1. Gendered Lives, Eighth Edition Chapter 11 Gendered Media

2. Media advances representations of gendered and racial identities Media have progressive and regressive tendencies Media content can be challenged and changed

3. Media Saturation of Cultural Life People today are the most media- saturated and engaged in history TV only one form of mass media Films, newspapers, etc. Social media to connect with others

4. Media Saturation of Cultural Life Surveys show most think media affect others but not themselves Most people rely on media to craft opinions, identities

5. Media Saturation of Cultural Life Media culture provides models of what it means to be male or female Media advance ideals of what is desirable in women and men

6. Gendered Themes in Media Media programming reflects three themes related to gender Underrepresentation of women and minorities Portrayals of men and women Images of relationships between men and women

7. Underrepresentation of Women & Minorities Males outnumber females in mass media In reality, women outnumber men

8. Underrepresentation of Women & Minorities Minorities less visible than women Appear in supporting roles Shown in white cultures – their racial values obscured

9. Underrepresentation of Women & Minorities Black characters scarce Subordinate, athletic, exotic Asians and Hispanics rare Males - villains or criminals Women - emotional and sexualized

10. Underrepresentation of Women & Minorities Older people, mainly women, underrepresented Show few older women Elderly stereotyped as sick, dependent, fumbling, passive

11. Portrayals of Men & Women Represent boys and men as powerful, sexually aggressive Media represent girls and women as young, thin, passive, incompetent Some less traditional alternatives offered

12. Portrayals of Men Television depicts men as serious, competent, and powerful Popular films exalt extreme stereotypes Scholars claim media teach boys and men that to be a real man means to be powerful and in control

13. Portrayals of Men Reality TV portrays men in traditional, stereotyped ways Macho man proves manliness by degrading women Not only advances degrading images of women, but portray men as immature and insensitive

14. Portrayals of Men White masculinity remains norm Men seldom shown nurturing others Portray men as incompetent at homemaking, cooking, child care

15. Portrayals of Men Media offer some more complex portrayals of men Male characters combine qualities traditionally associated with masculinity and femininity

16. Portrayals of Men Contradictory images of masculinity embodied by rock and rap artists Some rappers uphold traditional images of men, women relationships

17. Portrayals of Women Representations of women assume whiteness is norm and ideal Depictions of Black women rely on negative stereotypes of mammies, jezebels, welfare mothers

18. Portrayals of Women Prominence of white norms for female attractiveness Black women have lighter skin and straighter hair than typical Asian women and Latinas represented as exotic and sexualized

19. Portrayals of Women Media images reflect stereotypes of women and femininity Women as sex object Feminine ideal young and thin Preoccupied with men and children Enmeshed in relationships or housework

20. Portrayals of Women Female newscasters are young, attractive, and less outspoken than males

21. Portrayals of Women Popular magazines aimed at women provide better coverage on managing money, social projects Continue to advise women how to look better, lose weight, cook meals

22. Portrayals of Women Reality TV reinforces traditional views of women and what makes women desirable

23. Portrayals of Women Media limit portrayals of women to two opposing types: good and bad Good Pretty, deferential, focused on home and family Cast as victims, angels, martyrs

24. Portrayals of Women Are seeing images of good women who don’t fit old stereotypes If look more closely at images we see desirable woman can be strong and successful if also meeting traditional stereotypes of femininity

25. Portrayals of Women Media offer evil sister of good homebody image Witch, bitch, whore, iron maiden Encounter in children’s literature

26. Portrayals of Women 1990s - more women featured as strong main characters on primetime television Criteria for good woman challenged in some recent films and TV shows

27. Portrayals of Women At same time, more pervasive portrayals of women reproducing traditional images Interesting trend is combining traditional and nontraditional images of gender in single character

28. Images of Relationships between Men & Women Most of the time, media reflect and reproduce conventional images of male-female relationships

29. Women’s Dependence/ Men’s Independence Media portray women as domestic and dependent on men Media portray girls and women as dependent and boys and men as independent

