Editing The Sopranos (section)

===Depiction of stereotypes===
The show has frequently been accused of perpetuating negative stereotypes about [[Italian American]]s. Several major organizations have voiced their concern that ''The Sopranos'' presents a very distorted and harmful stereotype of Italian Americans and their cultural values, including the National Italian American Foundation, [[Order Sons of Italy in America]], [[Unico National]], and the Italic Institute of America.<ref>{{cite press release |url=http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/national-italian-american-foundation-condemns-the-sopranos-72034917.html |title=National Italian American Foundation Condemns 'The Sopranos' |publisher=National Italian American Foundation |date=January 12, 2000 |access-date=May 3, 2016 |archive-date=June 2, 2016 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160602035347/http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/national-italian-american-foundation-condemns-the-sopranos-72034917.html |url-status=live }}</ref><ref>{{cite press release |url=http://www.niaf.org/niaf_event/official-statement-on-the-newyork-columbus-day-parade-with-oprano-cast-and-mayor-bloombergs-inappropriate-choice-of-guests/ |title=Official Statement on the New York Columbus Day Parade with Soprano Cast and Mayor Bloomberg's Inappropriate Choice of Guests |publisher=National Italian American Foundation |date=October 10, 2002 |access-date=May 3, 2016 |archive-date=October 19, 2016 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161019102736/http://www.niaf.org/niaf_event/official-statement-on-the-newyork-columbus-day-parade-with-oprano-cast-and-mayor-bloombergs-inappropriate-choice-of-guests/ |url-status=live }}</ref><ref>{{cite press release |url=http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/italian-american-coalition-applauds-sopranos-dis-invite-73314987.html |title=Italian American Coalition Applauds 'Sopranos Dis-Invite' |publisher=The National Italian American Foundation |date=September 18, 2000 |access-date=May 3, 2016 |archive-date=June 2, 2016 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160602034340/http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/italian-american-coalition-applauds-sopranos-dis-invite-73314987.html |url-status=live }}</ref>

The show had a strong female cast and expressions of feminism during the six seasons. The creators challenge the traditional gender roles in society. Around the third season of the show, the creators were pushing the violence against women, highlighting the show's impact on viewers and the ongoing debates surrounding its depiction of feminist issues. The show uses the Dr. Melfi rape episode to show the internal strength of the female perspective on the show, by not asking Tony for help to seek revenge.<ref>{{Cite journal |last=Johnson |first=Merri Lisa |date=2007 |title=Gangster Feminism: The Feminist Cultural Work of HBO's "The Sopranos" |url=https://www.jstor.org/stable/20459136 |journal=Feminist Studies |volume=33 |issue=2 |pages=269–296 |jstor=20459136 |issn=0046-3663}}</ref>

In 2000, officials in [[Essex County, New Jersey]], denied producers permission to film scenes in the South Mountain Reservation, which is county-owned property, by Essex County, New Jersey Executive [[James Treffinger]], who argued that the show depicts Italian Americans "in stereotypical fashion".<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.deseret.com/2000/12/17/19544648/sopranos-fail-in-effort-to-film-scenes-on-n-j-site |title='Sopranos' fail in effort to film scenes on N.J. site |access-date=January 27, 2021 |date=December 17, 2000 |work=[[Deseret News]] |archive-date=January 29, 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210129163250/https://www.deseret.com/2000/12/17/19544648/sopranos-fail-in-effort-to-film-scenes-on-n-j-site |url-status=live }}</ref> In 2002, organizers of the New York City Columbus Day Parade won an injunction preventing Mayor [[Michael Bloomberg]] from inviting cast members of ''The Sopranos'' to participate in the parade.<ref>{{cite magazine |last=Susman |first=Gary |title=Marching Banned |magazine=Entertainment Weekly |url=https://ew.com/article/2002/10/14/mayor-sopranos-stars-sit-out-columbus-day-parade/ |access-date=July 31, 2008 |date=October 14, 2002 |archive-date=December 1, 2008 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20081201154021/http://www.ew.com/ew/article/0,,364447,00.html |url-status=live }}</ref>

[[Fairleigh Dickinson University]]'s [[Fairleigh Dickinson University#PublicMind|PublicMind]] conducted a national survey in August 2001 that polled 800 people, out of which 37% said that they watched the show regularly, and 65% of this group (192 people, or 24% of the total) disagreed that the show negatively portrayed Italian Americans. Professor William Roberts, who was associated with the poll, said that "The show's inflated image of organized crime casts a shadow over both the state [of New Jersey] and its Italian American community."<ref>{{cite web |publisher=[[Fairleigh Dickinson University]] |url=http://publicmind.fdu.edu/badabing/ |title=New Jersey and The Sopranos: Perfect Together? |date=August 15, 2001 |access-date=December 6, 2013 |archive-date=December 11, 2013 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131211001327/http://publicmind.fdu.edu/badabing/ |url-status=live }}</ref>

He further stated "The show helped to perpetuate one of the more problematic and stereotypical images of Italian Americans. Both Italian and Italian American cultures have much more diverse and interesting heritages than the American public generally realizes."<ref>{{cite web |url=http://publicmind.fdu.edu/intune/ |title=New Jersey and Nation in Tune with The Sopranos |publisher=[[Fairleigh Dickinson University]] |date=June 6, 2007 |access-date=December 6, 2013 |archive-date=March 27, 2013 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130327113658/http://publicmind.fdu.edu/intune/ |url-status=live }}</ref> Humanities professor [[Camille Paglia]], herself an Italian American, has spoken negatively about ''The Sopranos'', arguing that its depiction of Italian Americans was inaccurate, inauthentic, and dated.<ref>{{cite news |url=http://www.salon.com/2012/10/10/camille_paglias_glittering_images/ |title=In "Glittering" return, Paglia lets loose |work=Salon.com |first=Kerry |last=Lauerman |date=October 10, 2012 |access-date=March 15, 2013 |archive-date=March 19, 2013 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130319190836/http://www.salon.com/2012/10/10/camille_paglias_glittering_images/ |url-status=live }}</ref>

Chase has defended his show, saying that "It is not meant to stereotype all Italian Americans, only to depict a small criminal subculture".<ref>{{cite web |last=Mays |first=Jeffrey C. |title=Italian-American targets stereotypes |work=[[The Star-Ledger]] |date=May 20, 2001 |url=http://blog.nj.com/sopranosarchive/2001/05/italianamerican_targets_stereo.html |access-date=July 31, 2008 |archive-date=January 2, 2009 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090102033720/http://blog.nj.com/sopranosarchive/2001/05/italianamerican_targets_stereo.html |url-status=live }}</ref>