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Gender Stereotypes: Gender And Broadcast Meteorology

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Gender and Broadcast Meteorology Broadcast meteorologists are some of the most recognizable and well liked individuals in atmospheric science. What most people don’t realize is the challenging and demanding nature of each broadcast beyond just predicting the weather. I had the opportunity last year to join the University of Northern Colorado’s Bear News 98 team as one of their on camera broadcast meteorologists. Thanks to this unique experience I got to learn firsthand the complexity of what it means to be a successful broadcaster. Not until I had helped film an episode did it occur to me just how much of a role gender plays in how meteorologists present themselves and are perceived on television. Before I could present my own weather broadcasts …show more content…

She would flick her wrist to point at the green screen, exhibited less hand motions than Fraser, often glance at the camera out of the corner of her eye, spend an odd amount of time off camera, and would sometimes up talk when she talked to the main anchors on camera. It began occurring to me just how different Fraser and Sabine were when it came to broadcasting the weather. While Dave Fraser was showing more alpha male body language on camera Kathy Sabine was demonstrating something else much different. Wade (2013) talks about similar behavior exhibited by Kathy Sabine as feminine flirting behavior. Wade (2013) cites a philosopher named Sandra Lee Bartky who claims that “being feminine often means using one’s body to portray powerlessness” of which is the exact opposite behavior of an alpha male. In order to look powerless, Bartky argues that a female must contain their movements to a small space, which Sabine demonstrates through her use of few hand movements. Van Edwards (2013) highlights the behavior of glancing sideways over the shoulder to portray vulnerability. Both behaviors highlighted by Wade (2013) and Van Edwards (2013) are interpreted as female flirtation and submissiveness. Van Edwards (2013) even goes on to claim that “women struggle with trying to stand their ground while not intimidating men” and turn to such submissive behavior in order to remain submissive in the eyes of

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