Women and science: the biggest punchline of The Big Bang TheoryThe Big Bang Theory is one of the shows most popular TV shows and you can rarely flip through the channels without coming across a rerun or two. While the popularity of the series is impressive, its treatment and representation of female characters is not. Women are treated in this show as sexual objects, without the possibility of being seen as separate entities. Almost all of the new female characters are introduced into the series as potential sexual partners of the four main male characters: Leonard, Sheldon, Howard, and Raj. Several women are introduced as highly esteemed scientists, but by the end of most episodes they are reduced to random relationships with one of the four main men and are never seen again. There is so much potential to have strong, recurring female characters, but the writers instead use women as a punchline or sex object for the men on the show. There is a missed opportunity here to include women as equals in the series, both on the basis of humanity and science. Because the show focuses on four scientists rather than the more typically male roles often seen on today's television, such as firefighters, lawyers, and criminal investigators, The Big Bang Theory has a certain privilege of putting science at the forefront of the media. and give the field more representation. While the representation of scientists on television is a big step forward, there is a distinct lack of female scientists on the show, reinforcing the stigma that women have no place in STEM fields. The show's creators appear to support the homophily theory, believing that their male viewers will only continue watching the series if male scientists are represented. What they fail to recognize with this thinking, however, is that they are now ignoring the half of the population who might be interested in the Big Bang theory. The representation of women, particularly women in science, would not detract from the show's popularity, but would instead make it more accessible to a greater number of viewers. Say no to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on “Why Violent Video Games Should Not Be Banned”? Get an original essay Although the series has been running for eight seasons, there are currently three recurring female characters. These three characters have/had relationships with one of the main male characters. This goes even further to the fact that female characters cannot exist in this series without being there simply to complement a male character. Penny, who has been on the show since the very first episode, is described as the stereotypical "blonde bimbo." She's primarily used as a setting for the jokes of the four main male characters and, even after eight seasons, still doesn't have a last name. An article on Feminspire highlighted an episode in which Penny goes to the comic book store that male characters often frequent. He is shown choosing a Thor comic because "Thor is 'hot'" (Pirone 2). This is a perfect example of The Big Bang Theory's use of female characters as a mere joke as well as a way to perpetuate the idea of ​​women as "sex seekers, instead of fully formed people." who are perfectly capable of appreciating bothThor's abs. and the interesting storylines of Thor” (2). Penny is used as a character in the series to further the male scientists' storylines without having much of a storyline of her own. She is said to be an aspiring actress, but this career choice is not often explored. She is less of a distinct character and more of a device used for jokes and sexual objectification. Two of the three main female characters in the series are scientists, but they are still most often shown interacting with their boyfriends, talking about boys or boys. doing other stereotypically “feminine” things. Additionally, the work of each of the female scientists featured on the show “is never celebrated in the same way as their male colleagues…. they are usually plot devices intended to advance the narrative involving male scientists” (Leo 6). The two main female scientists appear in very different lights, but have the same purpose of being there to replace their male counterparts. Dr. Amy Farah Fowler, a neuroscientist, is portrayed as the stereotypical brainiac and comes off as too clumsy. She speaks in a very matter-of-fact manner and dresses in what could be considered a prudish manner, indicating to the audience that she is indeed very intelligent. On the other hand, microbiologist Bernadette Rostonkowski-Wolowitz dresses more femininely with cleavage showing cardigans and floral prints. She has an “unusually high voice that alternately infantilizes and hyper-feminizes her” (6). These two female professions seem to take a back seat, as they are more often used to further develop male characters. The stereotypes observed in these two women contribute to the further marginalization of women in science through “sexual objectification, professional dismissal” (7) or any combination of behaviors often observed on the show. Amy and Bernadette's careers help make them suitable partners for their scientist boyfriends, "but these careers become fodder for the development of their relationships" (McIntosh 199). Their careers are rarely discussed on the show, missing an opportune moment to spotlight women in science. Instead, they appear to be scientists only because their male counterparts would only date someone supposedly of similar intelligence and interests. Amy and Bernadette are portrayed as scientists in two opposing ways. Amy discusses her work more frequently and is shown in her lab more often. When Sheldon, her boyfriend, attempts to claim superior intelligence, she "quickly shows the gaps in her knowledge and abilities and asserts not only her expertise, but also her confidence in her work" (McIntosh 198). The audience may assume from the start that Amy's more prudish clothing and matter-of-fact manner of speaking mean that she is indeed capable of being a scientist. This reinforces the stereotype that women scientists must all dress in a way that is considered old-fashioned and more demure. Bernadette, on the other hand, is portrayed as being incredibly naive and often having questionable ethics when it comes to her practice of science. She is not often seen in the lab or discussing her work, but when she does, it is to set up a joke so the audience can laugh at the seemingly incompetent woman trying to succeed in a profession. of man. This behavior, along with her more feminine appearance and clothing, helps to reinforce the idea that women who are generally considered..