Ugly Betty - A Sterotype?

'Ugly Betty Season 1 Episode 5 - The Lyin', the Watch and the Wardrobe'

Betty's Appearance:

• Bushy eyebrows
• Braces
• Glasses
• Bad dress sense
• Someone hints to Betty that she is 'fat' - though she is not skinny
• 'Hairy' according to Mark
• Bleaches Moustache
  

*Overall impression: Quite nerdy looking, no obvious beauty*

Betty's Character:

• Poor social skills e.g. is seen overly excited at a fancy party with work colleagues - and is told not to stand too closely with Amanda who is with Betty
• Clumsy - bumps into man and spills his drink
• But then is affectionate and apologetic
  
• Naive - Likens too quickly from compliments by handsome men who may have an agenda
• Nice person, polite
• Learns from naivety - that she was conned by the handsome man who stole Mode's ideas
  
• Truthful and doesn't like lying - wants to confess being a leak
• Doesn't like secrets
• Easily influenced by Mark and Amanda and also calls Carol 'Fat Carol' like the others do
• Has strong morals

Is 'Ugly' Betty a stereotype?

Betty is definitely an outcast in her work place as she does not fit the 'never eating', skinny, well dressed, snobbish ideology of the work place (of that of the fashion industry). That within itself may be a stereotype of the fashion industry. Her image is 'Betty', somewhat of an 'Ugly Duckling' because of her bushy eyebrows, curvy figure, bad hair, glasses, bad clothes and braces - which she makes no conscious effort to hide; but Betty knows this, and does not attempt to change this image no matter what people directly tell her. She is always abused by Mark and Amanda about her appearance, but would a stereotype be someone who is 'ugly' trying to change themselves after what people say about them - perhaps, though Betty would go against this possible stereotype. Betty - as a professional- goes against the stereotype that a woman has to be domesticated, looking after the family, cooking and cleaning - Betty goes against this and shows that women can be successful in the world of work. Betty, however does seem like the stereotypical nerd in high school life, if she was in high school, she would be snubbed by the likes of the Amanda type personality. Betty, though is all for the moral value of "don't judge a book by its cover".