March 31, 2008
Cooking Shows
So I'm a huge Food Network fan. It's the first channel I turn to every time I turn the TV on. Anyways, there is a new show in the network named Down Home with the Neelys. The other day my sister and I got on the issue on how much the show portrays women doing what they can to please their men. While the show involves both the husband and wife cooking, it's obvious that the woman does most of the work and various times throughout the show you'll hear her comment on ways to keep your man happy. I couldn't even watch a full episode due to the fact that I felt the cooking and talent part of Food Network had been completely taken away. It appears to me that they are trying to relive the 50s and go back to teaching women ways to keep their men happy, looking good, and etc. I watch Food Network for ways to cook quickly, entertainment, and for something different that common reality shows aired on other channels. I don't look to it for advice on how to look nice and cook in order to please my man. What do you all think about this? Do you believe with this show that the media is portraying a positive model for women?
5 comments:
First of all I would like to say I also really enjoy the food network. Its funny that you bring this up. I was sitting in the dining hall, and Rachel Ray was on a couple of the televisions and suprisingly the main audience at the dining hall were men. There were 3 or 4 tables of guys watching this show intently. I also heard a couple of comments about how they would "die" to have rachel ray as their wife. So the food network is doing something right in the views of these guys. I can't speak for everyone, but everyone does know the saying that guys basically want to date someone like their mother, so is having these shows on how to please your man from the kitchen that far off from the audience they want to target?, because obviously all of the audience is not just women. The whole idea of reliving the 50's and trying to enhance home domestication looks quite evident, but obviously guys don't see any problems with it. I think this show is portraying the right role model for women who want to watch it for their own reasons, like the saying goes a way to a man's heart is through his stomach so it looks to me like the food network knows exactly what their showing.
I don't necessarily think it's appropriate but I think the wife working to please the man is a gender role more commonly typified in the south. That might be where the angle of the show is coming from.
First off there are far worse images and role models on T.V. for young women to follow. Just turn to MTV.
Secondly, it is quite possible that Mr. and Mrs. Neely have a marital agreement on the second shift duties in the household.
Lastly, whats wrong with being nice and trying to keep your partner happy. I think all relationships conform to this idea at some point. The fact is that according to the Alternate Paths Model, Mr. Neely is less likely to talk about his relationship with Mrs. Neely, and he is less likely to express how he is trying to keep his wife happy, especially when he is on camera.
I’m not sure I can post a very educated comment on this because I didn’t actually see the show. However, from what I’ve read I agree with “cadillac tears” I think there are far more degrading images of women out there. This show is probably the least of our worries. I also agree that I think doing something nice for you partner keeps a marriage strong. They always say the way to your man’s heart is through his stomach. I’ve talked with a few married women who certainly stand by this. They swear that home-cooked meals keep the marriage going strong. So as ridiculous as this may seem it is a job of one of the partners. Maybe the Neely’s have worked a life out where the Mrs. does the majority of the cooking but the Mr. likes to spend time with her so he often joins her in the kitchen?
I think we must careful to not demean other women’s choices either. Some women are very happy to be housewives. That is their choice. They could be lawyers, doctors, teachers… but they choose to stay home and raise families. That is a choice. That is a real job. We must be careful, especially while in the class, to not assume that those participating in traditional gender roles are wrongly confined to them.
I agree with Cadillac Tears as well. There is nothing wrong with this portrayal of a man and wife cooking together. I cook with my fiance all the time and I usually take over in the kitchen but it is still a fun way for us to bond. I take over not because I am the woman and I want to please him but because I love to cook.
Even if he isn't helping me I don't feel that there is anything wrong with letting him kick back while I make dinner. He usually cleans up. Plus think about the things that you really hate doing. For example I hate taking care of the yard and taking out trash- typical man chores. He doesn't mind them, so by letting him do those is that taking away from my femininity?
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