Engaging with gender
Star trek's 'next generation'(R)[1]
Bibliographic Data
| ID | 3607713 |
|---|---|
| Authors | Victoria B Korzeniowska (University of Surrey, corresponding author) |
| Year | 1996 |
| Volume | 5 |
| Issue | 1 |
| Pages | 19-25 |
| Publication date | 1996-03-01 |
| Open Access | No |
| Type | ARTICLE |
| Venue | Journal of Gender Studies (JOURNAL) |
| Journal identifiers | ISSN: 0958-9236 • E-ISSN: 1465-3869 |
| Publisher | Informa UK Limited (PUBLISHER • GB) |
| DOI | 10.1080/09589236.1996.9960626 |
| OpenAlex | W2045570950 |
| Language | EN |
| References cited | 3 |
In this article I examine the representation of gender roles in Star Trek: The Next Generation and explore whether the vision of the twenty‐fourth century advanced by the series also incorporates a futuristic vision of gender, or whether it merely perpetuates twentieth‐century gender stereotypes and preconceptions. I argue that although the series presents obvious moves towards androgyny and sexual equality in career function and shows many women in pioneering roles, the latter are only peripheral figures and are not a permanent feature of the weekly episodes. The recurring female characters still conform to today's stereotypes of femininity and occupy positions which perpetuate essentialist stereotypes of nurturance, sensitivity and desire for romance. Similarly, the leading men conform to stereotypes of strength and authority. This situation perpetuates the prescriptive notion of gender‐stereotyped behaviour for both sexes, since only the minor figures are permitted to deviate from these paradigms. The series is therefore disappointing, since its dependence on twentieth‐century gender stereotypes and essentialism is indicative of a power imbalance which continues to valorize the male. This is ultimately a reflection of women's lack of power in today's society rather than a vision of the future. Notes Star Trek The Next Generation® is a registered trademark of Paramount Pictures registered in the United States Patent and Trademark Office
Androgyny · Essentialism · Femininity · Masculinity · Media studies · Political science · Psychoanalysis · Romance · Sociology · Star trek · Trademark · Contemporary Literature and Criticism · Gender Studies · Law · Leadership, Courage, and Heroism Studies · Psychology · Social Psychology · Utopian, Dystopian, and Speculative Fiction
| Highly cited | No |
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