For someone who claims to not watch a lot of JERSEY SHORE, your observations are absolutely correct (are you SURE you don’t watch a lot of JERSEY SHORE?). In the current season of the show, the women do seem to be more interested in policing their own bodies than in previous seasons. Snooki appears to have become a work out addict (she appears to have lost at least 30-40 pounds between seasons 3 and 4) and Jenni has lost a lot of weight and also appears to have gotten plastic surgery on her face (collagen in her lips and possibly a nose job?). However, in terms of behavior, Deena continues to fall with abandon and Jenni, Snooki and Sam had a long conversation about their breasts, what they look like and the benefits of breast implants.So while they seem more concerned with their looks (which seems directly related to their rising fame), they continue to be quite crass.

To be honest, I am not sure what to make of the women. For the men, the correlation between what they do and what it means for them seems very clear. For the women, it does not break down so neatly. What gives them license to reject domestic roles and to feel comfortable burping and urinating on camera? All while dressed in tiny miniskirts and absurdly high heels? I’m not sure. Hoping that some readers might offer some perspective on this!

I wonder also about the increased emphasis in seasons 2 and 3 on grenades as a way of defining some sort of appropriate and more stereotypical femininity? I’ve only seen a few episodes of season one and clips on the internet (not a judgment, just saying that I’m not necessarily the most informed about this show and may be off in this observation), and it seems to me that in the first season there was a marked emphasis on the guys’ gym habits and grooming while the girls, as you say, are still groomed but their bodies were not expected to be hard and toned like the guys. In fact, the women are definitely more curvy than your average Hollywood starlet but still were considered attractive. But then the whole Grenade Free Zone etc that emerged in later seasons seemed to try and push the female bodies back to a more stereotypical place. Does this add to your argument about the unique sort of femininity performed by the women of JS vs. dominant norms?