What about Bob?: An analysis of gendered mental illness in a mainstream film comedy
Creator
Plummer A
Publisher
OhioLINK ETD Center
Date
2020
Description
Mental illness has been a subject of fictional film since the early 20th century and continues to be a popular trope in mainstream movies. Portrayals of affected individuals in movies tend to be inaccurate and largely stigmatizing, negatively influencing public perception of mental illness. Recent research suggests that gender stereotypes and mental illness intersect, such that some mental illnesses are perceived as “masculine” and others as “feminine.” This notion may further stigmatize such disorders in individuals, as well as falsely inflate observed gender disparities in certain mental illnesses. Since gendered mental illness is a newly identified concept, little research has been performed exploring the way stereotypical gendered mental illness is depicted in mainstream film. This paper analyzes the movie What About Bob? to show that comedic film perpetuates stigma surrounding feminine mental illness in men and identifies the need for further study of gendered mental illness in movies to ascertain the effect such depictions have on the observed gender disparities in prevalence of certain mental disorders, as well as offers a proposal for coursework for film and medical students.