First of all, in The Simpsons, the scene where we get into the actual plot of the story opens with Marge and Lisa entering a department store that sells dolls . The gender stereotype that girls are only interested in playing with dolls is reinforced here as a huge selection of Malibu Stacy dolls are on display with a crowd of screaming, bloodthirsty girls tearing up the store. Lisa says, "I'm warning you mom, I might go a little crazy." and immediately knocks down one girl and snatches another in a chokehold to be first in line for the new Malibu Stacy doll. In the next scene we have the whole family in the car with Homer driving. He bakes a cupcake with an easy-to-bake oven he bought at the mall. Marge tells him he shouldn't do that. The stereotype here is that men are more impulsive, as demonstrated by Homer and his pastry chefs driving without regard for his or his family's safety; and that women like to play it safe and think before they act, as Marge demonstrated. Another remarkable observation is the fact that Homer complements his gender stereotype as the breadwinner. He works at the nuclear power plant while Marge plays the role of the proud housewife who is rarely seen outside the house and has boyfriends. Homer, on the other hand, is not limited to his domestic role and is frequently shown at Moe's Tavern with his friends, at work or doing something stupid and dangerous. This reinforces the stereotype that women have few friends and stay close to domestic life while men have many friends, are more independent and bring home the bacon. Additionally, Bart and Lisa also conform to their gender stereotypes. For example, in the back seat, Ba...... middle of paper ......art with men. Similarly, in The Simpsons, the same fundamental issue of male dominance was addressed when Lisa's doll was shot. Now, there's a duality to this episode because you can look at it and say that it's about big companies pushing the little guys to the curb. But looking a little closer, we discover another side of the situation: our male-dominated society has no place for a strong and independent woman, as Lisa Lionheart illustrates, and wants to maintain the status quo of women playing the most subservient role. Works Cited Stan, B. and Jan, B., 1986. The Berenstain Bears: No Girls Allowed. New York: Random House. Lynch, B., Oakley, B. and Weinstein, J. (director/writer). (1994, February 17). Lisa vs. Malibu Stacy [TV series episode]. Kuwahara, J., Price, M. and Thacker, J. (executive producers), The Simpsons. Century City, Los Angeles, California: 20th Century Fox.