What Is The Role Of Gender Stereotypes In Ted Talks

When we stereotype individuals based on the group associations, we are taking away their personality and humanity. On this Earth, everyone has a complex life filled with numerous stories, and yet many in society focus on a single prevailing story to sum up the lives of others. Within her TED talk, Chimamanda Adichie reveals her experiences of both being subject to stereotyping and to stereotyping others. For example, according to Adichie, her roommate “asked if she could listen to what she called my "tribal music," and was consequently very disappointed when I produced my tape of Mariah Carey. She assumed that I did not know how to use a stove” (Adichie, “The Dangers of a Single Story”). Adichie, a young woman who had multiple experiences in her life and with many traits, had been brought down to a single story of a pitiable African automatically by those who saw her. The danger in this is that it takes away the humanity of a person, taking away their individuality and turning the individual into a representation of a stereotype.

Today, more children are somehow connected to the media. Having computers, television, and phones, there always is a way to access it. The media being this accessible can cause problems, because in almost every show that airs on television has some type of gender bias. From how they portray a character from it’s behavior, role or appearance. This has set bad examples for children watching since the children copy what they see on TV. The cartoons, Charlie Brown, Phineas and Ferb, and SpongeBob SquarePants all have a gender bias. Each cartoon is aired on televisions at different times, so it show’s how throughout time gender bias is still an issue.

Growing up as a child with parents that were both fairly busy with work I often found myself sat in front of a television either waiting for the day to begin or to end. I remember watching shows and seeing how the boys always seemed to be more outspoken, hyper-masculine and the leader in a given situation while the girls were always the passive ones who were depicted as shy followers. Now that I am older I find myself watching even more television, allowing me to see how the media depicts men and women in society. For example, The Big Bang Theory, in its earlier seasons, it only had one female lead, Penny. Her character was very stereotypical in the sense that she was the scattebrained neighbor. The way that men and women are portrayed has

It is no secret that media has played a large role in reinforcing stereotypes of how the “ideal” man/woman should behave, be interested in, and identify with. Media such as movies and cartoons intended for children have distinctly different messages for boys and girls: boys are encouraged to be brave and tough, while girls are told to be kind, caring, and compliant. This rift is restrictive and conformity, and pigeon holes children into a dangerous dichotomy between male and female identity. The movies Cinderella and The Little Mermaid both promote gender roles which work to oppress females in society.

Gender roles are reported to be generally defined "as sex-based categories that specify appropriate rules of conduct for males and females in a particular culture or society. Although grounded in biological differences between males and females, gender roles are social constructs. Simply put, based on the anatomical difference between men and women, each is prescribed varying and often stereotypical social roles that are reinforced at the individual level and by larger society." (Women's Health Encyclopedia, 2012) The work of Wood (1994) states that among the various influences on how society views men and women "media are the most pervasive and one of the most powerful." (p.31) Wood additionally states "Woven throughout our daily lives, media insinuate their messages into our consciousness at every turn. All forms of media communicate images of the sexes, many of which perpetuate unrealistic, stereotypical, and limiting perceptions." (1994, p.31)

People receive thousands of cultural messages everyday about gender roles from advertisements, movies, TV, music, magazines, family, school… etc. People perceive these messages and realize expectations for their gender and for their children as well, and how they should operate within society. While many individuals and organizations challenge these traditional gender roles, the evident impact of mainstream culture persists.

Gender roles are the set of characteristics a gender role should have. Every gender should act like their own "kind." A man should have masculine attributes and a female should have feminine attributes; at least that's what the media tells us. They influence ideas that a man should act like one and a woman like a woman. Huffington Post writer, Warren J. Blumenfeld, discusses the ways gender roles affect society. He recognizes how these gender roles are presented before us and we don't take them into consideration. Commercials created by the La Quinta Inns and Depend Shields and Guards for Men influence the ideas of gender roles. Media has a huge role in creating social standards, on the grounds that different types of media are available all over in society. Gender roles, for instance, exist singularly on the grounds that society accepts them, yet sustained by the media constantly. Media has infiltrated society with the mentality that everyone should follow their gender role.

Educators need to be aware of the gender stereotypes that their students are exposed to. The articles and book chapters that were assigned, give the reader an insight to how the media shapes the views of gender and how they can influence children as young as six.

When we hear or read about one story, we are only viewing one perspective, whether it be about certain people, a situation or an experience. Wouldn’t that influence us to accept only one point of view? The TED talk titled ‘The Danger of a Single Story’ demonstrates how a single story can impact ones perspective. This 20 minute talk is effectively spoken by a Nigerian novelist named Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie who utilises analogies to support her message. Adichie’s main point in the talk is to inform the audience that a life of an individual contains a range of different stories and if we are restricted to only one story, it alters the way we view reality.

Television shows in the past often reflect the cultural narratives of the times. Shows centered around a female main character have often portrayed typical female gender roles of the times. Television shows before the 1970’s seemed to focus on traditional family life with the wife always being at home, taking care of children, cleaning the home and cooking. The man, on the other hand, was the breadwinner. The women always obeyed the husband because the men always seemed to be all knowing.

I think my greatest and foremost requirement as a teacher is to make every student feel welcome. This can include working on bullying, diminishing the single story stereotypes, accommodating for each individual student's’ needs, and more. It is very crucial that students feel that they have a safe and comfortable space where they can learn and actively participate. Even if I may not agree with something a student believes in or does, it is very important that I do not let that get in the way of how I treat them, or how I let others treat them. This can also apply to my faculty members, fellow teachers, and the school district. There will be many people who have different views and beliefs as me, but the most important thing is the students,

According to the social learning theory, the influence of the media in the formation of gender roles and identity is known as being indirectly and vicariously reinforced. It states that we can learn gender appropriate behaviour by learning from others. So by having gender stereotypes portrayed in the media, it has a powerful influence on all of us but especially on children because they are currently

It is my understanding that some females might become offended based off what Television might say about their gender, and depicts exactly how they should act since most girls seemed to be portrayed as gentle, shy, or timid. However, personally I believe it is normal (as well as expectable) to see female characters as being gentle, kind, or engaging in activities such as reading, art, or dance. In Proverbs 11:16 it states, “A gracious women attains honor…” which is a clear depiction on how I believe we as female should behave, rather than being vicious, mean, or overly tough. I am not stating that girl cannot participate in sports, be bold in who they are, or self-confident. An issue starts to arise when society tells females that they cannot do what males do simply because they are females, or that males cannot participate in “female activities”.

Human behaviour is something that on a day to day basis is learned, being through our social interactions and relationships with others. In this essay I aim to identify the influence that the media and society depicts on the concept of gender roles and ideas which surround this topic. I will be exploring parental influences as well as the effects of primary socialisation of Television and toys, on children’s gender. Then to go on, in deeper detain to the way that the media creates and emphasises the gender divisions between male and female.

“Out the window go the old notions about man and aggression, woman and submission, man and intellect, woman and instinct. If I observe that my infant son prefers pushing a block along the floor while making car noises to cradling a doll in his arms and singing lullabies- well, I can only conclude that, despite all our earnest attempts at nonsexist childrearing, he has already suffered environmental contamination”, explained Joyce Maynard in His Talk, Her Talk. Children are an open book and everything they hear and see is written into the way they depict the world around them. Rebecca Martin explains the gender stereotypes shown in television in her journal, Gender and Emotional Stereotypes in Children’s T.V., such as women being the emotional caregiver and men being the aggressive, predisposed provider for the family. Martin says, “Emotion stereotypes play a role in Children’s beliefs about the behaviors that are expected and