Boy Meets World (Childbirth in the Media)

Summary

The presentation explores the portrayal of birth in the media, focusing on 'Boy Meets World' Season 6, highlighting the show's depiction of gender roles, maternal health, and societal expectations during the late '90s. It discusses the contrast between the era's medical advancements and the persistence of racial and socioeconomic disparities in maternal and infant mortality. The analysis also touches on the media's evolving representation of pregnant bodies, from Demi Moore's iconic Vanity Fair cover to the unrealistic standards set for pregnant women, and the impact of these portrayals on public perception.

Takeaways

• 📺 The presentation focuses on 'Boy Meets World', a family comedy series that aired from 1993 to 2000, and specifically on season 6 episodes 16 and 17, which deal with the topic of birth.
• 🌎 The episodes were aired during a time when maternal and infant mortality rates were declining due to advances in medicine and healthcare accessibility, but disparities still existed based on race, geographic location, and socioeconomic status.
• 📉 The birth rate in 1999 was 14.2%, with 3.96 million births, and there was a significant drop in teen pregnancy and smoking among pregnant women, along with an improvement in prenatal care.
• 🔪 The rate of C-sections in 1999 was 22% and has been steadily increasing, reaching 32% by 2022, indicating a growing prevalence of this birth method.
• 🤱 Breastfeeding rates were reported to be 67.9% in 1999 and 2000, with a continuation rate of 13.1% after 12 months, despite public attitudes that did not fully support breastfeeding in public.
• 💥 The late 90s were marked by significant events for women's rights and feminism, including the third wave of feminism and the 'girl power' movement, yet gender inequality persisted, with women earning only 77% of men's wages in the U.S.
• 💰 Economic and political events of the 90s, such as technological advancements and welfare reform, influenced societal norms and attitudes, including those towards pregnancy and birth.
• 🎭 The portrayal of pregnant bodies in the media during the 90s was influenced by Demi Moore's 1991 Vanity Fair cover, which led to the sexualization and objectification of pregnant women.
• 👶 The episodes of 'Boy Meets World' covered in the presentation depict a baby shower, labor, C-section, and the birth of baby Joshua, reflecting the birth context of the late 90s.
• 🚫 The episodes reinforced gender roles and expectations, with a focus on the male gaze and the exclusion of the mother's perspective on her pregnancy and the birth of her child.
• 🤔 The presentation critiques the show's portrayal of pregnancy, body image, and gender roles, highlighting issues such as fat shaming, the dilution of strong female characters, and the lack of accurate representation of medical procedures like C-sections.

Q & A

What is the main focus of the presentation on 'Boy Meets World'?

The presentation focuses on the portrayal of birth in the media, specifically in season 6 episodes 16 and 17 of 'Boy Meets World', and how it reflects the social context of the time.

What was the general trend of maternal mortality around the time 'Boy Meets World' episodes were aired?

Maternal mortality was steady until 1999, after which there was a noted increase, likely due to changes in ICD-10 coding rather than an actual rise in deaths.

What factors contributed to the decline in infant mortality rates during the time period discussed?

Advances in medicine, better accessibility to healthcare, and other factors contributed to the decline in infant mortality rates.

How did the risk associated with home births compare to hospital births during the 1990s?

Interestingly, there were lower risks associated with home births compared to hospital births during the 1990s.

What was the birth rate in the United States in 1999?

The birth rate in 1999 was 14.2%, which translates to 14.2 births per thousand people.

How did the portrayal of pregnant bodies in the media change in the 1990s?

The 1990s saw an increase in the visibility and sexualization of pregnant bodies in the media, with Demi Moore's Vanity Fair cover in 1991 being a significant moment.

What was the attitude towards breastfeeding in public during the late 1990s?

Public attitudes towards breastfeeding in public were not very supportive, with a common belief that formula was just as good as breast milk.

How did the portrayal of gender roles in 'Boy Meets World' episodes reflect societal expectations?

The portrayal of gender roles in the episodes reinforced traditional stereotypes, with women expected to be natural caregivers and men often excluded from the birth process.

What was the significance of the 'don't ask, don't tell' policy in relation to LGBTQ rights during the Clinton Administration?

The 'don't ask, don't tell' policy prevented military personnel from asking about homosexuality and banned homosexual activity in the military, reflecting a restrictive stance on LGBTQ rights.

