of a female scientist- she has to appear like a male. Bernadette, on the other hand, represents the other direction. Unlike Amy Fowler, Bernadette is cute and smartly dressed. She has a squeaky voice. While Amy Fowler is taken earnestly, Bernadette is not taken seriously due to her feminine nature. Failure to take women in STEM areas is something that affects their credibility and arises from society’s view of women as individuals who cannot excel in the field of science.

A modern feminist would view Sheldon Cooper as a sexist. Ott and Robert observe that in most American Sitcom, “Here the woman’s responsibility is to nurture the family by cleaning the house, taking care of children, and fixing meals” (200). Although Sheldon Cooper likes Amy due to her brain, he still finds it hard to accept women as intellectual equals. Sheldon tells Winkle to abandon her career in science and concentrate on childbearing. On several occasions, Sheldon Cooper downplays the achievement of Amy. Although he treats other males in an almost similar manner, the way he views, Amy is ingrained with sexism. The best thing for Amy to do in this difficult relationship where the man downplays the work of the partner is for the female to dump him. However, this does not happen. The Sitcom reveals the real-life experience where female scientists re nagged for their failure to concentrate on family, which is their primary responsibility as defined by society.

A feminist will also disagree with how the media presents women as petite and weak. According to Ott and Robert, there is a general contrast between male and female in the media. Men are represented as masculine and individuals with power over their female counterparts. Ott and Roberts note, “This general contrast between men and women in advertising is striking, and the repetition of this motif across many different kinds of ads makes the distinction seem normal” (198). In The Big Bang Theory, the status of Howard as a lab engineer and potential future astronaut gives him power in his professional relationship. On the other hand, Bernadette is presented as petite and speaks in a girlish tone. Howard has total dominance over her. However, things change when Bernadette earns her degree and secures a new job. She begins earning more than his husband. Howard is upset with the fact that his wife is earning more than him. The relationship between these two couples mirrors those of many couples in real-life when the wife earns more than the husband. The film supports a patriarchal system where males are expected to dominate females.

In general, a feminist scholar watching The Big Bang Theory will conclude that the film reflects and creates a system of unequal gendered power that places men above women as revealed through various characters. This film shows that mass media plays a huge role in shaping gender roles in society. The media is at the centre of unequal representation. With the growing wave of feminism and increased girl child empowerment, films with traces of gender stereotypes are likely to attract a lot of criticism from female scholars and advocates of feminism. At the same time, the film confirms that the media can also play a huge role in advancing gender equality in society. The idea of Bernadette earning more than her husband shows the great abilities inherent in the female gender. It confirms the feminism ideology of “what men can do, women can do better.”……