Representation of Social Class

Modern Family

Introduction to the Modern Family

• Modern Family is an American TV comedy series which revolves around three families.

• Jay Pritchett and his second wife Gloria and his step son Manny, and his two children Mitchell and Claire and their families.

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Jay and Gloria

Jay and Gloria

• Father of Claire and Mitchell and step father Manny. • Married his second wife Gloria , who is from a small native Colombian village which happens to be the murder capital of Colombia.• Although there is a very large gap in ages , they don’t seem to mind.• Jay often try’s to teach his step son Manny to be less sensitive whereas Gloria embraces it.• They both come from very different backgrounds , Gloria from a very small humble village, Jay on the other hand worked his way up and now own a large company.

Dunphy Family

Dunphy Family

• Portrayed as the stereotypical middle class All American family.

• A very chaotic traditional family. • Claire is a mom and a homemaker.• Seen as the trusted mom with a lot of experience, often

called upon for help. • She is married to Phil who is the main breadwinner in the

family. From the very first episode he is portrayed as the “doofus dad” who tries to be the cool/fun parent.

• They have three children: Hayley, Alex and Luke who are deemed the bimbo, the brainiac and the goofy one.

Dunphy Family

• Hayley is a typical teenage girl, more concerned about her social life rather than her studies, worried about her social status at school and what her peers think of her, whereas Alex is fully committed to her studies and is deemed a nerd by nearly every family member.

• She is a conventional intelligent kid that displays a sense of authority over her siblings because of her intelligence, constantly putting her accomplishments on display and demanding recognition for them and pointing out the flaws in her brother and sister.

• Luke is the innocent, playful younger child that Claire and Phil never want to see grow up.

• Has a personality very like his father.

Cameron and Mitchell

Cameron and Mitch

• Mitch, brother to Claire Dunphy• Works as a lawyer• Cameron “stay at home” Dad• Gay couple who have adopted a child• Some of society are still not as accepting of gay

couples adopting children• They are sensitive to comments passed about

them • They feel that they should be respected in

society as parents just like any other couple.

Cameron and Mitchell

• Mitchells father Jay, still finds it difficult to accept that his son is gay.

• Jay was embarrassed to tell his friends that his son had a husband as he was worried what they would think of them.

• Eventually overtime Jay became more accepting of Cam and Mitch as a couple and as parents.

Northern Ireland’s ban on gay and unmarried adoption overturned

• http://www.thejournal.ie/adoption-northern-ireland-gay-unmarried-641154-Oct2012/

• http://www.rte.ie/news/2012/1018/adoption-court-ruling.html

Adoption for Gay parents in Northern Ireland

• Recently in Northern Ireland, a law which states that Gay and unmarried couples could not adopt children was overturned

• At the moment in Northern Ireland, a single gay or lesbian person can adopt a child but a couple in a civil partnership cannot

• A challenge to this law was brought to the Belfast high court by the northern Ireland Human Rights Commission, backed by an unidentified woman who wanted to adopt her partners child and have a civil partnership

• In England, Wales and Scotland, unmarried couples, irrespective of their sexual orientation, can apply jointly to be considered for adoption.

• NIHRC Chief Commissioner Professor Michael O'Flaherty welcomed the ruling saying "Given the high numbers of children in care, who need a family in Northern Ireland, the importance of this case in widening the pool of prospective parents cannot be overstated.”

• More than 2,500 children in Northern Ireland are in state care awaiting adoption.

• The  Health Minister Edwin Poots, an evangelical Protestant opposed to gay partnerships is challenging this decision

Credit List

• Katie Anne: Powerpoint, The Dunphy family• Danielle: Cameron and Mitchell• Amie: Jay and Gloria• Lauren: Video edit, news article• Danielle, Katie-Ann, Amie : researched news article

• Video Link: https://skydrive.live.com/?cid=738695516b34453f&id=738695516B34453F%21204&Bsrc=SkyMail&Bpub=SDX.SkyDrive