A Little Research Goes A Long Way

Hey everyone! This week I learned a LOT about how to research (thanks to our library session) and have begun to narrow my topic down.  I am still focusing on gender portrayals but have decided that I want to hone in on the way gender is portrayed in sitcoms specifically.  Another one of the key elements I hope to explore throughout my paper are the differences that exist between shows with primarily women writers and shows with primarily male writers.  Some of the research I have read so far delves into some of the statistics and common threads seen in television sitcoms in terms of how genders are portrayed.  One of the things I am having trouble with, however, is taking a stand on the extent to which gender portrayals in television, primarily sitcoms, have changed within the last 15 years.  Do you guys think men and women are being portrayed more realistically on sticoms today, or do you think there are still stereotypes that are being perpetuated that are not necessarily reflected in the real world?  Do you think women are becoming 'equal' on television, or perhaps more importantly, do you think they ever will be?