An Analytical View of Gender from Glee by Donald LeBlanc

Glee is a show that features fictional high school students from different races, religions, and sexual orientations among both genders. The show places considerable influences on male and female sexualities towards the same sex and places basic stereotypes towards men and women. In the show, it is shown that many of the male protagonists are, in fact, homosexual. The show Glee places a strong emphasis on homosexuality and cross gender, between both genders. The show also portrays the typical masculine high school athlete, shows how a homosexual male can maintain his masculine appearance, depicts how one's gender is not always easy to determine and depicts women as mere sexual objects.

When watching the show viewers are immediately drawn to the major focus of homosexuality, specifically, between the male genders. In many episodes, there are numerous scenes where two male characters, called Kurt and Blaine, kiss. In the show, Kurt is represented as a flamboyant homosexual and seems to reinforce that same sex gender is one of the various target audiences for the show. Kurt has a passion for women’s make-up and female fashion, even though he is male. Such activity in the show does garner many adverse reactions and is not accepted among many of Kurt’s peers. For instance, because of Kurt’s take on a female identity gender; he is often bullied by the football team, his classmates and even teachers. Though despite the mistreatment Kurt often receives, the show celebrates and welcomes the idea of homosexuality between both genders, and at times encourage it. The show implies that homosexual males such as Kurt should be bullied and belittled in the belief that being attracted to the same gender is not considered normal.

Though the sho...

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...eir gender, this portrayal of women suggests that the target audience for these female characters is towards young male viewers. The show constructs the idea that femininity is the epitome of gorgeous looks and erratic behavior. Many of the females in the show also depend on men in some way for affirmation of their looks, personality and talent.

In conclusion, Glee is a show that builds upon conventional and unconventional understandings of gender, sex, and sexuality among males and females. The show teaches its audience to be more tolerant to those regardless of their selection of sexuality towards any gender. The show cinematically displays male masculinity as the dominant power structure and femininity as the inferior one. Despite the show confining both genders to basic stereotypes, such as masculinity and femininity, it presents them in an entertaining way.