30. Women’s Dependence/ Men’s Independence Books aimed at adolescent females emphasize importance of being pretty and popular Women and minorities cast in supporting roles in television shows for children and adults

31. Women’s Dependence/ Men’s Independence Beauty more emphasized than health in women’s magazines Magazines aimed at girls brim over with advice on how to lose weight and look better

32. Women’s Dependence/ Men’s Independence Music videos portray females as strippers or prostitutes Males shown ignoring, exploiting, directing women Women sexualized and infantilized in video games

33. Women’s Incompetence/Men’s Authority Men shown as authorities who save or take care of less competent women Children’s literature portrays females who are rescued by males This stereotype occasionally challenged

34. Women’s Incompetence/Men’s Authority Newspapers convey message men are authorities and by near absence or lack of power - women are not More than 2/3 of cited sources are male

35. Women’s Incompetence/Men’s Authority Women more often represented as victims on front page Stories about powerful women focus more on appearance and personal lives

36. Women’s Incompetence/Men’s Authority Women unlikely to be represented as experts Blacks cast in racially stereotyped roles

37. Women as Primary Caregivers/Men as Breadwinners Media portrayals of women give little attention to career activities Shown predominantly in roles as homemakers, mothers, wives

38. Women as Primary Caregivers/Men as Breadwinners Newspapers and TV news emphasize men’s independent activities Define news as stories about men Stories about men focus on work and achievements

39. Women as Primary Caregivers/Men as Breadwinners Fewer stories about women Emphasize roles as wives, mothers Women presented in terms of attractiveness or unattractiveness

40. Women as Primary Caregivers/Men as Breadwinners Stories about women’s achievements mention marriage, family

41. Women as Victims & Sex Objects/Men as Aggressors Women portrayed as sex objects for men’s pleasure Images show desirable men as aggressive and dominant Images show desirable women as young, pretty, sexual, vulnerable

42. Women as Victims & Sex Objects/Men as Aggressors Men seldom shown nude Women routinely shown nude Images common in music videos Portrayals encourage to see violence as sexy

43. Women as Victims & Sex Objects/Men as Aggressors Punk subculture disputes traditional views of femininity in ways that embody queer performative theory Mock traditional views of women

44. Women as Victims & Sex Objects/Men as Aggressors Hip-hop, rap, gangsta rap carry messages about relationships between women and men Portray women as sex objects Portray men as egocentric, insensitive abusers

45. Women as Victims & Sex Objects/Men as Aggressors Much of rap glorifies violence Conveys messages about gender and race

46. Gendered Messages in Advertising Advertising’s influence on views may be more powerful than programmed media content Advertisements are repeated

47. Gendered Messages in Advertising Majority of ads emphasize visual images Less subject to conscious analysis We think we’re immune Research suggests differently

48. Gendered Messages in Advertising Ads for cooking and cleaning products show men as incompetent Also represent men in home situations as lazy dolts

49. Gendered Messages in Advertising Ads represent women as competent in cleaning and caregiving roles Male voice-overs reinforce view of men as authorities

50. Gendered Messages in Advertising Advertising plays role in promoting appearance and pleasing others Emphasize women’s need to change themselves If woman fails man might leave her

51. Gendered Messages in Advertising Sometimes advertisers control content of magazines Complimentary copy – articles that increase appeal of product

52. Gendered Messages in Advertising Advertising directed at men links product with hypermasculinity and violence Men’s dominance emphasized by positioning

53. Bias in News Coverage As gatekeepers, newspapers and news programs shape our perceptions Media influence how we perceive movements about gender and gender itself

54. Bias in News Coverage Media have portrayed women’s movements negatively In early days of radical feminism feminists portrayed as man-hating, bra-burning extremists Bra-burning did not actually happen

55. Bias in News Coverage TV and radio programs negatively portray women identified as feminists More likely to be demonized

56. Bias in News Coverage 1989 –Schwartz argued professional women with children should be placed on separate track Mommy track Facts to support claims flimsy Schwartz later retracted advocacy of mommy track

57. Bias in News Coverage During Gulf War and war in Iraq, newspapers and magazines feature pictures of children watching mother go to war Media imply good women don’t leave children and fathers are not able to care for them

