Gender Stereotypes in Children's Television Cartoons
Kelly Eick, May, 1998
Abstract
This study is based on an analysis of four popular television cartoons in regard to their portrayals
of gender stereotypes. One of the cartoons was created before 1985, and three after. Over a
period of five days, five episodes of each show were recorded and coded for the numbers of male
vs. female characters, physical characteristics of characters, and male/female roles in dilemmasolving and stereotyped jobs throughout each program. Results indicated notable discrepancies
between the portrayals of males and females in all of the cartoons analyzed. Males outnumbered
females considerably, and physical appearances as well as the jobs characters were awarded
often conformed to traditional stereotypes. Females never played the part of the main hero or
problem solver. In general, they were in supporting roles, even when the males seem to be
unsuccessful at fulfilling a particular task. The majority of females shown were also dressed and
drawn stereotypically, with tiny waists and short skirts. The males seemed even more confined
than the females in regards to the roles they were allowed to play and the way they are dressed.
Method
Twenty episodes of four different cartoons were recorded over a five day period. The cartoons
chosen for analysis were The New Adventures of Captain Planet, Scooby Doo: Where are You,
The Jetsons and Jonny Quest: The Real Adventures…
Physical Characteristics
The characters in all four cartoons follow one of four different gender types: the masculine male,
the inadequate male, the delicate female, and the more modern female. There were no 'butch'
females or truly effeminate males seen in any of the cartoons, although some characters had
butch or effeminate traits, such as short hair for females. 'Masculine' means the male who fits in
with American society's stereotypical 'manly man', or a handsome (according to current American
culture) man with definite muscles, and a conservative style of dress and hairdo. The inadequate
male lacks many characteristics of the masculine male. He is weak and fearful, lacking both
physical stamina and any significant amount of courage. This was demonstrated in the cartoons
analyzed not only through actions but also by body type and bone structure, as well as dress and
hairstyle. The delicate female was patterned in the cartoons studied as a woman of delicate
physical structure, who is thin and dressed in a such a manner as would not allow her to
complete tasks traditionally meant for males. The modern female is one who is dressed in a more
neutral fashion, such as jeans or pants, and does not have a noticeably tiny waistline. Physical
traits of the most prominent characters are described below, to later further discussion when tying
these traits in with roles certain characters are allowed to play.
The Jetsons
All of the females in the Jetsons were drawn with the same body shape and type of clothing. The
two main female characters, mother Jane and daughter Judy, are both drawn very thin, with tiny
waists, thin legs and medium busts. Both women are always dressed in skirts, except when Judy
wears her aerobics outfit, which is a tight, red catsuit cut low on her bust. Jane is seen dressed in
a construction uniform once, when she attempts to aid her daughter. Both women are always in
high-heeled shoes, and are always wearing earrings. Their hair is always in the same style, and
never appears dirty or disheveled in any way. Both women have tiny feet. All of female characters
portrayed during the five episodes taped either fit this characterization, or are extremely obese,
and all the women, regardless of body shape, are shown in pastel-colored clothing, such as pink
or light purple.
Both masculine and inadequate men are portrayed in The Jetsons. George and Elroy Jetson, the
two main male characters, are both seen as weak, with no musculature evident around their
chests or upper body areas, and somewhat pronounced waists, in what could be termed a slight
"beer belly". Both have short haircuts and wear conservative clothing consisting of plain blue
pants and white shirt in George's case, and blue overalls and a blue hat on Elroy. George's boss,
Mr. Spacely, is extremely short and fat, and also wears conservative clothing. All three characters
wear the same outfit in every episode that was analyzed. The character Rocky Retro, who
appears in the episode entitled "Nine to Five to Nine" is an extreme example of the masculine
character type. He has very well defined muscles on every visible part of his body, as well as a
tiny waist. He is blond, tan and has a huge, sparkling, white smile which he shows constantly
throughout the episode. He also has a short, conservative haircut. Other masculine characters
also appear regularly, although none as recurring regulars. The men's clothing tends to be some
shade of blue, beige or white.
The New Adventures of Captain Planet
The two female superheroes portrayed, Linka and Gi, as well as Dr. Blight, all fall into the moremodern female archetype. Dr. Blight wears a pink catsuit, and has shoulder-length blond hair that
falls over one eye, but her waistline is not at all pronounced, and her bust is average. Both Linka
and Gi wear beige shorts and T-shirts. Gi's T-shirt is pink and Linka's is dark blue. Both girls have
bright pink lips, as does Dr. Blight. Gi is tan, in keeping with her Asian heritage, but Linka and Dr.
Blight are both pale, and Linka has hair the same blond color as Dr. Blight's.