How did the episodes of 'Boy Meets World' handle the topic of C-sections?

The episodes portrayed C-sections as a common procedure, with 22% of babies being born via C-section in 1999, and this rate continued to increase in subsequent years.

What were some of the criticisms regarding the portrayal of pregnancy and body image in the episodes?

Criticisms included the enforcement of gender roles, fat shaming of pregnant women, and the portrayal of pregnant women as insecure and desperate for validation.

How did the episodes compare to earlier portrayals of pregnancy in media, such as in 'Gone With the Wind'?

The episodes of 'Boy Meets World' showed a significant shift from earlier portrayals where pregnancy was either hidden or not discussed, to a more visible but often negative portrayal of pregnant women.

What was the impact of the third wave of feminism and the 'girl power' movement on the representation of women in the media during the 1990s?

The third wave of feminism and the 'girl power' movement in the mid-90s brought more attention to women's rights and gender inequality, influencing the representation of women in the media, although wage gaps and gender roles persisted.

How did the episodes of 'Boy Meets World' depict the involvement of fathers in the birth process?

The episodes often showed fathers being separated from the birth process, with the narrative focusing on their reactions and emotions rather than their active participation.

What was the public perception of the C-section procedure in the media during the late 1990s?

The public perception was that C-sections were becoming more common and were a standard procedure, as portrayed in 'Boy Meets World', despite the actual complexities and variations in individual experiences.

How did the episodes handle the topic of breastfeeding and public attitudes towards it?

The episodes touched on the topic of breastfeeding, reflecting the public attitudes of the time which were not very supportive, and often pitted breastfeeding against formula feeding.

What were some of the social movements and economic and political events mentioned in the script that influenced the portrayal of birth and gender roles?

Social movements like the 'back to sleep' campaign for SIDS reduction and the reproductive justice movement influenced perceptions. Economic and political events included technological advancements and welfare reform, with policies like the Defense of Marriage Act impacting LGBTQ rights.

Outlines

00:00

📺 Media Portrayal of Birth in '90s Sitcoms

The paragraph discusses the portrayal of birth in the media, specifically focusing on the TV show 'Boy Meets World' during the 1990s. It provides context on maternal and infant mortality rates, birth locations, and birth rates during the time the episodes aired. The script also touches on the increase in C-sections and the public's attitude towards breastfeeding. It sets the stage for a deeper dive into topics such as body image during pregnancy, gender roles, and societal views on pregnancy and birth as depicted in the show.

05:01

🌟 Celebrity Influence and Social Movements in Pregnancy Representation

This paragraph highlights the influence of celebrity culture on the portrayal of pregnancy, referencing Demi Moore's provocative Vanity Fair cover that contributed to the sexualization of pregnant bodies. It also covers social movements like the 'Back to Sleep' campaign and the reproductive justice movement, emphasizing their impact on society's understanding of pregnancy and birth. The paragraph further discusses the episodes of 'Boy Meets World' that delve into gender roles, body image, and the male perspective on pregnancy and birth, critiquing the show's reinforcement of traditional gender norms and the lack of accurate medical depictions.

10:01

🤰 The Male Gaze and Gender Roles in Pregnancy Narratives

The paragraph examines the concept of the 'male gaze' in media portrayals of pregnancy, focusing on how it shapes narratives around birth and maternity. It critiques the show 'Boy Meets World' for its reinforcement of gender stereotypes, such as the expectation for women to be natural caregivers and for men to be detached from the birthing process. The paragraph also discusses the character Topanga's portrayal as a duality between a gentle caretaker and a knowledgeable leader in birth, and how this perpetuates misogynistic messages about women's roles.

15:01

👶 The Impact of Media on Perceptions of Pregnancy and Birth

This paragraph delves into the impact of media on societal perceptions of pregnancy and birth, particularly how shows like 'Boy Meets World' depict the experience. It criticizes the show for excluding the pregnant character, Amy, from decision-making about her newborn's healthcare, which reinforces stereotypes of women as passive and in need of male protection. The paragraph also compares the portrayal of C-sections in the show to real-life experiences, highlighting the inaccuracies and the lack of medical realism in the depiction.

