Media Representation of Gender Roles

The media has helped to construct what masculinity has become in American culture by how male characters are displayed in television shows and movies. Most male characters are presented

Although, the popular media influence perceptions of women and their role(s) in society, but what of men? Indeed, men and masculinity have been the norm, the yardstick against which women--and the women's movement--have been measured. The media serves to construct masculinities, how men and their relationships have been depicted, and how men respond to media images.

Media enforces the social-cultural standards, which women are required to follow in order to look and behave in a manner that society considers acceptable. Newspapers, commercials, posters, magazines, fliers, reality shows, and cartoons only name a few of our everyday interaction with the media (Scholar, C.2011). However, these standards presented by media send a false perception of women, thus portraying women in a negative and disrespectful manner. Society views woman as mentally, morally, and physically inferior to men, and media is only highlighting this idea (Scholar, C.2011). In fact, media represents women in a stereotypical form of beauty, they display women as sexual objects, and create the illusion that women are ignorant.

Our society seems to have a lot of very stereotypical misconceptions about boys and girls and the role they are expected to play. Media has a pivotal role to play in this front concerning the idea of defining and framing gender. Media consumers transform the messages in that and make demeanors with

The paramount of social adversities facing the modern society is the divide between definitions of gender. Gender represents an abstract interpretation of sex and this notion is simply a societal construct. The establishment of gender has evolved into a tradition of humanity, however this tradition evolved into a social divide between masculinity and femininity. The pressure to conform to societal constructs of masculinity and femininity poisons society and branches off to toxic masculinity; such were nurtured from these figurative beliefs. Gender roles further stigmatize the victims who refuse to conform. However, gender roles has witnessed a revolution in modern times. The purpose of this collateral involves analyzing the evolution of gender roles present in media from mid 19th century to modern times. The period of time, or 1960’s, was chosen because of post World War II’s effects on stereotypes in society around the world. Post war not only challenged stereotypes but further kindled women’s role in the workforce and women began to fill in roles previously belonging to men. In later years, a radicalization of the feminist movement has spurred and our modern times is a witness to its ascension to the paramount of feminism. The media, since the 1960’s, has allowed society to be the primary witness. With the evolution of gender roles, the media must also adapt to the changes in societal views of gender roles and the entire feminist movement at large. This collateral seeks to

Gender roles influence every characteristic and aspect of our life, from how we feel about ourselves to the degree of our contribution in social life. From a ripe young age, children become exposed to this type of gender bias right away, which can negatively affect and shape their whole outlook on life. Consequently, as these young boys and girls mature both physically and emotionally and move on into adulthood, they are, in essence, shoved into a world that impacts their attitudes and behaviors towards gender roles and stereotypes. These specific attitudes and behaviors first cultivate in the private doors of their parent’s house. Afterwards, these same biases become reinforced by the child’s peers, school experience (education), television viewing, and, of course, advertisements in the realm of print and television media. From the looks of it, it is near impossible, for children to not become subject to some degree of gender bias at an early age. As a child grows and develops, the stereotypes follow them into the next phases of their lives (i.e. adolescence) and then on into adulthood. Not only are these gender stereotypes destroying girls, they are also killing boys. The components of this essay will attempt to illustrate how advertising in print and television helps to perpetuate gender stereotypes in our world. Along with that, one must ask the question of how much harm these negative biases in gender roles truly affects the minds of men, women, and young children.

Mass media has influenced gender norms in the United States since the 1950’s when television became a household phenomenon. Per Jacqueline Coombs in an article titled Gender Differences in the Influence of Television on Gender Ideology, she asserts, “television is a powerful source in disseminating information and shaping opinion, exposing people from many different social settings to the same messages” (207). These messages can influence gender norms and reinforce personal gender identity. Throughout the evolution of television, gender roles have expanded portraying women as leading character. However, there is still an undercurrent of patriarchal ideology.