All the main male heroes in this program are of the very masculine character type. The main hero
of the cartoon, Captain Planet himself, is completely covered in muscles and dresses only in red
briefs and a red cape. Captain Planet has a very small waist. The other male main characters,
particularly Wheeler, fit a somewhat less pronounced version of the same mold. Dressed in pants
and T-shirts of some neutral blue, beige or black shade, all three young male heroes are
somewhat muscular, with conservative hairstyles. The male villains, on the other hand, are
dressed outlandishly, usually in some combination of polka dots or bright colors. One of the two
recurring male villains is severely obese, and all three male villains shown in the five episodes
analyzed were missing several teeth. All the villains portrayed in the episodes viewed were
inadequate in some way, whether it be physically unfit or simply cowardly.
Jonny Quest: The Real Adventures
The only recurring female character in this cartoon, Jessie, is made in the modern mold. She and
the male hero, Jonny, have essentially the same build, with the exception of Jessie's bust, which
is proportional to her height and build . She does, however, tend to wear a lot of pink and pastel
colors, along with shorts and tight stretchpants. She has shoulder-length red hair that she wears
unrestrained at all times.
Jonny Quest, Dr. Quest and Race Bennett are all made in the masculine mold. All three have
conservative, short haircuts, and sport T-shirts and jeans. Race Bennett has a more muscular
build than Jonny or Dr. Quest, but they all have some level of visible musculature. Hadji, their
Arabian guide, is neither the masculine type or the inadequate type, but instead a combination of
the two. He does not have any visible muscles, but he does have stylish clothing and a
conservative haircut. He is not visibly obese in any way, but has an average build.
Scooby Doo: Where are You
The two recurring female characters, Daphne and Velma, both wear skirts, but that is where their
similarity ends. Daphne is the complete embodiment of the delicate female, with a tiny waist and
thin legs and arms. She wears an outfit made of pink and pastel purple fabric, and pastel purple
high heels. She has long red hair and is very pale, and stands with her hands on her hips a great
deal of the time. Velma, on the other hand, has a much stockier build, with a larger waist and
slighter thicker arms and legs. She wears a sweater and skirt made of a plain mustard color, and
thick black-rimmed glasses. She also wears knee socks.
Fred and Shaggy, the two main male characters, also portray these opposites. Fred is blond and
tall, with a somewhat muscular build and a very conservative style of dress. His pants always look
neatly pressed and he wears a clean white shirt with a collar. Shaggy, on the other hand, is very
tall and thin. His brown hair appears eternally disheveled, and his pants and shirt are bulky,
appearing too big for his thin frame.
Character Portrayals
Cartoons were coded for both the jobs characters of different genders play and the input they
have in regards to conflict resolution. In all the cartoons studied, the main character in the
program was male. Three of the four cartoons had the main male character in a heroic role, and
one had an inadequate male as the main character. Females were also portrayed in heroic roles,
but their actions were supportive in nature to the males in the programs, and much of their input
into verbal discussions of the daily dilemma was less valuable than the males. Males were never
seen portraying roles that could be construed as feminine in any way, but females often took jobs
that could be traditionally seen as male. In all cases there were exceptions in the data which
made exact patterns sometimes difficult to define.
There was a definite correlation between the physical attributes of a character and their job and
ability to contribute in a valuable manner to discussions surrounding conflict resolution. The
overtly masculine characters - Fred, Captain Planet, Dr. Quest and Race Bennett - were more
often the direct cause of conflict resolution, and most likely to be the leaders in discussions and
the primary decision-makers. Fred, in Scooby Doo: Where are You, was the most pronounced
example of this. In all five episodes viewed, Fred was the one to come up with a plan to catch the
villain. Captain Planet was also required on a regular basis to save the rest of the cast from
certain death. In Jonny Quest: The Real Adventures, Dr. Quest and Race Bennett resolved the
main conflict and directed the other characters in all of the four episodes in which they were
featured. The title character, Jonny Quest himself, only directly caused conflict resolution in one
episode, but was required to save Jessie from danger six times.
In discussions regarding conflict resolution, the masculine males often engaged in silencing and
dominance over both the females and the inadequate males. In one episode of The New
Adventures of Captain Planet, Linka follows Wheeler around as he attempts to take a photograph
of an endangered species of owl. During the course of the episode, Wheeler has to replace the
camera four times because he is inept at using it. Each time, Linka attempts to instruct him, but
Wheeler keeps control of the camera, despite her superior knowledge as to its use. In another
episode, Wheeler tells Linka that "at least I'll get to see how cute you turn out, Blondie." Later in
the same episode he refers to another woman as a "babester".
Results also indicated without exception that positions of power, such as police officers, security
guards and military officers, were always portrayed by men. Fathers were portrayed on three
separate occasions, in both masculine and inadequate form. The fathers shown were also the
main decision-makers in the family unit.
The two main inadequate males shown, George Jetson and Shaggy, had less input into conflict
resolution. Both seemed to stumble upon resolutions to their problems by accident or fate, or
were aided in some way by the more masculine characters. While all of the cartoons' heroes
were attractive and masculine, all of the male villains portrayed were also physically deficient in
some way, such as being too fat or too thin, and usually being either sloppy or outlandish in
dress. In Jonny Quest: The Real Adventures, the main villain is a quadriplegic with gray hair and
some unknown, unsightly skin condition. In The New Adventures of Captain Planet, all the male
villains are missing at least two teeth. In The Jetsons, all villains, as well as George Jetson's boss
Mr. Spacely, were extremely overweight, and either much taller or much shorter than the other
characters.