20:04

🏥 Inaccurate Media Depictions of C-Sections and Post-Birth Care

The paragraph critiques the media's portrayal of C-sections and post-birth care, using the 'Boy Meets World' episodes as a case study. It points out the unrealistic representation of the C-section procedure, the lack of communication with the mother about her newborn's health, and the exclusion of the mother from her baby's care. The paragraph also contrasts this portrayal with other media representations and real-life accounts, such as Serena Williams' experience, to emphasize the inaccuracies and perpetuation of stereotypes.

25:05

👨‍👩‍👧‍👦 Diverse Perspectives on Media Portrayal of Birth

This paragraph presents diverse perspectives on the portrayal of birth in media, including personal interviews with a physician assistant and a mother. It discusses the perceived calmness of Amy's birth scene, the inaccuracy of the C-section portrayal, and the importance of patient communication in medical settings. The paragraph also reflects on the show's impact on viewers' understanding of birth and the need for more accurate and inclusive media representations.

Keywords

💡Maternal Mortality

Maternal mortality refers to the death of a woman while pregnant or within 42 days of termination of pregnancy, irrespective of the duration and site of the pregnancy. In the video, it is mentioned that the rate was steady until 1999, after which there was an increase, possibly due to changes in the ICD-10 coding system. Maternal mortality is a critical issue in the context of the video as it reflects the health risks faced by women during childbirth.

💡Infant Mortality

Infant mortality is the death of an infant before reaching one year of age. The script notes that infant mortality rates declined significantly due to advances in medicine and better healthcare access, but disparities still existed based on race and socioeconomic status. This concept is central to the video's theme as it highlights the progress and challenges in infant health outcomes.

💡Home Births

Home births are childbirths that occur outside of a hospital setting, typically in a private residence. The video discusses that there were lower risks associated with home births compared to hospital births, which is an important point in the context of the episodes, as it contrasts traditional hospital birth settings with alternative options.

💡Birth Rate

The birth rate is the number of live births per 1,000 people in a given year. In the video, the birth rate in 1999 is mentioned as 14.2%, with 3.96 million births. This statistic is relevant to the video's theme as it provides a demographic context for the time period in which the episodes were aired.

💡C-Section

A C-section, or cesarean section, is a surgical procedure in which a baby is delivered through an incision in the mother's abdomen and uterus. The video discusses the increasing prevalence of C-sections, from 22% in 1999 to 32% in 2022. This trend is significant in the video as it reflects changes in medical practices and their portrayal in media.

💡Breastfeeding

Breastfeeding is the feeding of an infant with milk produced by the mother's body. The video cites statistics from the American Academy of Pediatrics indicating that 67.9% of infants were breastfed in 1999 and 2000. The topic is relevant to the video's theme as it addresses societal attitudes and practices related to infant nutrition.

💡Third Wave Feminism

The third wave of feminism is a feminist movement that emerged in the 1990s, characterized by a focus on a broader range of issues including identity politics and the diversity of women's experiences. The video mentions the importance of this movement in the context of women's rights and gender inequality, illustrating the broader social changes occurring during the time period of the episodes.

💡Helicopter Parenting

Helicopter parenting is a style of child-rearing where parents are highly involved in their children's lives, often to the point of being overly protective or controlling. The video notes that this was the most common parenting style during the Clinton Administration, reflecting societal shifts in how children were raised and perceived.

💡Don't Ask, Don't Tell

Don't Ask, Don't Tell was a policy in the U.S. military that prohibited openly gay, lesbian, or bisexual individuals from serving. The video mentions this policy as an example of the social and political climate of the 1990s, particularly regarding LGBTQ+ rights.

💡Gender Roles

Gender roles are the societal norms and expectations associated with being male or female. The video discusses the enforcement of traditional gender roles in the portrayal of pregnancy and childbirth, particularly focusing on the male gaze and the exclusion of the mother's perspective in decision-making processes. This concept is central to the video's critique of media representation.

💡Fat Shaming

Fat shaming is the act of making negative comments or expressing prejudice against overweight or obese individuals. In the video, the portrayal of pregnant women in the episodes is criticized for perpetuating fat shaming, with characters making derogatory comments about the size and appearance of pregnant women, reinforcing unrealistic body standards.

Highlights

The presentation focuses on 'Boy Meets World', specifically Season 6 episodes 16 and 17, to explore themes of birth and media representation.

Maternal mortality rates were steady until 1999, with disparities influenced by race, geographic location, and socioeconomic status.

