Women and Men Are Nestled Into Predetermined Cultural Molds When It Comes to Gender in American Society

The representation of the LGBT community in the film industry has long been a topic of much debate. In her article, “It Ain’t Easy Being Bisexual on TV,” Amy Zimmerman addresses this topic with specific interest on bisexual representation. By appealing to the logic of her audience, using an informal tone, and referring to relatable content, Zimmerman constructs an argument which persuades readers of The Daily Beast that the film industry is unfairly and inaccurately representing bisexuals. However, her argument holds little influence over those who are not movie fans or The Daily Beast readers.

We are taught from a young age that boys wear blue and girls wear pink, we learn that boys play with trucks and tools and girls play with baby dolls, throughout or lives, we are reminded of the many differences between males and females. Later, we learn that men are doctors, lawyers, and bosses, and women are mothers, secretaries, and nurses. Men are in positions of power and women are incapable of leading and making decisions and it’s a man’s place to decide when and how a family

That status of women in television programs is grossly misrepresented. Female sexuality on broadcast television is, in most cases, exaggerated and has set an unrealistic standard that real women are attempting to reach. Not only this, but it has created new expectations for men. With my personal project, I wrote letters to television executives—Robert Greenblatt, chairman of NBC Entertainment; Paul Lee, president of ABC Entertainment Group; Nina Tassler, president of CBS Entertainment; Dana Walden and Gary Newman, co-chairpersons of FOX Broadcasting—demanding that promote a better representation of female sexuality. As well as have a better representation of all sexualities, meaning more accurate depictions of lesbian women, bisexual women, and trans women.

As society has continued to evolve socially, politically and culturally, so has the persona of television. Societal transformations have shape and reshaped television throughout its history. Programs ranging from ethical series to variety shows to family sitcoms mirrored not only the audience taste of entertainment, but also the change of values within society during the increase in television use. Gender roles and a strong sense of family intimacy were among the most prominently highlighted transformations reflected in television. Women and family contribute significantly when analyzing the antiquity of the television. Television programming was designed to emphasize family togetherness through illuminating the importance of domestic household maintenance. Domestic sitcoms, such as The Donna Reed Show exhibited these liberal roles in which women were expected to subjugate to subordinate statuses and confine their

Women and men are nestled into predetermined cultural molds when it comes to gender in American society. Women play the roles of mothers, housekeepers, and servants to their husbands and children, and men act as providers, protectors, and heads of the household. These gender roles stem from the many culture myths that exist pertaining to America, including those of the model family, education, liberty, and of gender. The majority of these myths are misconceptions, but linger because we, as Americans, do not analyze or question them. The misconception of gender suggests that biological truths no longer dictate our gender roles as men and women; they derive from cultural myths. We, as a nation, need

Media has always been highly influential in our society; it’s carefully constructed in order to show certain values, beliefs and messages. When viewers are exposed to topics they have little experience or knowledge in, media can especially play a large role in shaping their own opinions. It has been shown that people who know a LGBT+ person in their lives are much more likely to be supportive of same-sex marriage and the community in general. In place of that, viewing characters in film or television can adequately supplement the empathy gained from personal experience. This is exemplified by Wilson Cruz, the actor of Rickie Vasquez, a gay character on the 1994 television series My So-Called Life: “...Vasquez was the first gay person that they knew and because of the light he shed on the issue...I think people took up the cause of LGBT rights...I know for many people the only LGBT people that they know are people that they meet on their television screens or at the movie theater.” Since then, the amount of programming featuring openly gay characters has steadily increased, and with it, people are gaining a better understanding of the issues they face. As the years progress, Canada is being exposed to greater diversity: both on the television screen and within its community.

While many believe that homosexuality has only been seen in mainstream media for only a few decades, it has actually been with America cinema since the early 1920’s. The portrayal of homosexuality in film and TV has come a very long way since the 1920’s. What viewers see on TV about homosexuality is really just a representation of America’s changing public view on the subject. While we have come to accept the topic of homosexuality in American society more willingly, we have substituted much of our prejudice about gays with the stereotypes that we see on TV constantly. Because as a society we are constantly forced to see these stereotypes, we are being halted in our progression to accept all different kinds of lifestyles.

