Three Faces of Eva: Perpetuation of The Hot-Latina Stereotype in Desperate Housewives
Author:
Debra Merskin a
| Affiliation: | a School of Journalism & Communication, University of Oregon, Eugene, Oregon, USA |
DOI:
10.1080/10646170701309890
Publication Frequency:
4 issues per year
Subjects:
Communication Studies;
Multiculturalism;
Formats available:
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Abstract
One of most popular network television programs to come along in years is Desperate Housewives. The show presents the intimate lives of 5 women living in a middle-to-upper-middle-class neighborhood somewhere in America. One of them, Gabrielle Solis (played by Eva Longoria) is Latina. The role appears to be a break through role in terms of media representations of Latinas. Visibility as a lead character in a highly successful television program is a rarity for Latinas. However, a critical reading of the program shows that the opportunity to advance the image of Latinas is lost as dialogue, the presentation of Gabrielle, and the off-screen life of Longoria, fulfill G. D. Keller's (1994) tripartite typology of Latina stereotypes. This study presents illustrative dialogue drawn from a textual analysis of the first season (23 episodes) of ABC's 2004-2005 prime time hit that demonstrates the persistence of the stereotype, albeit in less overt form than in the past. In addition, building on I. M. Guzm
n and A. N. Valdivia's (2004) study, Eva Longoria's off-screen behavior is discussed as the similarity between that and her on-screen presence serves to reinforce Keller's Latina types.
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| Keywords: accumulation theory; ethnic disparity; latina; stereotypes; television; tropicalization |
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n and A. N. Valdivia's (2004) study, Eva Longoria's off-screen behavior is discussed as the similarity between that and her on-screen presence serves to reinforce Keller's Latina types.
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