The document discusses how gender is a social construct rather than biological, and how masculinity and femininity are culturally defined and learned from a young age; traditionally, patriarchal societies have valued male gender roles and attributes more, though feminism challenged this and created more flexible gender roles; however, representations of gender in media still reflect a mix of traditional and modern values.

1. Representing Gender

2. What is gender?
Gender is not biological but refers to a
socially constructed set of behaviour
patterns.
Your sex, whether you are male or
female, is biologically determined.
However, femininity/masculinity are
culturally determined and a matter of
choice – they refer to patterns of
behaviour and qualities that we normally
associate with being female or being male.

3. As we grow up, we ‘learn’ what is
expected in terms of our gender
identity from a range of sources:
parents, school, books, the media,
peer pressure…
The power to conform is so strong in
us that we tend to copy the gender
models we see. Thus, by the time
we have started school, most of us
have “learnt” how to be masculine or
feminine as our culture defines it.

4. Think about the way girls are often
dressed in pink and bought
“domesticating” toys like dolls and
play ovens and toy vacuum cleaners,
whereas boys are usually dressed in
blues and non-pastel colours and
given toys like guns and construction
sets and cars, developing skills that
are outside the domestic sphere.

6. Over time, the two genders have developed
quite distinct and often oppositional gender
codes – activities, spheres of activity and
qualities that are deemed to be exclusive to
only one group.
TASK:
In groups draw up a list divided into two
columns and label one side MASCULINE
and the other FEMININE and see what
traditional associations you make with each
gender under the headings on the next slides

7. •Colours
•Clothes
•Toys
•Jobs
•Leisure Activities
•Responsibilities in the Home
•Drinks on a Night Out
•A Typical Night Out
•Favourite Genre of Films
•Typical Character Qualities

8. What do you notice about these different
ideas associated traditionally with each
gender?
What image do they conjure up of each
group?

9. Traditional Ideologies
about Gender

10. Traditionally men have held power in our
society – this system where men have power
and control in society is called patriarchy.
Patriarchy = society run
by men for men

11. The result of this is that
traditionally male qualities
and attributes have
generally been seen to be
superior to female
attributes.
Consider, for example,
the fact that traditionally it
was the eldest son who
inherited – even if he had
several older sisters!

12. This was often reflected in the media, as
most media companies were run by men!
Masculinity was often represented in ways
that were shown to be superior to feminine
qualities. Men were often shown to be more
important and powerful than women.
Women were often shown in roles that
suited men and which kept them from
challenging men for power.
In other words, the media showed men and
women how men wanted them to be!

13. List some typical action films – think about the
typical roles assigned to men and women?
How do these link to patriarchal ideas about
gender?

14. Two of the most
common traditional
roles women were
represented in under
patriarchy were the
happy housewife
and the sex object/
Glamorous Ideal.
Can you think how
these stereotypes
suited patriarchy?

15. TASK:
We will now look at some short extracts –
see if you can see how these traditional
ideas about gender were reflected?

16. 1 – Calamity Jane
2 – Fairy Snow Ad (1960)
3 - Persil Ad (1958)
4 - Kelloggs Ad (1950s)
5 - Oxo Ads with Katy and Philip (1960s - 70s)
6 - Toni Home Hair Perm (1961)
7 - Prom Home Perm Kit (1961)
8 – Goldfinger

17. More Modern
Ideologies about
Gender

18. From the 1960s onwards, feminism
challenged patriarchy, seeking to gain
equality for women. They gained increased
respect, opportunities and legislation for
women, giving them the chance to step into
what had once been men’s shoes...

19. Suddenly gender roles were less rigid and
defined and this is often reflected in
newer media representations.
TASK:
Again, we will look at two short extracts
to see how men and women are being
represented today.
1 – Million Dollar Baby extract
2 - Aero Melt ad

20. Suddenly it wasn’t
unusual for women to:
•Have a serious career
•Wear trousers
•Smoke, drink and swear
•Play football
•Downplay the domestic
goddess role
Roles traditionally
allocated to men.

21. How does the emergence of the kick-ass
heroine reflect these changes in
representation?

22. And we start seeing
men switch some roles,
too, occupying some
once reserved for
women:
•The house husband/ stay at
home dad
•Men starting to get into
cooking
•Male grooming products
•The New Man – in touch
with his feelings

23. Some writers have even talked about a Crisis
of Masculinity – as women are adopting roles
and qualities once occupied by men, men are
said to be confused about what they should be
like now.

24. Some see two responses in
modern masculine identity:
•A feminisation of the male as
he adopts traditionally feminine
roles and attributes e.g. the
metrosexual
•Hypermasculinity – an extreme
macho identity aimed at making
men distinct from women along
traditional line e.g. the Lad
•

25. A word of caution….

26. This doesn’t mean it’s all out with the old
and in with the new. If you watch TV or film,
you will still find many of the older, more
traditional representations of gender
alongside some of the new.

27. This reflects our varied views on
gender roles today – a recent
study has shown that increasing
numbers of modern women are
rejecting the feminist legacy of
the working mother and moving
back into the home and more
traditional feminine roles. They
see this not as retreat but their
right – to choose a role that
fulfils them rather than adopt
one men or other women say is
right.

28. Some feel we have entered an era of post-
feminism – a stage where equality has
been achieved and women are free to be
what they like.
This often includes adopting what were
once perceived as sexist roles like sex
objects.
Some women see this as a positive
assertion of choice; others claim it is simply
retro-sexism and reflects a new era of
female oppression.

29. Female empowerment or return to patriarchy?

30. And one final clip....
Charlie’s Angels 2
How are women represented in this
recent clip? What mixture of values
and ideas are embedded in this
representation?