Jersey Shore: "Gym, Tan, Laundry"

The MTV reality television show Jersey Shore is about a group of young Italian Americans living in a house on the beach where the show gets its name from. The women wear provocative clothing and party every night and the men are tanned “guidos” with massive muscles. The show has been controversial since its inception due to claims that it is propagating negative stereotypes. The show managed to overcome those claims and became one of MTV’s biggest hits. Even though it has ended, the show still remains an interesting depiction of masculinity that has been infused with feminine features.

“GTL: gym, tan, laundry.” That is the motto of the Jersey Shore men. Every day they go to the gym to stay fit, tan to maintain an even bronze, and do laundry to stay clean. The first part of that routine is a stereotypically masculine activity because they lift weights to increase mass and, therefore, power. The other two, however, are unconventional because they have long been considered typical feminine activities. The male characters are violent brutes who are ready to punch someone who disrespects them, but they also display metrosexual tendencies. The show spends long periods of time showcasing them grooming their appearances. The blurring of the line between what is strictly masculine and feminine is a positive step away from more violent masculinity even though the characters occasionally display sexist attitudes.

Their image-addicted personalities are shaped by a cultural ideology that molds their thoughts into believing all men should be big, tanned, and well-groomed. It is different from previous Italian-American males shown in popular culture like the characters in The Godfather. The show, when compared to the movie, demonstrations that masculinity is mostly a relative idea that can change over time depending on image the hegemony chooses to promote.