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The Role Of Heteronormativity In 'New Girl'

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Heteronormativity is when heterosexuality believed to be the only natural norm in our society for sexual orientation. “New Girl”, an American sitcom, aired in 2011 on Fox, follows Jess (Zooey Deschanel) as she lives in a loft in Los Angeles with three men she meets on Craigslist. The second episode of the second season is what will be focused on in this essay. During which Jess meets a stranger when he accidentally mistakes her for his blind date, Nick (Jake Johnson) believes he has met his future self, and Schmidt (Max Greenfield) tries to make a good impression on Winston’s (Lamorne Morris) mom and sister. The writers of “New Girl” follow basic gender roles within the story-lines of the television show. The show follows a heteronormative plot. Through examining “New Girl”, a viewer can see the issues arise when considering the portrayal of men and women in media, and heteronormativity in television shows.
Within television, there is often a sense of heteronormativity that is shown through heterosexual relationships and a lack of representation of LGBT+ community. While “New Girl” has four main characters, all who have active social/sexual lives, all are interested in the opposite sex. In fact, there is not even talk about any sexual orientation other than being attracted to the opposite sex. As Jess is juggling two men interested in her; Schmidt and Nick tell her that “there comes a time in every person’s life when for no reason whatsoever they are irresistible to the

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