58. Fostering Unrealistic & Limited Gender Ideals TV promotes sex stereotypes in children and adolescents Many images unrealistic

59. Fostering Unrealistic & Limited Gender Ideals Portrayals of relationships between men and women also unrealistic Consuming these images may foster unrealistic expectations

60. Fostering Unrealistic & Limited Gender Ideals Most encounter problems in relationships that can’t be solved in 30 minutes Most will not be able to pursue career and be relaxed and always available to family and friends

61. Fostering Unrealistic & Limited Gender Ideals Readers of self-help books have less realistic ideals Experience more frustration and disappointment Likely to be dissatisfied with real, normal relationships

62. Fostering Unrealistic & Limited Gender Ideals Mass media primary source of information about sex for 13 to 15-year-olds This is worrisome

63. Fostering Unrealistic & Limited Gender Ideals When besieged with impossible images, difficult not to feel inadequate May feel we and our relationships are inferior Research supports this

64. Pathologizing the Human Body Media encourage us to perceive normal bodies and normal physical functions as problems Unacceptable, defective

65. Pathologizing the Human Body Media encourage us to measure ourselves against artificial standards Media encourage us to see normal bodies and bodily functions as pathologies

66. Pathologizing the Human Body Pre-WWII, few women affected by PMS After - women not needed in workforce

67. Pathologizing the Human Body Premenstrual tension coined to support idea women inferior employees Drug companies funded research since selling PMS meant selling their remedies

68. Pathologizing the Human Body Media pathologize male bodies Bodybuilding trend created unrealistic and unhealthy ideals Contributes to increasing abuse of steroids among men

69. Pathologizing the Human Body Normal changes in men’s sexual vigor represented as problem Not problem until drug companies decided could make money

70. Pathologizing the Human Body Advertising effective in convincing us we need products to solve problems Normal body weight for women abnormal Encouraged to cover up gray hair Facial lines can be removed

71. Pathologizing the Human Body Belief women should remove body hair grows out of media campaign Hair removal campaign has recently targeted men

72. Pathologizing the Human Body Efforts to pathologize natural physiology can be serious Emphasis on excessive thinness contributes to severe dieting and eating disorders

73. Pathologizing the Human Body Most top female models are skeletal Dangers include heart attack, stroke, liver disease Dangers exist for men who use steroids

74. Pathologizing the Human Body Many women’s breast size exceeded cultural ideal in 1960s Breast reduction surgeries increased

75. Pathologizing the Human Body By 1980s, cultural standards changed to define large breasts as ideal Breast augmentation surgeries accelerated Surgery can lead to disfigurement and loss of sensation

76. Pathologizing the Human Body More women having parts of toes removed Improves toe cleavage Can fit into pointed-toe shoes

77. Normalizing Violence toward Women Naïve to claim media cause violence Mounting evidence media contributes to increasing male violence TV shows represent violence as normal part of life

78. Normalizing Violence toward Women After watching sexually explicit films that degrade women, men become more dominant toward women When see violence in media, come to view as commonplace, acceptable

79. Normalizing Violence toward Women Video games push envelope of mediated violence Some researchers think violent games harmless Majority of scholars think games dangerous because engage one virtually in violence

80. Normalizing Violence toward Women Games with most graphic violence marketed more to boys and men than to girls and women

81. Normalizing Violence toward Women Social learning theory claims we engage in behaviors that are rewarded and avoid behaviors that are punished

82. Normalizing Violence toward Women Cognitive development theory focuses on use of role models on which to base behaviors and identities Symbolic interactionism highlights importance of social views in shaping identities

83. Is Censorship the Answer? Even those outraged by objectification and sexism of media seldom advocate censorship U.S. Constitution provides protections of freedom of speech for good reasons

84. Is Censorship the Answer? Problem with censorship is somebody decides what all can watch, hear, see Who has right to make decisions for all of us?

85. Is Censorship the Answer? Better answer may be demand media offer multiple, diverse images of women and men Work to enlarge range of ways in which people and relationships portrayed