Gender roles are no longer the rigid, black and white things they used to be. In this age of acceptance, we have seen a drastic change in what is considered "acceptable" for each gender. Things that were once inappropriate for males or females are now embraced, giving everyone the chance to express who they truly are without having to fit inside of a certain label. Television and film have helped tremendously in normalizing the fluidity that has become such a strong part of our culture today. Here's a list of older TV shows that helped pave the way for this revolution.
M*A*S*H
This classic television series from the 1970s follows the military personnel running a surgical unit in South Korea during the Korean War. Head nurse Major Margaret Houlihan was the only female main character, and she was one of the fiercest. She showed her determination and strong will not only with her nurses, but with the other main characters. She made sure everyone in the unit knew that she was not weak as many would expect her to be, but rather strong enough to handle any task handed to her as well as a man could. In addition, Corporal Max Klinger spent a lot of screen time dressed as a woman in an attempt to be discharged from the war, introducing the idea that a man could embrace women's fashion even in a tough place like the military. With these fantastic characters, M*A*S*H portrayed each gender in a manner that was way before its time, but very refreshing.
Roseanne
A hilarious 80's sitcom, Roseanne tells the story of a middle class family in Illinois. Unlike previous American family sitcoms, the mother of the family runs the household. Roseanne Conner made the dirty jokes, disciplined the kids, and had the final say in any matter. One of her daughters, Darlene, followed suit. In her on-again, off-again relationship with David, Darlene assumed much of the typically male characteristics while David played the more sensitive, passive female role. This unorthodox dynamic worked perfectly for the show and made it a big hit with audiences.
One of my favorite 90s sitcoms, this show had one character in particular that broke all the rules: Niles the butler. Niles could do all the fabulous cooking and cleaning a maid could do, was always quick with sass, and pursued gossip at every available opportunity. This behavior is typical for gay male characters, but Niles showed that there was nothing wrong with a man being sassier than the women he was interested in!
Law and Order
Each series in this franchise is full of strong female characters excelling in traditionally male-dominated professions. From an early leader Lieutenant Anita Van Buren to talented medical examiner Melinda Warner, and from strong assistant district attorneys like Abbie Carmichael and dedicated detectives such as the iconic Olivia Benson, these shows gave us nothing but fierce women crushing professional stereotypes from the beginning.
The Fairly Odd Parents
Cosmo and Mr. Turner constantly broke the expected norms for men throughout this classic cartoon, being proudly put into typically female situations such as beauty pageants and all the physical and emotional stages of pregnancy. Being a cartoon for younger kids, this show introduced independence and freedom for both genders at an early age.
