WHAT'S NEXT

ABC: Cancel Work It! #CancelWorkIt
  1. Signatures
    147 out of 200
    Petitioning
    1. American Broadcasting Company (ABC)
  2. Created By
    Meaghan Kuehn
    Waunakee, WI
About this Petition Petition Letter Petition Updates
How We Won

Jan 14, 2012

It was the show that had something to offend just about everyone. And after various groups and angry viewers rallied against the show, ABC announced on January 13th that 'Work It' is cancelled, effective immediately. Perhaps next time networks will think twice about using offensive stereotypes and calling it "silly" entertainment.

ABC’s new show "Work It" is about two men who cannot find a job, so they dress as women to get a job working in a women-only company. The show has something to offend just about everyone - it is rife with homophobic jokes, transphobic innuendo, and has inflamed some leaders in the Puerto Rican community for its offensive portrayal of a Puerto Rican character.
 
The show’s premise is also based on the sexist myth of the ‘mancession’ - the idea that women now outnumber men in the workforce because the recession disproportionately impacted men. While jobs are hard for everyone to find right now, this is blatantly untrue. Women still make up less than 50% of the paid workforce. Furthermore, women have fared far worse than men in the recovery from the recession. Of the 1.6 million jobs added to payrolls between November 2010 and November 2011, the IWPR estimates that 30 percent were filled by women while 70 percent were filled by men. Furthermore, women still make 77 cents to the male dollar in most industries in the United States.

The show is also full of sexist stereotypes about how women live and behave, like being catty to one another at work and being constantly obsessed with their weight. The show constantly jokes that women are dumber than men and not as much is expected of women in the workplace. And the first episode even included a rape “joke!” And of course, ‘Work It’ also promotes racist stereotypes, homophobia, and discrimination against trans people. Still, ABC Entertainment head Paul Lee says he “just doesn’t get” why people are offended. He claims it was meant to be “a very, very silly show.”

ABC’s ‘Work It’ isn’t silly - it’s just plain offensive. Sign the petition to tell ABC to cancel ‘Work It’ now!

 

Why People Are Signing
Recent Signatures

Cancel the show "Work It"

Greetings,

I just signed the following petition addressed to: American Broadcasting Company (ABC).

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Cancel the show "Work It"

The show "Work It" is about two men who cannot find a job, so they dress in drag to get a job working in a women-only company secretly as women. While jobs are hard to find and get for everyone right now, it ignores the fact that it is many times easier for a man to get a job in the US. Men also get paid more for the same job than women on average. Women are less valued than men in the US, and there is a huge gap in equality. This show hides all of these issues, and gives a false sense of men being underprivileged compared to women.
ABC needs to cancel this show for all of the women in the US. Please sign this petition!
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Sincerely,

[Your name]

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