Gender in The Simpsons

Abstract: The purpose of this study was to examine how gender is depicted in The
Simpsons in terms of language, female and male activities and the plot.
Four episodes of equal length of the sitcom series were selected. They were
released within a limited period of time. Six features were selected for
analysis: names, adjectives, occupations, verbs, representation and gender
roles.
It was found that the female characters are more likely than male
characters to have a shortened name and more likely to be described by
physical appearance. Male characters tend to have prestigious jobs and be
closely connected to their professions. Verbs describing male work are
common, whereas no verbs describing female work were found. There are far
more men than women represented in The Simpsons. Also, the four episodes
mainly offer traditional gender roles, where women are pictured as less
able than men.