Female characters were featured much more often than their male counterparts in jobs that have
been traditionally tailored to a certain sex. Women were seen as scientists, superheroes, judges
and dog breeders, as well as taking the traditional roles of mothers, wives and housekeepers.
However, there were several female characters who seemed to serve no purpose at all, except to
follow the other characters around. When they spoke, which was not often, they either restated
the statements of other characters, or made random comments such as "Wow! He could still
scare me Professor." None of the male characters could be classified in this manner. The
females that fit this description were also the thinnest and most feminine women portrayed.
Women drawn in a more modern fashion and average body shape tended to contribute more in
both volume and content to discussions, both in mixed and single sex groups.
Discussion
… As with previous studies in this area, analysis showed a huge gap between the numbers of
males and females being portrayed in the cartoon television arena. There were no female leads
found, and the females who were prominent were often stereotyped in subtle but significant ways.
Findings indicated that while female cartoon characters are being allowed to take on an
increasing number of once all male jobs, the stereotypes are still promoted in the way women
play these roles and the amount of power they are given. In one episode of The New Adventures
of Captain Planet, where a woman plays a judge, the villains win. At three separate points in the
30-minute show, she makes statements to the effect of "There's nothing I can do." In the same
episode, another female character, Linka, follows around one of the males, Wheeler, as he
attempts to take a picture of an endangered owl. They are supposed to be working together, but
Linka is never allowed to use or even hold the camera, despite the fact that Wheeler proves
during four separate incidents throughout the program that he is inept at the using it. Linka
instead engages in nagging Wheeler, while he silences her by ignoring her attempts at aid. And
he degrades her with statements like the "blondie" comment mentioned earlier. Females are
allowed to be superheroes, but not the lead superhero. They are permitted to operate machinery,
such as flying planes and cars, but are often excluded from important decisions. Frequently,
women were conveniently elsewhere during these decisions, usually by being the victim of some
type of danger. The character Gi, from The New Adventures of Captain Planet, spends the last
half of one episode trapped in an underwater observatory. Instead of attempting to rescue herself,
she makes pointless comments to her captor such as "You'll never get away with this". In the
episodes studied, no female was ever the sole instigator of plot resolution, but many of the male
characters were.
Even more disturbing are the female characters who appear in the cartoon for no particular
reason. Neither Daphne (Scooby Doo: Where Are You) nor Judy (The Jetsons) ever participate in
conflict resolution. Both are shown standing around or worrying about trivial problems in scenes
where intense conflict resolution is taking place. Their gender performance consumes all of the
their screen time. At one point, Daphne yells "Oh! My hairdo!" as she, Velma and Fred are
trapped in a sinking boat.
Daphne and Judy are both attractive but useless. Velma and the afore mentioned judge do make
contributions, but are drawn quite physically unattractive. The judge has what could be termed a
"butch" haircut, and Velma is slightly overweight, with sloppy clothing and large black-rimmed
eyeglasses. Strangely enough, the exact opposite is true for the male characters studied. While
there were no completely useless males, levels of masculinity directly paralleled amounts of
valuable input in verbal discussions and nonverbal action. In fact, many of the unattractive and
inadequate males were not responsible for their own contributions. Often they would
"accidentally" capture villains by falling on top of them or dropping something that happens to
land on their nemesis. Male characters were also portrayed in a stereotypical manner. They were
routinely placed in positions of power, such as policemen, superheroes, and scientists. They were
never shown crying, cleaning, cooking or performing any role that could be seen as feminine. In
one episode of Jonny Quest: The Real Adventures, Race Bennett discovered that his daughter
Jessie had died. He reacted violently and punched his companion. At no point did he cry, or show
any sign of grief other than anger. He and the other fathers did hug their children to show
affection, but at no point were they portrayed having serious discussions about feelings. In one
episode, the female character went to the mother of one of the male characters she had a crush
on instead of speaking with her own father.
A lot of labeling of women by men also takes place in all the cartoons. Despite having proven her
value as a problem solver and computer programmer, Jessie is referred to several times by her
father as "my little girl". As with the "blondie" comment, this undermines everything else the
female character has accomplished and places her in the role of a child. It is interesting to note
that in the same cartoon, Jonny, who is approximately the same age as Jessie, is never referred
to as "boy" by either his father or anyone else in the program. And throughout the program, he
and Jessie take on many of the same responsibilities and are often seen as having equal say in
decision making. Overall, I found that stereotypic gender portrayals are very much a reality in
children's television cartoons, although over the years they have become more subtle and harder
to define. The completely useless Daphne is replaced by the nagging Linka, and males continue
to rule the television world.