Well It Does Say Family "GUY" Right?

Has it ever occurred to you that “Family Guy” is just a show for men? And undermines the value of women? These three clips from the television series “Family Guy” depict offensive stereotypes about women: the WNBA, Women’s right to vote, and the pilot must have been a woman. “Family Guy” repeatedly diminishes the value of women, but these are three clear-cut examples.

In the first clip, Brian (the male dog) makes a statement about the store he is in, “this place officially sucks more than the WNBA”. The video goes further than just poking fun at the WNBA. Each male announcer mocks the low score and salary of the women. The announcers further develop the stereotype that a woman playing pro sports is incredibly stupid and humorous. This is a clear attack on gender. The WNBA was just a platform for the attack.

The second clip played on the stereotype that women are unintelligent and make superficial decisions. Stewie (male son) explains that some historical events are not as significant as people believe them to be. The clip depicts a women’s rights group in 1920 about to vote in the election. The woman explains that they have waited a long time for this opportunity. As they walk to the voting booths they are reminded to vote for Warren G. Harding because he is the cutest. The women then proceed to have a pillow fight. The video suggests that women do not have ability to think critically and are uneducated about important events. Instead, they should just continue to be inferior and childish by having a pillow fight. Family Guy makes light of the significant advances women had achieved in that era and the hardships they had to undertake.

The last clip provokes the stereotype about women and their inability to operate machinery. Peter (father) and Brian (male dog) are arguing over Peter remembering the terrifying events of 9/11. Peter has a flashback to the day of the horrific tragedy. He walks into his home and Lois (mother) is crying while watching TV. He says, “Ha must have been a women pilot eh” and taps Lois on the shoulder as if it was a funny joke. This clip is irresponsible on many different levels. Not only does it make an extremely distasteful joke about 9/11, and the stereotype of a women’s inability to handle machinery. It also presents a martial relationship that would be utterly horrifying for a woman to be in. On that day we did not know who attacked us, the fear of war was on everyone’s mind. To insult your wife in this moment would be in total disregard to her well being. Yet family guy does so with out missing a beat.  

For years the show “Family Guy” has been ridiculed for its obscene stereotypes of race and religion, but the real atrocity lies within the shows own name. The show is called “Family GUY”. Do you get it? GUY. Exactly, a guy, man, or dude however you want to acknowledge it as but the show was intended for a male audience and discriminates against females. It has been said that “Family guy” is just a comedy and pokes fun at relevant stereotypes about women but when will Seth MacFarlane (producer) understand that people are no longer laughing? I have watched family guy for several years and have found the show hysterical at times. However it has reached a point where I do not believe it is ethical to watch. It reinforces the thought that men have entitlement over women. Shows like “Family Guy” still causes problems of gender equality today because they give men the idea that they have intelligence and dominance over women.

Consequently, “Family Guy” is a show for men and to depreciate the abilities of women because there is only one gender that escapes the harsh stereotypes in the show. That gender is males. Although the show will discriminate men of different races and class, women are portrayed as weak and demeaning in all cases. The problem of gender equality is still a threat in the world today and therefore having a show that clearly undervalues the role of women in society causes significant problems. It is understood that family guy has a problem with women but it is time they changed things to help create a positive outlook for its male audience. Overall, shows such as “Family Guy” should not be watched as they have the power to destroy all the success we have made with gender equality in the world today.