The simpsons, a long running animated tv show, has so many examples of everything in our culture. I have referenced them to numerous blog posts and have connected them to many social issues we have. If you have seen it in real life, chances are, the Simpsons already have done it. They have countless number of scenes that relate to gender issues, as well as entire episodes. For example there is a scene in which Lisa, 3rd grade girl, is attempting to pick out clothes for a toy dolphin. She identifies her toy as a girl and when she asks for a doctor outfit, the salesperson responds, “ Nurse?” She then asks for a professor and the salesperson responds kindergarten teacher. Question after question, Lisa is denied the clothes she wants until she says her toy is a male and then is immediately presented with a doctor dress up for her toy. The simpsons expose the stereotypical jobs women have today in our society. How men get the prestigious jobs and women have the lesser part. The simpsons also have an episode where lisa tries to take down the barbie doll of the show, called Malibu Stacy. In the episode the Simpsons show many stereotypes of women and also the problems with toys that affect kids as they grow up.
In the episode where Lisa attempts to take down Malibu Stacy, it starts with Lisa in the mall and when she sees the doll section of the toy store. She warns her mom that she might get a little crazy, then she rushed to the display of dolls. Lisa gets her hands on a rare doll and is super excited to buy it. When she gets home she busts the toy out of the box and is content playing with it. She pulls the string behind the doll and she talks, however Lisa is extremely disappointed with the doll’s phrases. The doll says, “Right on, say is sister!” Lisa is so distraught she throws the doll out the window. Not only is Lisa upset with what the doll is saying but she is upset that nobody else has a problem with it. This presents a very real life problem that we have today. Young girls are being influenced negatively by dolls and toys. Girls are not born into the roles they have today. They are nurtured into it, which the simpsons display great in this scene. Lisa is angry that no one else can see the ridiculousness of the doll. She calls the company to complain and ends up taking a tour of the company. She goes on the tour but gets nothing out of it besides seeing the birthplace of a sexist doll. Lisa tracks down the original creator of the doll, Stacy Lovell, and the two decide to make a new doll named Lisa Lionheart. The doll is voiced by Lisa herself and comes with her own encouraging feminist phrases. The doll doesn’t make any news until a news anchor’s daughter makes him spend the whole news time on the doll. The doll immediately starts to stir tension and gets the owners of Malibu Stacy very worried. This shows how the effort of a few can scare a big corporation. On the day the doll is released, there is a large crowd of girls waiting to get the doll. As soon as the doors to the store are opened, the girls run for the doll. Right before they get there, a cart of new Malibu Stacy’s is presented in front of them. The girls are all obsessed by the new doll and all take Malibu Stacy instead of Lisa’s doll. All except one girl, in which Lisa takes positively in the fact that she changed one girl’s life. This shows how the big corporations always win and even though Lisa came so close to making a real change, the big corporation beat her. This also provides an example of how the number of feminists don’t match the number of big business people who limit women on what they can accomplish. The simpsons provide a great number of issues today in our lives in this single episode.
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