Stranger Things - Gender Representations Essay

Gender is represented in many different ways in Stranger Things; we obviously have the main male and female genders but these are represented distinct ways in terms of masculinity and femininity. 

The character of Jim Hopper is rough, scruffy and laid back. He's authoritative and dismissive, whereas men are usually depicted as being responsible and doing the right thing more so in the era that Stranger Things is set in. In one particular scene, where Hopper walks in to his workplace he makes demeaning jokes; to be virile is a key masculine trait. In this scene Hopper also states that ''Morning is a time for coffee and contemplation'' meaning that he doesn't want to be bothered/hassled. In fact all the men in this scene are depicted as lazy and it's the only female character that's nagging them to do work. Another male figure that abdicates responsibility in a similar way to Hopper is Mr Wheeler. We don't see much of him but when we do he's dressed in formal attire, he doesn't really care about his children's lives he leaves that to his wife. The only child he speaks to is Mike and he says ''You see what happens when-'' His character suggests that men are easy-going and don't worry about stuff. Mr Clark heavily contrasts these two characters, he's more frail and weak. Whereas masculinity is heightened in Hopper it's reduced in Mr Clark, he's unable to control his class which is something the stereotypical man should be able to do. Mr Clark is more in touch with his emotions, he's happy to discuss them whereas other men don't. 

Gauntlett addresses gender to be less fixed as time passes on, stating that our conceptions of femininity and masculinity have changed. In the first episode of Stranger Things it shows us patriarchal power (Jim Hopper - authoritative figure) and entrenched gender roles (housewife characters, etc.); different from how we are now. Gauntlett argues that now we see multiple different types of gender representations that are apparent in Stranger Things. For example the character of Eleven who is often mistaken for a boy, she's not fixed on any clear gender roles, her gender doesn't define her.

As for femininity; female characters are stereo-typically depicted as weak and letting their emotions out. Joyce Byers is very emotional, just in the first episode we see her stressed and panicking but as a apart of the patriarchal dominant ideology we're made to believe these emotions displaying her as weak.Mrs Wheeler is given the housewife role and shown as caring. One character that doesn't conform to these rules is the so called social worker woman. She's lacking in emotion, she didn't hesitate to shoot Benny, she's more logical and cold which is the opposite of what a female should be. Even in the mise-en-scene she's wearing a suit which is quite masculine. Onto a more younger female character; Nancy Wheeler, the female gender is most commonly objectified, turned into an object for the male gaze. Nancy is not just there to be looked at,  her character goes beyond that. Nancy's friend Barb fits the more virgin trope so we'd expect Nancy to be whore but she's not, her character is more rounded. 

Van Zoonen believes that the representation of women reflect the patriarchal society of 1980s America. The evidence we have to this are the subordinate roles of the female characters within the narrative. For example Housewife Mrs. Wheeler, Whore single mother Joyce, Florence the secretary. But on the otherhand Eleven/Joyce/Nancy reflects the more cultural contexts, progressive representations reflect the world we live in now. This could be seen as problematic as it then doesn't reflect the 1980s which is when the show is meant to be set. 

Judith Butler believes that gender is more of a performance, that you can perform a gender. We learn our gender roles and that's how gender is constructed. But there is also gender trouble, when certain people don't fit into their specific gender moulds. The character of Eleven is forced to perform a gender by the boys; a line from Lucas ''Look at her'' stating that she's not right, she doesn't fit in. The items they pick out for Eleven are references to films from the 1980s for example the long blonde wig, which is a reference to E.T. (1982). They also feminise her gender neutral name by calling her ''El''. Will Byers lacks masculinity, he's depicted as ''Sensitive'', the way he dresses doesn't conform to his gender.  Bell Hooks speaks on Intersectionality and how it should not define people down to their gender, a cross-section of class and ethnicity which come together.

To conclude gender is represented in various different ways in Stranger Things, most these representations subvert themselves by the end of the first season.