Infant mortality rates declined due to advances in medicine and better healthcare access, but racial disparities persisted.

Home births were associated with lower risks compared to hospital births, a notable finding in birth location studies.

The birth rate in 1999 was 14.2%, with 3.96 million births, and a decline in teen pregnancy and smoking among pregnant women.

C-sections increased from 22% in 1999 to 32% in 2022, becoming a more common procedure.

67.9% of infants were breastfed in 1999, with a significant drop to 13.1% after 12 months.

Public attitudes toward breastfeeding in public were mixed, with a common belief that formula was as good as breast milk.

Abortion provider violence doubled between 1996 and 1997, reflecting a tense social climate around reproductive rights.

The late '90s marked the third wave of feminism and the 'girl power' movement, impacting gender dynamics and women's rights.

Gender inequality persisted in 1999, with women earning only 77% of men's wages in the United States.

The median age of marriage for women increased to 25 years old, and divorce rates slowed throughout the '90s.

Helicopter parenting emerged as the dominant parenting style, contrasting with previous approaches.

Policies under the Clinton Administration negatively affected LGBTQ rights, including the 'Don't Ask, Don't Tell' policy and the Defense of Marriage Act.

Media in the '90s showed a shift in the portrayal of pregnant bodies, with Demi Moore's Vanity Fair cover sexualizing pregnancy.

The episodes 'Baby B, Resurrection' delve into gender roles and the male gaze in the context of pregnancy and birth.

The portrayal of Amy's pregnancy included fat shaming and a focus on post-pregnancy body image, reinforcing unrealistic body standards.

Gender roles in the episodes were restrictive, with Topanga expected to be a natural caregiver and Corey separated from the birth process.

The representation of the C-section was inaccurate, lacking proper medical procedure and patient communication.

The show's portrayal of the NICU included diverse families, highlighting the universality of birth experiences.

Interviews with a PA and a mother provided real-world perspectives on the show's accuracy and impact on perceptions of birth.