To be sociologically mindful is to look for patterns in the society, observe all sides of the social life, ask questions, and seek answers. Being sociologically mindful can lead us to looking into matters that are complex and allow us the opportunity to understand the mechanism behind the division of our society. Race and gender seems to be the most obvious divide lines for this society. While race can sometimes be overlooked in society, discrimination based on gender is hardly absent, whether consciously or unconsciously, on the behaviors of society. In such a society that values masculinity, being born a male is like a rain check to so many privileges in life. In return, this social

A critical gendered lens is addressing the binary structures that people are placed in when they are portrayed in the media. Why is the man the rational voice of reason yet hyper aggressive and the woman is deemed emotional or crazy in every other sense. Women are seen as nothing, but a sexual object, whose sexuality is characterized as far as genuinely obliged thoughts of attractiveness (Markham, 2005). Western accepted cultural naturally unequivocally defined categories of gender with distinctive psychological and behavioral properties prediction from reproductive functions. Division between men and women, men’s work and women’s work, how men and women ought to act is a division perceived by biology (West aand Zimmerman,1987). Structural

culture and ideals of “masculinity”. In this documentary, Katz argues, Masculinity is created; it doesn’t just exist– as opposed to one’s biological sex. He also argues that media is the primary feeder and that it also plays a crucial role in making and shaping the way manhood culture is and personal attitudes about manhood. After evaluating media images of manhood, it is clear to see that the media contributes to the widespread equation of masculinity with pathological control and violence toward our people. After examining the constructed ideals of manhood, exactly how, why and in whose interests they are constructed differently in, it denaturalizes and diminishes the potential of these imagined ideals of men to shape our perceptions of our world, each other and ourselves.

Gender roles plays a very significant part in society and the way people are portrayed in the media. Men and women are portrayed differently in the media specifically based on how they are perceived in society. Men have a more predominant role in the media. Women are presented as delicate individuals with less predominant roles. There are stereotypes of women and men, especially those seen on television. “Virtually all groups of people suffer from stereotyping and men are no exception. Stereotypes are powerful because they affect our expectations of what men should and should not be like. They are damaging because they narrow our notions of what men can be and do.” (Femiano & Nickerson, n.d.)

The America film and television industry’s excessive use of stereotypical gender roles has negatively influenced society. Stereotypical gender roles are based on standards expected of males and females. Men are considered to be financial providers, career motivated and aggressive. Whereas women have been represented as low position workers, loving wives and mothers. Despite television programs and films that attempt to promote positive concepts about gender, male superiority over women is still a reoccurring theme. Television programs and films are continuing to reinforce the image of female inferiority. The oppressive representation of women directly influences sexism ideologies. In “Putting the Me Back in Medical Drama: Grey’s Anatomy’s adventures in Mcfeminism,” Lara Hayhurst explains that males are placed at a higher pedestal than women regardless if the woman and man share the same position of power. While Lara Hayhurst argues that males are placed in a higher pedestal, James Cameron’s award winning film Avatar encourages male dominance and sexism. The female characters are placed in a high position of status such as a scientist and a helicopter pilot. Although the film attempts to diverge from common gender stereotypes, the dominant male sex has more authority in the film. This essay discusses the issues of why women in the mass media continue to display as inferior to the man even when placed in a position of status. In addition, American is

Gender representation in the media is a big issue when it comes to African American man committing crimes on the news, but rarely hear about other ethnicity in the media. The media try to persuade other ethnic groups that African American males are aggressive towards others. They label black people as being violent and lazy, but in society that is based off of physical characteristics and our skin color. Racism played a big part in society and caused others to judge African American by their skin tones. We should all be treated with compassion and not hatred.

Studies regarding gender roles in media show that the feminine essence tends to be depicted as inferior, with women often being marginalized, disempowered and humiliated through a status that is based on their youth and looks; whilst men tend to be portrayed as superior with higher and longer lasting careers

Media plays a huge role in people’s perceptions of image, gender roles, and overall self worth. The media is constantly reinforcing limiting stereotypes through television, advertisements, films, and more. These stereotypes are especially geared towards women, suggesting that they have to look and act in an overtly feminine manner in order to be accepted by society. Though there are stereotypical qualities of men illustrated in media as well, they are mostly suggesting that men are dominant and hold more power than women. Therefore, women are more negatively affected by the media than men through stereotypes and gender roles implying they aren’t capable of doing what men can. Women in the media are underrepresented, hypersexualized, and shown in very traditional roles that undermine their abilities.