MovieChat Forums > The Brady Bunch (1969) Discussion > The sexism in this show really annoys me

The sexism in this show really annoys me

posted 9 years ago by GraceFromSoCal
104 replies | jump to latest

Let me start off by saying that the Brady kids and I are contemporaries. 

With that said, watching the show now (as a middle-aged adult) sometimes makes me REALLY uncomfortable because of its overt sexism. Like in "54-40 and Fight" (the episode about the trading stamps). The kids go on and on about sexist things like how groceries are part of a girl's domain, a row boat is for boys, sewing machines are only for girls, etc.

When I watch older shows--shows from before my time, like "I Love Lucy"--the inherent sexism doesn't really bother me. In other words, I accept that Lucy was a homemaker and Ricky was the breadwinner--as most families were back then. But when I watch shows from my youth, I get offended by sexism--because *I* wasn't brought up that way. I grew up thinking/knowing that I could be ANYTHING I wanted to be and, indeed, that's what I did. Started out working toward going to medical school, then had an amazing offer that caused a career detour--into the heavily male-dominated world of computer programming and system administration in the '80s. It never occurred to me that I couldn't/shouldn't do any of that, or that my domain was the kitchen and groceries and sewing machines. 

Just curious if anyone else--of similar age--feels the same way regarding the archaic sexist sentiments displayed on TBB.

--

http://www.CaliforniaDreamsPhotography.com

[–] GraceFromSoCal 9 years ago

I'm sorry, but if a woman is elected president, she ceases being just a woman and becomes commander and chief.

It's "Commander in Chief." 

She will go to war if it's the right thing to do.

Exactly.

I have had the highest respect for women like Golda Meir, Margaret Thacher, and Indira Gandhi. My argument is with women who sit on their butts and yell discrimination.

You and me both! I can't stand ANYONE bitching about some perceived discrimination when, in fact, there is none. Like that group of women who got thrown off a wine train in NorCal because of their loud, obnoxious, intrusive noisemaking, which numerous other passengers complained about, then the women turned around and played the race card: "it's racism! we're black and THAT's why they threw us off the train!" Um, no, you were loud and obnoxious, AND you failed to heed multiple warnings from staff, THAT's the reason. 

--

http://www.CaliforniaDreamsPhotography.com

[–] theflash71 9 years ago

But wasn't the point of the episode, to show that girls were equal, and in the end the girls decide to get a prize that both of the sexes could enjoy.

[–] Jennie_Portrait 9 years ago

What I find particularly annoying about the episode is that the parent ENCOURAGE completion among the kids. That would have been a non-starter in my family. From the outset, my parents would have said we had to use the stamps for something that made everyone happy-- like the new TV.

[–] coreycitn63 9 years ago

Sherwood Schwartz was behind the times in 1969. Times was changing and he didn't. His excuse was that The Brady Bunch was an escape from Vietnam War and the problems the country was facing.

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[–] Jennie_Portrait 9 years ago

The show did make allusions to some topical things -- like Watergate. Recall the episode where Peter secretly taped conversations.

Also, in the early 1970's there was a beef shortage. Alice even mentions this in a joke once.

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[–] jefgg 8 years ago

Sometimes TV seems to lag a little behind society. Maybe it has to do with the age of the producers and/or writers. And old scripts get recycled.

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[–] deem_bastille 8 years ago

"I am Woman"

god I hate that song. the idea of the sounds great but when I first heard it I was like 'what is this slow crap?'

you can't really believe the old crap about men being superior to women...

we can't believe it now but back then, these 'men' considered themselves superior. they really did think they were superior. probably because their fathers told them they were superior because of what was in their Hanes'. They didn't think being jobless by choice or treating your wife/daughters like crap was being a deadbeat but actually leaving is. but basically, they didn't leave because then they would have to wash their own underwear make their own sandwiches, brew their own coffee and scrub their own toilet.

my sister's father in law is the epitome of thinking men are better than women. I just thank god he had sons and not daughters -- his girl/s would be so screwed up due to how he still thinks about women.

when his son met my sister they were both in the navy [graduated ROTC] and were stationed on the same ship. when they began dating and when she met his father she was nearly in tears due to what he said matter of factly [at least in his eyes]. "What is the world and country coming to when a girl [not female or woman] is allowed to be on a Navy ship, much less gun it..."

I want him away from my nieces[his grand children] and the elder one who is only 2 picked up on his bullchit right quick.

Oh God. Fortune vomits on my eiderdown once more.

[–] Phil_Packer_1973 8 years ago

There were for sure some things that weren't very PC about TBB but you have to see in the context of its time. In the episode about the pilgrims, there was a reference to Native Americans as "red faces."

This type of thing was a very small part of the show and it really doesn't hurt my enjoyment of it.

[–] Htos_Drol 8 years ago

It's interesting to note that in the United States, there's a professional football team called the 'Redskins' with a caricature of native American as their logo. From what the NFL and Redskin organization report, it seems that native Americans love the reference. Others may feel differently, but it seems to be what they say.

[–] Smokey_McBongwater 8 years ago

Women belong in the kitchen or on their back.



[–] jefgg 8 years ago

What's wrong with being sexy? I am joking, of course.

[–] Phil_Packer_1973 8 years ago

The one glaring example that would set off alarms today was in the clubhouse episode where Mike comments that if any of his boys ever wanted to play in a "girls clubhouse" he'd take them to see a psychiatrist right away. At that time, it was no big deal but I don't think you'd ever hear a line like that in one of today's sitcoms.

God created the domestic cat so that humans could know what it's like to caress the tiger

[–] Htos_Drol 8 years ago

If you heard that today, it would have quite a different meaning. Wink Wink.

[–] Chara_Angel (133) 3 years ago

Greg was the worst about this. Some of the lines in this show are cringe. I still love it though!