Transcripts

hi I'm

s hi I'm

Mara I'm

Andrea and I'm Janette and this is our

presentation on birth in the media

focusing on Boy Meets World specifically

season 6 episodes 16 and

17 so Boy Meets World was a family

comedy series and it ran for about seven

seasons from 1993 to 2000 and it

followed young boy Corey and his life

with his family friends and romantic

partner Tanga and just how they

navigated a multitude of topics such as

struggling with body image and faith and

navigating marriage and misogyny and

such all right so considering the birth

context around like maternal mortality

around this time that the episodes were

aired um maternal mortality the ratio um

was pretty steady and then after 1999

actually there was an heavily increased

rate of um deaths but that was probably

due to changes in the

icd10 um and there there were still

disparities due to factors like race

geographic location and socioeconomic

status for infant mortality um these

rates heavily declined um but things um

probably were in charge of that um and

caused that like um advances in medicine

better accessibility to healthare and

other things but of course there were

still racial disparities and then for

birth locations um it was very

interesting because there were actually

lower risks um Associated to home births

versus Hospital

births um so for birth context part two

let's discuss the birth rate which is

14.2% which just means 14.2 births per

thousand people in 1999 now there were

3.96 million births in 1999 which is the

year the episode aired overall teen

pregnancy fell to 2 to 6% and smoking in

pregnant women overall dropped and we

saw an overall Improvement in prenatal

care which continues now

C-sections are something uh that we are

going to discuss further because it is

discussed in our episodes and 22% of ver

were C-section babies in 1999 and it

continues to steadily increase

throughout the years becoming a more

common procedure as seen in 2022 where

the rate of C-sections is 32% going on

to birth context part three we see that

um breastfeeding according to the jamama

Pediatric article 67.9% of infants were

breastfed in 1999 and 2000 and it

continued to uh

13.1% after 12 months now public

attitudes toward breastfeeding in public

we're not very different as infants uh

formula is just as good as breadfast

milk was the common consensus now um we

see that like breastfeeding there were

some implications it they cared more

about the intentions just like why are

you uh like are you unintentionally

feeding formula or are you intentionally

beating formula if it's unintentional

there was more positive aspects abortion

during 1999 was a little jarring as

arson and bombings abortion providers

were doubled between the years of 1996

and 1997 and 80

862,5kg

context the late 90s were really

important for women's rights and

feminism the third wave of feminism and

girl power movement started around the

mid 90s and as for gender inequality in

1999 women still only made about 77% of

men's wages in the United States so

there was still a bit of a wage Gap as

for marriage and divorce the median age

of marriage for women did jump to 25

years old in 1997 and it historically in

previous decades was around 21 years old

and even divorce rates and marriage

rates did slow throughout the '9

as for custody cases the number of two

parent households from 1990 to 1995 did

jump drastically about a 700,000

household increase and the number of

joint legal custody that was granted to

divorced parents it doubled by the late

'90s and that led to also a decrease in

the amount of custody cases won by just

the mother around that time and as for

parenting Styles helicopter parenting

was the most common style so it was a

sort of complete 180 from what was

previously used for parenting and under

the Clinton Administration there were a

lot of new policies and laws put into

place that um took away from lgbtq

people's rights and um for the military

there was actually a phrase coined in

1993 known as don't ask don't tell that

that prevented military personnel from

asking applicants about homosexuality

but it also um banned homosexual

activity in the military and there was

also a Defense of Marriage Act enacted

in 1996 by Clinton and it ferally

defined marriage as the union of one man

to one woman and this also prevented

lgbtq marriages from being recognized in

States other than the one that they um

were married

in when we think about media in the

1990s um we can see the top movies and

top shows here on the left but something

I really want to highlight is pregnant

bodies in the media in the 9s uh big

representation was Demi Moore's Vanity

Fair cover where she posed nude

in

1991 this kind of spurred the

sexualization of pregnant

bodies and we start to see more pregnant

bodies shown in the media after that as

far as social movements we see uh the

back to sleep campaign for SIDS which is

attributed to reducing um the incidence

of Sids and then we have the

reproductive Justice

movement um that was started by black

women in Chicago who really realized uh

that the current Reproductive Rights

Movement did was not inclusive inclusive

of black

women and then we see some other

economic and political events like

technological

advancements um and welfare reform the

Ada and hippo were also um signed in

1996 as for the actual episodes that we

covered we covered the episodes of baby

b

resurrection and they just deled into

the baby shower that Cory to for Mrs

Matthews and Valentine's Day and then

her going into labor and having a C

section and baby Joshua being born and

then being

in um it was my you can see the writers

directors and performers at the bottom

but these episodes were released in the

late 1990s so c section DRS had already

been rising quickly and including one in

the show wasn't viewed as usually

inappropriate or controversial for the

most part the episode was these episodes

were received very well at the time

however looking back now you can see

that there is a huge enforcement of

gender roles when it came to the

knowledge of pregnancy and labor as well

as some fat phobia surrounding pregnant

