Breaking Amish Stereotypes

“Breaking Amish” is a TLC broadcast released in 2012, detailing the culture shock a small group of Amish and Mennonite people face when leaving their lifestyles for New York City. This program served as an introduction to many non-Amish viewers to the Amish lifestyle and mindset, worlds often closed off from one another due to a lack of bridge in technology. With an average viewership of over 3 million people, this program undeniably serves as a bridge to understanding the Amish community from an outside perspective. However, while it has had some positive impact, the television show is seen to push urbanormative thinking in its presentation of gender roles, norms, culture shock, and overall overdramatization for the public. Rural as represented …show more content…
Within the first episode of the series, “Jumping the Fence”, released September 9th of 2012, metamessages of Amish life are portrayed in terms of standard ideas of gender roles. This is seen in Rebecca's discussion on how men are so confined within these roles in the community that male members are allegedly fearful of even being seen washing dishes due to the feminine stigma around the task. These seemingly enforced roles are further displayed in the second episode of the show, “What Have We Gotten Into”, released September 26, 2012, when Jeremiah is seen expecting his female cast members to cook for him without prompt. While these roles within society are crucial to discuss when considering cultural differences between groups, these circumstances are highlighted in a joking manner, rather than that of genuine culture shock. This also speaks to Esther Peeren's concept of the rural family idyll, in which the rural family dynamic is ever-persisting and opposes all notions of any foreign instability such as the exchange of gendered …show more content…
The men of the cast, specifically Jeremiah had never been expected to do these labors, and with the change in culture were unable to immediately adjust, in contrast to the women who displayed joy in their newfound freedom. A prime example of the urbanormative mindset seen in many urban spaces is shown in Sabrina's description of why she has chosen to leave the Mennonite community. To her close friend, she defends her choice to leave by claiming she simply wants to be able to dress and behave as a “normal” member of society. This in itself ties into the concepts of rural or in this case specifically mennonite ways of living as outside of the norm, instead of standardizing urban culture. It is also explained to the audience that Amish and Mennonite dress both come with strictly enforced standards for dress. Not only are all clothes made by hand, but they have to follow exacting measurements, a stark contrast to the clothes later seen in urban areas. This television show is strong in how it chooses to display the differences between Amish/Mennonite living and that of an urban

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