Cuklanz and Moorti (2006) argue that Law and Order: Special Victims Unit (SVU) represents a new type of television feminism similar to McRobbie's idea of post-feminism. For Cuklanz and Moorti (2006) SVU represents some positive developments in television portrayals of gendered violence. However, the show remains mired in the misogyny of both its masculinist detective genre and stereotypes of feminity.
1. The show offers advancements in televised discussions of gendered violence.
SVU is a positive development in that it portrays a variety of victims of rape and sexual assault. Cuklanz and Moorti (2006) argue that the show's diversitys of race, gender, class, and sexuality are a new development for feminist television portrayals. The show is also positive in that it depicts hope for a life after rape and sexual assault. Finally, SVU dispels some myths and misconceptions about rape and sexual assault.
2. The show is also problematic in its portrayals of femininity.
While the show represents some positive developments in feminist television, it also contains some problems. First, Cuklanz and Moorti (2006) argue, the women who are portrayed in positions of authority on the show rarely discuss their minority positions in a male-dominated field. Second, the show often depicts women whose crime involves harming or neglecting their children. In this way, the show centralizes a particular notion of motherhood that punishes women for not performing their maternal role in a specific way. Women are therefore disciplined for not being nurturing, and they are blamed for family dysfunction.
3. Though SVU contains some progressive messages, Cuklanz and Moorti (2006) argue that the show's messages lean more toward the misogynist than the feminist.
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