Representations of Gender

The Action Hero

When sorting human beings into categories gender tends to be the first thing we jump to. In that sense it is seen as a bigger distinguisher of society than ethnicity, religious beliefs, political beliefs or any other faction that people could fall into. Everyone to a degree defines themselves on their gender and assumes the characteristics and identities of other people based on their gender and we are taught by the media in what ways men and women should differ. "Sex" refers to the biological difference between men and women whereas "gender" refers to the socially acceptable way different sexes are expected to behave. As such sex is a constant but gender changes with society.

How the media represents men


The Jock

The Metrosexual

Traditionally men where seen as overtly macho, showing little emotion and proficient in stereotypical "masculine" activities such as sport and DIY. This view of men has fluctuated wildly over the years. Sometimes short hair has been the most manly way to look, evoking a look reminiscent of a soldier, sometimes long hair has been more masculine as it is symbolic of rebellion. None the less many traits are constant such as rugged features, stubble or facial hair, action, violence and general toughness.


The Big Shot

The Strong Silent Type

In more recent times however men have been represented as more in touch with their feminine side, taking pride in their appearance and showing emotion. An extreme example of this is the metrosexual. This was first seen in society in the mid 90's. They are essentially straight men who share many of the same traits as the stereotypical homosexual as such they are often mistaken for them. The metrosexual is often seen by women in a sexual way and is more likely to be objectified.Boys to Men: Media Messages about Masculinity" was a report in 1999 that found that there were 6 common representations of men:


The Joker

1. The Action Hero - Strong, violent, rarely in control of his emotions, the action hero is extremely aggressive but also has a strong moral compass.
2. The Joker - The Joker is one of the most popular characters to other males and his masculinity comes from the fact that in his eyes nothing should be seen as serious of emotional.
3. The Metrosexual - Well groomed and dressed, the metrosexual is often sexualised and objectified by women which he in turn objectifies and sleeps with in order to gain his sense of masculinity.
4. The Big Shot - Defined by his professional status, the big shot is the epitome of success and uses that success to gain wealth and luxuries which put him above other men, making him an alpha male.
5. The Jock - Always willing to risk and compromise his long term health. Being aggressive and fighting is the way he maintains his masculinity as well as gain the approval of other men.
6. The Strong Silent Type - Focuses on being in charge and containing emotion. The strong silent type supports the belief that men should remain in control and that showing emotion is a sign of weakness.

How the media represents women

Damsel in Distress

The Housewife

Women have significantly less sets of representations in the media. There are essentially only 3 regularly seen depictions of women, The housewife/mother, the damsel in distress or the sex object. None of these depictions are particularly impressive however they all share a number of characteristics. They tend to be young, slim, overwhelmingly white and have perfect skin, hair etc.

The Sex Object

As such the 3 depictions of women often overlap and the story of a man rescuing an attractive woman from danger and eventually marrying her and having children with her is not only an uncommon one but merges all 3 depictions into one fictional woman.



The Strong Independent Woman

Recently, while still being represented as sexy, women's roles in media have begun to expand, showing them to be more independent, confident and stronger however with this new 4th depiction of women, also comes a new set of characteristics most of which are not as complimentary these include, the dumb blonde, the bitch, the whore, the femme fatale and the cougar.







Info taken from:
http://www.mediaknowall.com/as_alevel/alevkeyconcepts/alevelkeycon.php?pageID=gender
http://www.slideshare.net/smcmediastudies/the-representation-of-men-in-the-media
http://www.slideshare.net/smcmediastudies/the-representation-of-women-in-the-media
Images taken from:
https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjXLEvNAPXgjlBiHmOg7ZAo-g0SFUBdIFX-u3CDDYDA7lvw5EkQEXpVNur6me7jhBxa73WUGZFBekKqH9lPQYI3X4LJdFynghrbyOyKGxK_fq7TM3ZkUL-eH6ASBBxZQgB0UHnK3ZOYCbGw/s1600/bruce+willis+A+GOOD+DAY+TO+DIE+HARD.jpg
http://www.phootoscelebrities.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/08/George-Clooney-pics.jpeg
http://www.hitthefloor.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/06/Barney-Stinson-How-I-Met-Your-Mother.png
https://rkirkcaldie.files.wordpress.com/2014/07/cowboy-clint-eastwood.jpg
http://elitedaily.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/10/Stone-cold.jpeg
https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhEpI1_cJlWuBaHVBqj74XQa70wXVe2Bfr4xDSSpzI_LuP5Y8mFjuBafFic-fYqTFFOakHsKWOEcmtpkzirQQaTriYN0KV8py8kSOjVWMr7zi6v_r8pMUFk3bOtyYpHSPXcB6px2PYvAb-1/s1600/Ace-Ventura+(3).jpg
http://www.sanjose.com/images/ev/02/2130102a_orig.jpeg