Women in science: The most important punchline of The Big Bang TheoryThe Big Bang Theory is one of the most popular TV shows and you can rarely browse channels without running into one or two repeats. While the show's popularity is impressive, its treatment and portrayal of female characters is not. Women are treated in this show as sexual objects, without the potential to be seen as separate entities. Almost all new female characters are introduced into the show as potential sexual partners for the four main male characters: Leonard, Sheldon, Howard, and Raj. There are several women who are introduced as highly regarded scientists, but by the end of most episodes they are reduced to casual encounters for one of the four main men and are never seen again. There is so much potential to have strong, recurring female characters, but the writers instead use the women as a punchline or sexual object for the men in the show. There is a missed opportunity here to include women as equals in the show, both on the basis of humanity and on the basis of science. Because the show focuses on four scientists instead of any of the more typically male roles often seen in today's television, such as firefighters, lawyers and crime investigators, The Big Bang Theory has the privilege of bringing science to the forefront line in the media. and give the field more representation. While it's a big step forward to have scientists represented on television, there is a clear lack of female scientists on the show, resulting in reinforcing the stigma that women don't belong in STEM fields. The show's creators appear to support the theory of homophily, thinking that their male viewers will only continue to watch if male scientists are represented. What they fail to recognize with this way of thinking, however, is that they are now excluding half the population who might be interested in the Big Bang theory. Representation of women, particularly women in science, would not detract from the show's popularity, but would instead make it more accessible to more viewers. Say no to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on "Why Violent Video Games Shouldn't Be Banned"? Get an Original Essay Although the show ran for eight seasons, there are currently three recurring female characters. All three of these characters have/have had relationships with one of the main male characters. This further goes to the point that female characters cannot exist on this show without simply being there to supplement a male character. Penny, who has been on the show since the first episode, is portrayed as the stereotypical "blonde bimbo". She's mostly used as the basis for the jokes of the four main male characters, and even after eight seasons, she still doesn't have a last name. An article on Feminspire highlighted an episode where Penny goes to the comic book store that the male characters often frequent. She is shown choosing a Thor comic because "Thor is 'hot'" (Pirone 2). This is a perfect example of The Big Bang Theory's use of female characters as a mere joke and also as a means of perpetuating the view of women as "sex-seekers, rather than as fully formed people perfectly capable of appreciating both Thor's abs." and the interesting plots of Thor” (2). Penny is used as a character on the show to further the plots of the male scientists without having a plot of her own. She is said to be an aspiring actress, but this choicecareer path is not often explored. He's less of a separate character and more of a tool used for jokes and sexual objectification. Two of the show's three main female characters are scientists, but they are often shown interacting with their boyfriends, talking about boys, or whatever. doing other stereotypically "feminine" things. Furthermore, the work of all the female scientists shown in the show “is they have never partied like their male colleagues do…. typically [they are] plot devices to further the narrative involving male scientists” (Leon 6). The two main female scientists are shown in very different lights, but serve the same purpose of being there to complement their male counterparts. Dr. Amy Farah Fowler, a neuroscientist, is depicted as the stereotypical brainiac and is shown to be excessively clumsy. She speaks in a very matter-of-fact manner and dresses in what could be considered a demure manner, conveying to the audience that she is indeed very intelligent. On the other hand, microbiologist Dr. Bernadette Rostonkowski-Wolowitz is shown dressed more femininely with cleavage showing cardigans and floral prints. She has an “unusually loud voice that alternately infantilizes and hyperfeminizes her” (6). Both female professions seem to take a backseat, as they are more often used to further develop male characters. The stereotypes seen in these two women help further marginalize women in science through "sexual objectification, professional dismissal" (7), or any combination of behaviors often seen on the show. Amy and Bernadette's careers help set them up as suitable partners for their scientist boyfriends, "but these careers become fodder for the development of their relationships" (McIntosh 199). Their careers are rarely discussed on the show, missing an opportune moment to shine a light on women in science. Instead, they appear to be scientists only because their male counterparts would only date someone who is presumed to have similar intelligence and interests. Amy and Bernadette are described as scientists in two opposite ways. Amy is seen discussing her work more frequently and is shown in her laboratory more often. When Sheldon, her boyfriend, tries to claim superior intelligence, she “quickly shows gaps in her knowledge and skills and asserts not only her expertise but also her confidence in her work” (McIntosh 198). The audience can assume from the start that Amy's more demure clothing and matter-of-fact way of speaking mean that she is indeed capable of being a scientist. This reinforces the stereotype that all women in science must dress in a manner deemed frumpy and more demure. Bernadette, on the other hand, is depicted as incredibly naive and often having questionable ethics when it comes to her scientific practice. She isn't often seen in the lab or discussing her work, but when she is, it's to set up a joke so the audience can laugh at the seemingly incompetent woman trying to make it in a man's profession. This behavior, accompanied by her more feminine appearance and clothing, helps promote the idea that women who are typically seen as feminine cannot be competent in STEM fields. While Bernadette could certainly wear flowered skirts and be a successful scientist, The Big Bang Theory goes against this, instead adding prejudice against women in these fields. Bernadette and Amy interact with their knowledge and intelligence in different ways, often to attract their boyfriends and not lose their interest. In this sense, Bernadette is known to be an expert scientist, but in the show she is shown as.