Feeling like giving up

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On talk shows like Maury and Steve Wilkos (I don't include Jerry Springer because that show is staged), I have noticed different attitudes between the female guests and the male guests when confronting their mates of possible infidelity or paternity.

For example, when a woman suspects her male partner of cheating, she is extremely angry and unforgiving, and has a "guilty until proven innocent" mindset about her. On the other hand, a male guest is understandably suspicious, but calm and just wanting closure to see if his female partner is cheating. In the occasional case where a man cheats as revenge for his girlfriend/wife's previous infidelity, he was able to forgive her cheating, but she will not forgive him when the tables are turned.

In the paternity episodes, a woman will claim to be "1000% sure" that a guy is her baby's father, and is angry and confrontational at the guy, despite that the paternity questions are apparently from her infidelity, but will get defensive if the guy accuses her of sleeping around. It's as if her infidelity is excusable, but his questioning/denial of paternity is not. As with the cheating episodes, the men are simply wanting closure.

And the attitudes towards exes are worse. With both genders, the attitudes are often hot-headed. But there was one episode of Maury where a woman was so hateful of her ex that she charged him $100 per visit to see his kid (it was a paternity episode), and still refused to let him see her when it was determined that he was the father. It was never stated why she "hated" him. Then there was an episode of Steve Wilkos in which a woman held such a grudge against an ex that she programmed her daughter to tell people that he molested her.

Has anyone else noticed the difference in these attitudes?

Last edited by Tim_Tex on 27 Apr 2012, 11:20 pm, edited 1 time in total.

I wouldn't put much faith in anything that anyone says or does on the Maury show lol. It's great for a quick laugh but that's about it!

I hate to admit it, but I have watched a few episodes in full. I love it when they have the women on the show who have been there multiple times trying to find out who the baby daddy is lol.

why are you watching that trash? it has no legitimate purpose or function - it's is pure garbage.

Exactly. Just like Jersey Shore.

yep. those people are not "real". they are television characters.

So these double standards are just part of a quest for ratings?

why do you care about supposed double standards on garbage television?

Just something that's interested me.

I know, I know, consider the source. Still, attitudes spread, and these shows only show these things because there is a demand to watch them. I'm more worried about the fact that reality TV has an audience than the genre itself.

I would care about double standards on these shows because I know there are tons of people who agree with them. Well, enough for a network to consider confirming public biases profitable. In other words, they repeatedly strengthen existing crappy attitudes.

Even the immature can be influential.

A particularly sexist TV show in the UK is Loose Women on ITV1. Lots of crude middle-aged women going on about men in not particularly nice ways.

then i would suggest outright that people should NOT watch them, and instead tune into some quality tv that doesn't reinforce untrue and unfair stereotypes.

I share your sentiment, but no one would invest money in the shows if market research and public viewing habits could be overturned by isolated suggestions.

The people who watch these programs are fans, so they are not likely to stop on a whim.

well, they should. instead of watching it and believing the trope, they should break the habit and find some quality programming. we can't change the programs to be less sexist, so there is absolutely no point in complaining about it. but there is a point in turning the show OFF.

I wouldn't worry about what some show aimed at Peggy Bundys across the world said. This is 2012 and the novelty value of these shows have worn off.

I agree with everything you say reality TV is, but the fans have made their decision as consumers.

As far as they are concerned, they found quality programming.

They have to make the call to switch. We don't have that authority.

exactly. what i am getting at is that complaining about the programming on a forum will get a person nowhere.