women as for our presentation we will be

delving into body image and pregnacy as

well as gender roles um and to how birth

was mainly seen through the male gaze

and how the mother's needs were excluded

during her conversations with her baby

despite it being the main point of this

of the episode we also will discuss a

little bit about um the C-section and

the time of baby Joshua and the niku

throughout

as far as how the show went about

portraying body image and pregnancy uh

the show had definitely progressed from

previous decades that weren't allowed to

even utter the word pregnant on screen

or on National Television or even show a

huge baby bump mostly um it was a very

small baby bump that was shown so they

did portray that well but however uh

they went about it in a way that kind of

brought the pregnant person down and

there was a lot of fat shaming going on

and um the pregnant person was Amy was

not viewed as a very confident or

someone that felt confident in her own

skin and beautiful and this was seen a

lot in a lot of the commentary that was

made for example to her husband Allan

she said don't look at me if I repulse

you and she would get called enormous

and there was a lot of fat shaming that

was done to um allow an audience to

laugh but it consequently made the

pregnant person get portrayed as someone

that's very

insecure and this was also seen as when

she's asking her husband if he still

loves her and it shows how she's sort of

desperate for her husband's love and

validation and she only feels beautiful

uh when or she only feels better when

someone's calling her beautiful such as

what was done after um an incident where

her husband had given a heart-shaped box

for Valentine's Day that wasn't filled

with chocolates but was filled with dry

fruit and there was a lot of fat shaming

from other people in the family as well

as in her ER like as Eric her oldest son

called her uh or told her she looks like

the Great Pumpkin Charlie Brown and a

lot of comments such as that and it also

showed how she was just expected to

bounce back right after and that it sort

of portrayed it in a way as we know that

she isn't beautiful now because they

would even the gifts that they gave at a

baby shower that they threw for her was

lingerie and things like that and it

would talk about how she'll um wear this

afterwards and it's going to make her

look more beautiful after and she would

give comments as oh she don't she

doesn't think she'll ever fit into

something like that again and uh as for

the word pregnant being used on screen

an example of that is after she was

given the lingerie she said um or sorry

to pangas say to Amy you're going to be

so sexy Mr Matthews is going to get you

pregnant all over again so there's a lot

of emphasis on after pregnancy and how

she'll be beautiful afterwards and a lot

of fat

shaming when we compare this boy me's

World episode or these two episodes with

um Gone With the Wind which was a a film

made in 1939 during the production code

era where uh films were not even allowed

to say or use the word pregnancy or give

birth let alone show any portrayal of

pregnancy we see and Gone With the Wind

neither Scarlet or Melanie were

um uh shown with any visible uh evidence

of pregnancy they had no baby bumps and

then

um we also see the terminology a child

was born instead of preg uh pregnancy or

give birth um so when we compare these

uh we really

see the shift from not being able to

show any pregnancy changes

to um pregnancy being shown with a very

visible baby bump but there is this

negative portrayal of like the pregnant

woman being fat that or like

excess so um versus in uh the time of

Gone With the Wind it was not really

acceptable to discuss uh changes that

accompany pregnancy for fear it would

deter young women from having

children and then when we look at Demi

Moore's Vanity Fair cover which

was which occurred the '90s I think this

really set the scene for uh the

portrayal of pregnant women in the 9s in

the media and um it sparked the

beginning of the sexualization of

pregnant bodies we see in our momod

article that we read in class um Mo's

cover challenged the historical Norm of

hiding a woman's pregnant body and

instead objectified the pregnant female

body providing maternal image for public

consumption and

pleasure so there's this thought that

pregnant women are meant to have a big

cute baby bump but the rest of their

bodies are supposed to be small tone and

dainty and this sets up Social

expectations for a pregnant woman's body

um

to be just this big baby bump and the

rest of her body should still be small

and fit and so we

see the fat shaming of uh am in this

episode in this perpetuates this

unrealistic body standard for pregnant

women now both of these episodes of Boy

Meets World really dig into gender roles

both of women and men to start out with

how they talk about women for tapena

there's really a big battle between the

duality of character um for this idea of

the caretaker

either she can be this light-hearted

gentle consoling caretaker or this

leader that really takes charge and is

has this innate knowledge um of the

birth process the first one we see that

that's what Corey really wants her to be

the second one is what Alan Praises her

for um either way unfortunately both of

these roles are sending very

misogynistic messages um of a woman kind

of having this innate being of either

just a caretaker in a gentle way or a

caretaker still having this idea of

birth and this knowledge of birth even

if like toena she's never had a child in

her life um for Amy unfortunately I've

seen the show before I grew up with it

she's usually a very strong Confident

Woman um a very strong mother sending

great messages and she was extremely

diluted for this show um for this these

two episodes which is very sad cuz this

is her fourth child um and you would

think that they'd really grow and try

and bring more emphasis on that and the

strength that that would give her but

this storyline isn't even in her point

of view it really Strays more towards

the male gaze um and she's even left out

of the loop in terms of what's happening

