Media and Stereotypes: Archie, A Wolf in Sheep's Clothing?

This discussion comes about as a result of a cultural diversity classroom discussion on sexual innuendo in children's cartoons. Hence, this discussion briefly introduces the subtle transmission of sexual concepts in the comic material of youth. This is done with the awareness that young people have access to a wide range of visual media and this report is written with this in mind. Researchers Huston, Wartella, & Donnerstein (1992) conduct a literature review of sexual content in the media. Results indicate the transparent transmission of sexual content in comics to youth deserves more attention from society. The above investigation defines sexual content to include "verbal [scripted] references to sexual activity, innuendo, implied sexual activity and visual presentation" (p. 1). This paper uses the same frame of reference. The above researchers indicate that there is a social concern that children and young adolescents are presented with incorrect knowledge about sex.

Gloeckner (1989) shows the origins of the comic book is found in ancient communication between human beings in prehistoric times. It falls into the genre of the picture series method of communication that is used in storytelling, explaining phenomenon, and historical recording. Cave paintings in France, pictographs and hieroglyphics in Egypt, Hogarth's 18-th century The Rake's Progress, to Herriman's 20^th century Krazy Kat are all examples of the writing form.

The 1930s, 40s, and 50s in America signaled the golden years of comics and characters born during this period of time still find popularity during the opening years of the 21^st century. The characters include and are not limited to: Mickey Mouse, Donald Duck, Batman, and Superman. During the 30, 40s, and 50s there is also an intellectual Puritanism in America and this movement brought a case "to The Senate Subcommittee on Juvenile Delinquency resulting in the censorship of many titles and the formation of the Comic Book Code, which sought to restrict horrific element and sexual innuendo in comic books" (Gloeckner, 1989, p.247)

Glasberg (1992) illustrates however that there is another code, The Archie Code. Archie is the comic book character of Archie Andrews who is woven tightly into the fabric of American popular culture. The series is born in the 1940s and the code surrounding Archie, family, friends, school and social encounters illustrate fundamental principles of American society. On a deeper level the comic book series, according to Glasberg, "makes profound comments on significant cultural tensions within a capitalistic social system" (para. 1). Glasberg further advances that the Archie comic characters are doomed to replay codified roles in a clearly designated web of sexual stereotypes.

Glasberg continues with his interpretation. Visual cues symbolize U.S. cultural standards of attractiveness and desirability; and their antithesis, through visual imagery and character archetypal personalities. According the Glasberg, the code is represented by a triangle with Archie at its apex and two women, Betty a blonde (symbolizing vanity combined with purity) at one point and Veronica a brunette (symbolizing vanity corrupted by wealth) at the other.

Putting the word "sexualization" in an internet browser renders amply results on how the media creates and perpetuates sexual stereotypes. There is a great deal of literature devoted towards examining the sexual stereotyping of women. The physical attractiveness of the female physical body takes center stage with the spotlight usually falling on sexual charged innuendo. In the case of the Archie comic book series both Betty and Veronica have voluptuous figures and identical faces, save color of hair and personality. Glasberg posits that Archie can marry the blonde for love or the brunette for money, this choice is to be made between classic capitalistic competitiveness of the two women for Archie. This interpretation also advances that females define attractiveness through similarity in body image. Interestingly Glasberg posits male attractiveness is defined through difference in body image and personality. Reggie, Jughead, and muscle-bound Moose are all depicted as visually different. Further writings in this series seek to discover more on how the media creates and perpetuates sexual stereotypes of the male.

Early adolescents, roughly ages 9-13, are heavy media users selecting comic books along with newspapers, radio, and videos as entertainment sources (Huston, Wartella, & Donnerstein, 1992). These researchers also indicate that media is also used by this segment of the population to make sense of self and of life and as a resource for learning about personal identity development. Media is a tool used to gradually socialize adolescents "into various adult roles and relationships" (pg 2).

Why is this discussion important?

Media has impacts on human behavior. Research indicates that media with sexual content has short and long term impacts. The responses range from inducing arousal leading to immediate inhibition of behavior on mental, emotional, and physical levels of experience. It also contributes "to enduring learned patterns of behavior, cognitive scripts and schemas about sexual interactions, attitudes, and beliefs about the real world" (Huston, Wartella, & Donnerstein, 1992, p. 6). Children learn mechanics of sexual behavior as well as contexts, motives, and some consequences of such behaviors according to Huston, Wartella, & Donnerstein (1992, p. 6). These researchers are careful to note that children are able to pick and choose the content within their unique frame of reference. Adolescents are described as sexually vulnerable and media can influence this vulnerability in a seemingly transparent manner.

This discussion introduces the reader to the idea that some children's literature, overtly innocent in appearance, has the power to covertly carry sexually charged messages. This discussion also traces the symbolic transmission of messages found in comic books to general message transmission during prehistoric times. The golden age of comic book characters in the U.S. occurs in the middle part of the 20^th century. Puritan ethics during this period of time creates governmental oversight regarding content determined to be sexual in nature in comics. However, material which appears to comply with social norms of acceptability can nonetheless carry sexually charged imagery. The Archie Code is one such example.

References

Glasberg, R. (1992, Fall). The archie code: a study in sexual stereotyping as reflective of a basic dilemma in american society. The Journal of Popular Culture. 26(2), p. 25-32. Retrieved June 12, 2008 from http://www.blackwell-synergy.com/doi/abs/10.1111/j.0022-3840.1992.260225.x

Gloeckner, P. (1989). Comic books: a medium deserving another look. Etcetera: A Review of General Semantics. 46(3):246-50.

Huston, A.C., Wartella, E., and Donnerstein, E. (1992). Measuring the effects of sexual content in the media: A report to the Kaiser Family Foundation. Retrieved June 12, 2008 from http://scholar.google.com.ezproxy.apollolibrary.com/scholar?hl=en&lr=&q=Huston%2Bsexual+content&btnG=Search