Examples Of Gender In Modern Family

A. How can this group be described based on their presence OR absence in the text?

In the text Modern Family, gender and sexuality are both very prevalent and are described in different ways. Through out the text it is notable that the ways the characters are described can be very stereotypical. For example, the character of Claire is portrayed as mom that can not handle anything with technology and having her husband talk to her like a child. This increases the gender roles that women are weak and emotional. Another example is Cameron’s character, he is gay therefore his character is expressed as being flamboyant and emotional because he has the same interests as the women in this text. The gender and sexuality groups in this text stick to their known gender roles in society.

B. Compare & contrast this representation to other media portrayals of this group: Modern Family has come to be one of the shows on

There is the “traditional” hetero couple of Claire and Phil with their two children. A straight couple in what appears to be a very suburban style home, probably middle to upper class. The wife a bit “irrational” and not very good with technology, so the husband has to assert himself as the more dominant character and teach her how to use things. Adversely, there is Jay and Gloria. A biracial couple with the man of significant older age than the woman. This is opposing the ideal hegemony and ideology of a white couple of around the same age group. It is not mentioned in this episode, but on the few other episodes I’ve seen, I believe that Jay is also Manny’s stepfather, which opposes the idea of a traditional father. There is then Cam and Mitch, who are a gay couple with an adopted Vietnamese daughter named Lily. This again opposes the hegemony and ideology of a straight, all white, fully blood related