with her baby at first seemingly unaware

of what he um like what his health

condition is that he can't even breathe

on his own and that he's in the NICU um

towards the end of the first episode

that we talk about she ends up she's

just laying in a bed and reading through

a baby name book and asks Alan well

where's the

baby now really honing in on what is

discussed for tapanga this reflects back

to what we had talked about for the

bellies That Go Bump in the night

article that was really owning in on

alien um unfortunately these two quotes

that I pulled still reain true um the

assumption is that women nurture and

care but um because they want to or not

because they want to but because they

can't help it and then essential

motherhood is a societal construct that

posits motherhood As Natural inevitable

and

instinctive um results of being a normal

woman this this again this shows tiena's

new personality rather than the quirky

girl that um Corey knew and fell in love

with when they were kids he has these

deep expectations of her being this

natural caregiver but in a gentle way

and he wants it his way um but Allan

then actually Praises her for this

instinctive maternal leadership um that

is Again The Duality between the two

ways that she's shown um so then looking

at the gender roles for men for Corey

thinking about tapanga again he is he's

demanding that she takes care of him but

in his specific way he doesn't want the

girl that's too pragmatic he wants the

one that's light-hearted um but then

it's hilarious because he doesn't even

know what he's talking about in the

terms of birth which is actually not

hilarious it's very sad because it's

almost as if the directors are really

trying to separate him and just men in

general General from this female realm

of birth cuz he doesn't even know what a

baby shower is it ends up even saying to

for Topanga's line that baby showers are

for women that men don't belong there um

and then Corey throws a basically a

bachelorette party CU he really does not

understand I mean he even invites a

stripper for his mother whereas Allan

this is his fourth child and he still

lacks the understanding of birth it

really it still is that separation of

men from that quote unquote female realm

he doesn't understand that um you

obviously can't put the water back in

once someone's water breaks and he

doesn't understand the idea of what's

going on for a C-section he ends up

trying to immediately run at the feet to

watch the baby come out and it's like no

it's a C-section this is a whole

different

procedure now

delving into the idea that this is being

shown through the male male gaze um we

do we see this more through Allen's

point of view which is not uncommon from

what we've seen in other types of media

in this class in Gone With the Wind um

from what we quote unquote can see of

Scarlet's birth AKA nothing all we see

is actually Rhett's worrying about um

the birth and that he's mad that he

can't be in the birthing room his

conversations with mamy over how he's

excited and nervous about the baby

arriving and then even once we finally

do see the baby it is through his gaze

it's as if the audience is looking with

Rhett's own eyes and then with I Love

Lucy it is a similar concept as well

we're seeing everything through Ricky's

point of view Lucy is taken away really

quickly to once they get to the hospital

to a birthing room and we never see her

again we end up watching the entire rest

of the show through what we see from

Ricky he's ends up in the um father's

waiting room he's smoking a cigarette

he's fretting about his performance that

night and the fact that he's about to be

a father he talks to another father in

the waiting room who doesn't care cuz

it's his seventh child and he's

completely bored reading a book and

eating an apple and it's just it's

ridiculous because again the first time

the audience sees this baby through the

camera is actually supposed to be meant

to be through Ricky's eyes so again this

is separating the idea that there's that

connection between like mother father

and child or mother and child it is

really about what is the father's role

in this and it really hones in on the

father's connection to the baby in the

birth story it really separates the

mother from the actual Act of birth

so when we look at the exclusion of Amy

from her care or from the care of Joshua

we see that this portrayal really

diminishes Amy's power to make her

decisions her own decisions about the

health care of her newborn child and

this exclusion depicts her as weak and

helpless and in need of protection from

the stress of her son's condition

and she's not seen as being capable of

being actively involved in his care this

kind of reinforces the stereotypical

gender roles that men are supposed to

lead and women are supposed to follow

and I think it also perpetuates this

patriarchal power and balance between

both birthing people and their Partners

a and birthing people and their medical

providers and it kind of normalizes the

exclusion of mothers from the decision

making process in their own healthare

and the healthare of their

children and so we see a similar uh

story when we look at Serena Williams

story especially in the L article where

she opens up about um the fact that she

was not listened to and um she really

had to advocate for herself when it came

to her own health after um having her

C-section and even before her C-section

her husband and the doctors were having

conferences outside of the room and she

was not included in them um we get a

more watered down version of this when

we see being Serena they kind of gloss

over the fact that uh she really had to

advocate so hard for herself and they

don't really even mention the fact that

uh her husband was conferencing with

doctors in the hallway excluding

her some of the representation of the

C-section birth is in the episode is

that we see her husband uh Alan easily

passed through holding both of his hands

contaminating the air area with his mask

down and entering the surgical room

therefore like just reducing any cality

there was and then we see the him like

