Inquiry PlanThe purpose of the essay is to answer the question: How has Archie Comics reflected changing gender norms in the United States? United States of America since World War II until today as far as women are concerned. in contemporary American society, in its possible questioning of men's position as the dominant sex and in its inclusion of previously marginalized sexual orientations? As entertainment primarily aimed at middle-class America, Archie is a useful way to understand acceptable viewpoints. This article will present the gender roles depicted in Archie Comics in three different time periods: the 1940s, the 1960s, and the new millennium. It will analyze the establishment of traditional gender roles set forth in early Archie comics. Next, it will critique how it responded to challenges to these traditional norms and assess whether comics incorporated these challenges or pushed them aside. Finally, this article will assess the role of today's Archie Comics as a vanguard in the new debate over gender roles and sexual orientation in America. For the purposes of analysis, Archie issues representative of the era will be examined in conjunction with broader historical developments. These include the sexual revolution of the 1960s, the post-feminist world that followed the 1970s, and the rise of LGBT acceptance. Changes in social norms often move at a glacial pace. It is particularly difficult when assessing social norms to define what is normative in the first place. For this reason, most historians look at artifacts and documents that represent popular culture. Although these artifacts and documents can reveal what standards existed at any given time, tracking changes in standards relies on the existence of...... middle of paper ......ItemClick=true&searchText=helen&searchText= mayer&searchText=hacker&searchText=WOMEN&searchText =AS&searchText=A&searchText=MINORITY&searchText=GROUP&searchUri=%2Faction%2FdoBasicSearch%3FQuery%3Dhelen%2Bmayer%2Bhacker%2BWOMEN%2BAS%2BA%2BMINORITY%2BGROUP%26amp%3Bprq%3 Dhelen%2Bmayer%2Bhacker%26amp%3Bhp %3D25% 26 amps % 3Bacc%3Don%26amp%3Bwc%3Don%26amp%3Bfc%3Doff%26amp%3Bso%3Drel%26amp%3Bracc%3Doff.Paul Kupperberg. “Life with Archie #16.” In Archie Married Life, 3:23-24, 2012.———. “Life with Archie #20.” In Archie Married Life, 4:20, 2012.———. “Life with Archie #22.” In Archie Married Life, 4:9, 2012.———. “Life with Archie #23.” In Archie The Married Life, 4:20, 2012.Universe, Funding. "History of Archie Comics Publications, Inc." History Of Archie Comics, nd http://www.fundinguniverse.com/company-histories/archie-comics-publications-inc-history/.