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M*A*S*H changes
In the first couple seasons of the show, Alen's character was portrayed as a womanizer based on the Marx brothers. As time went on, he got creative control on the show and changed how the characters acted from chauvinistic to more sensitive men. In addition, he directed an emmy (for writing) awarded episode in 1979 where his character meets a female surgeon and has to face his chauvinism. -
Testosterone Poisoning
At this time, he was called a feminist icon because of Alen's continued efforts for equal rights of women. He spoke out about the chauvinistic and misogynistic behavior of men. Alen said that men has an excess or overdose of testosterone in which he coined as testosterone poisoning. He said, "Just because it has genetic roots it doesn’t mean you can’t do anything about it.” -
The E.R.A. Countdown
Alan, thanks to his popularity from the hit show M*A*S*H as Hawkeye Pierce, he had a voice that would be heard. He and Betty Ford co-chaired in the Equal Rights Amendment Countdown. Although they failed to get the amendment ratified to 38 states, he wasn't discouraged and said, "I don't accept the ERA vote as a loss; we simply haven't won yet." -
Quiche eater
He was a feminist at the bra-burning and man-hating generation. He tried to make his character in M*A*S*H less chauvinistic which prompted some people to make derisive statements about him. This made him the butt of joke that satirical author for "Real Men Don't Eat Quiche" wrote "We’ve become a nation of wimps. Pansies. Quiche eaters. Alan Alda types—who cook and clean and relate to their wives."