going around not understanding the

system at all and further contaminating

the C-section and the doctor herself was

not wearing the mask in the surgical

area it just was a very unrealistic

representation now we see that Amy goes

into her labor six weeks early but

they're not really giving us any

information about why she's having a

c-section why can't she have a vaginal

uh birth now um this like kind of really

normalized a C-sections happening early

in the birth as well as the fact that we

saw a really quick representation of the

baby coming out and her and the baby

being sick but not really explaining why

to the mother and kind of brushing past

both them now usually C sections take 30

to 60 minutes and in our in the scene it

doesn't show a Time flash it just shows

it being a one minute procedure and

quickly occurring and they really just

talk to Allan leaving Amy in the room by

herself with no nurses no one to tell

her how she was doing especially since

she literally had a surgical procedure

and no one really checks up on her and

we see her just looking through baby

names until her husband has to come in

and let her know what was going

on and then we can compare the csection

and War World to C sections in other

forms of media such as a baby story

which was released just a couple years

after the csection for trade and the

episode that we watched was actually

planned so it was a lot different from

the SE section World um Joanne the

mother in this episode was only able to

come in contact with the baby for a

minute

um and she just pissed his pissed him on

the cheek before he was R away there

were no visal sign of struggle for Chan

which was interesting but it can also

make sense when considering that um the

csection was very planned and she was

less frightened and more excited to meet

her

baby um and then we can also look at

being

Serena which covered the C-section of

Serena Williams it's a lot more said and

Serena is pictured visibly struggling

throughout the entire uh throughout the

episode has sweating or her facial

expression she is also very exhausted

throughout the birth her deection was

very

unplanned just like Amy um and it was

actually very it was described as very

low on her Eng wish list but due to her

history of blood CS um it was a lot more

of a concern Serena though is able to

cradle baby Olympia to her bear chest

right after the birth while still laying

on the operating table which um was a

little bit different as

well some representation of the niku is

we see the skin- to- skin contact we

were really shocked the fact that both

the Mr Matthews and Mrs Matthews were

able to touch their baby as we thought

it could cause issues with like uh

sterility or cause of harm to the baby

but turns out there's this uh skin-to

skinin contact or otherwise known as

kangaroo care that can actually help

improve the a lot of aspects such as

improved immunity reduced stress and

more stabled breathing and Par infant

attachment which we seen at examples of

the kangaro Care in a gry's Anatomy

episode but it wasn't something I

remembered until later down the line now

some ambiguous time frame was like we

didn't really understand how long Amy

was in the niku with her baby how long

she was in the hospital it we couldn't

really tell if it was hours or if it was

weeks well or it was days because it was

understandable that she would stay at

the hospital due to her having a

surgical procedure and staying there for

days but also it was hard to tell as the

husband and family were in the waiting

room in un like with not really a stated

amount of time now we see nearing the

end near the end where um the husband

was taking Joshua and their family out

of the Nik we see a young couple as well

as a bunch of diverse around diverse

amount of peoples we see a a a Jewish

person uh reading the reading a book

reading reading um praying over the

children I'm sorry that was weird but he

was praying over the children and we

could see Allan praying asking for

prayers and he says we're praying for

all of them we see a black couple we see

a lot of diversity in the NICU say as a

way of saying it's not only them it

could be it could happen to anyone and

there are so many people it

affects and then relating this back to

our birth interviews just with in my

interview with Patty Jackson who is a PA

she was surprised by how calm the scene

of Amy's birth was considering that she

was delivering 6 weeks early and she

also mentioned that she had never seen a

portrait of a C-section in the media

prior to watching these Boy Meets World

episodes um and she felt that uh the

standard or the preferred method of um

birth in the media is natural vaginal

deliveries where natural um to her here

was uh without pain intervention and

then she also stressed the importance of

communication with patients and felt

that the scene of Amy not knowing what

was going on with her baby was

problematic

and then from my interview with my mom

actually Barbara wakeford she's a mother

of three um she's only had vaginal birs

but she did end up saying that the

portrayal of pregnancy kind of annoyed

her in Boy Meets World that they really

honed in on how hungry she was when my

mom hadn't really felt where she wanted

to eat everything um so she thought that

they really overdid that aspect um she

also said because again she never had a

C-section she wasn't sure actually

before watching this whether or not the

father would be allowed in the O during

the procedure but once we had talked

further about it we did agree that the

representation was very inaccurate

because Allan again shows up in the O

without any guide he wasn't properly

wearing his PPE and ended up trying to

stand by Amy's feet as if it were a

vaginal

birth and these are just some of our

overall thoughts on the show it was very

interesting to see how a show in the

late '90s compares to how gender roles

and uh pregnancy is portrayed

now um we just wanted to say that this

is some of our overall thoughts and

comments but I will leave you to look at

it we want to look at through our work s

sited since we might be over time