A woman’s only job is to stay at home, take care of her family, and pleasure her man. What is a man’s job? “Men, they do everything,” quoted a fellow male classmate, “Men get the real money.” But it is the twenty-first century! Women are no longer expected to stay at home; they have taken roles as teachers, doctors, C.E.O.s, part of the military, and the list goes on. As for men, it is now acceptable for them to stay at home, take care of their families or even become nannies and nurses. Will Meek, creator of website “Psychology of Men”, defined gender role as a set of attitudes, behaviors, and self-presentation methods ascribed to members of a certain biological sex. Gender roles have changed throughout the course of American history;

The idea of gender roles has been prominent throughout not only American History, but world history as well. Everyone understands that men are the ones who provide for their family while women are responsible for household work such as taking care of the children, cleaning, and cooking. The United States has come a long way in demolishing these gender constructs from presenting women the right to vote to recent strives in pop culture such as Benny’s gender crushing single and music video, Little Game, but the nation is still not quite to the point of completely shattering the often harmful gender roles that are set upon children and adults in society. As a means to prevent damage to future generations, parents should not assign gender roles to their children at birth.

Beginning in the 1970s, a cultural debate has raged over the function of the traditional family in American life, a debate that has subjected the roles of fathers, mothers, and even children to intense scrutiny. Freedom of choice, self-fulfillment, the emergence of blended families, feminism, the sexual revolution, and social rebellion against traditional family forms—all of these have facilitated a widespread cultural experimentation with different family structures. Feminist activists have argued that the traditional family is outdated and even damaging to adults and children. Some have even argued that women and children do not need men; in fact, families are better off without them. Advocates for radical marital change welcomed the

Due to the resurgence of feminism in contemporary society, entertainment has evolved and comedies in particular have become more inclusive of women. There is a rise in television shows incorporating feminist ideology, and in those shows come new types of humor focused on female identities, experiences and values. Rather than laughing at women through the use of tired clichés, sitcom creators are inviting audiences to laugh with female characters. HBO’s comedy-drama Togetherness deviates from gendered comedic stereotypes and creates moments in which both men and women are funny. The show, created, written and produced by brothers Mark and Jay Duplass, explores humor through the unique relationship and complexities of the four main characters. At times, the main female characters, Michelle and Tina, may have stereotypical desires (for intimacy, motherhood etc.), but they themselves are far from stereotypical. Both Michelle and Tina reveal contradictions in their personalities that make them relatable and funny. Although the creators are men, Togetherness provides an honest portrayal of a modern female perspective— women can do whatever men do, but both are capable of failing. The flawed females of Togetherness navigate life in unconventional yet recognizable ways, providing audiences with laughter in the form of relief— unlike the female stereotypes found on the vast majority of other television shows.

Ever since I was little, all I have ever dreamt about was becoming a successful doctor and living in a beautiful modern home with my husband and many children. You could say that I’m aspiring for my version of the “American dream.” My parents, who I look up to, portray a glimpse of this future that I hope to achieve. Since I grew up in a Nigerian Muslim household, with conservative parents, my sister and I were raised to uphold certain beliefs regarding gender roles. In a traditional African culture, it’s customary for women to be raised as ‘housewives’ as men are believed to be the ‘breadwinners’ of the household. From a very young age, I was taught to cook, clean and care for my future family. As extra ‘motivation’ my parents would often tell me how shameful it would be to fail as a 'housewife' and unable to marry as a result. Just getting married, does not cut it, women are also expected to birth a child for their husbands (notice the FOR) otherwise, they are looked down upon. My parents always made sure to tell my sister and me, that for us to obtain a happy marriage, we should look for an African Muslim

Women face several inequalities in the workplace and at home due to the perception of traditional gender roles or the responsibilities and behaviors considered gender appropriate by a society’s cultural norm. These gender roles are an enormous component of gender inequality today. Gender roles are learned and taught at an early age from surrounding influences, as well as from their culture and community, not inherited at birth. Those who foster and nourish, especially family, tend to have a

When you think about how long the LGBTQ community has been represented on television, it really isn’t that long. Although gays and lesbians have only been on television for a short period of time, it seems that we have come a long way. Today, there are so many characters on television that are gay or lesbian as well as transgender. Many actors and actresses are openly gay or transgender and have made a name for themselves on TV shows. Even though it is great that there are more LBGTQ appearances on television, there still seems to be natural biases and stereotypes that are portrayed in media. Many characters that are gay seem to be flamboyant while lesbians appear manly. Hopefully, as time goes on, we will be able to break these social norms and accept any character for who they are designed to be rather than what the public wants to see.

One’s sex is what determines our place in the patriarchal society that is the United States. Politically and Legally, most laws and regulations have been designed to acquire about our sex and not our gender. In the more recent decades, gender has become more prevalent than ever before, and the issue of where gender lies in these exclusive laws has become a widespread issue in our society today. The textbook definition of one’s sex is “the biological and physiological characteristics that define men and women.” (Mills) Whereas one’s gender is referred to “the socially constructed roles, behaviors, activities, and attributes that a given society considers appropriate for men and women.”(Mills) Historically women have always been portrayed as