Gynecologists, Bureaucrats, and Stoners: The Rise of Women in Television Comedies and Critiquing the Postfeminist Perspective

This thesis looks to explore the rise of women in television comedy and the accompanying implications of this phenomenon. Using a historical framework, this thesis looks at the progression of representations of women in television comedies beginning in the 1950s up to today. Considering factors such as the rise of social media, as well as online television streaming services such as Hulu and Netflix as more legitimate avenues to distribute content, this thesis traces women’s place within television comedy, and argues that shows such as Parks and Recreation, The Mindy Project, and Broad City serve as examples of the progress that has been made in achieving gender equality on television, as well as stepping stones for how much more progress must be made in the future