This document discusses gender roles and how they are portrayed in media. It explains that gender refers to social expectations rather than biological sex. Stereotypically, males are shown as tough, confident, and logical while females are nurturing, gentle, and emotional. Advertisements often depict women in domestic roles and men in non-domestic roles. While gender roles have become more blended, media still commonly portrays "traditional" roles. Gender is learned through observing same-sex models in one's environment.

1. Images of Men & Women in the Media
Corianna Mascena
Sawyer
CM 101 L
30 April 2012

2. Gender Roles
There is a difference between sex and
gender:
Sex refers to our natural sex organs that we
have at birth
Gender refers to social expectations that
go along with our sex
Sex ≠ Gender

3. Stereotypes
Male Female
Tough/Strong Nurturing
Confident Gentle
Hardworking Sympathetic
Competitive Emotional
Unemotional Weak
Logical Illogical
Rational Irrational

4. Ex. Mad Men
• Advertising
agency in NYC 1960
• Powerful, working
men
• Women are
housewives or
secretaries
“Smoke Gets In Your Eyes” (Season 1, Episode 1) http://movies.netflix.com/WiPlayer?movieid=70143379&trkid=3326039
• Women are not smart enough to use technology (9:30)
•Surprised a woman is in charge of an account (19:10)
• Expects respect from women (23:10)

5. Gender Roles Have Changed
 Gender roles have become blended
 Men do “women’s work”
 Women act like men
 This change was stimulated by Rosie the Riveter
 Women began going out in the work force during World War
II

6. But Have They?
 Although the line between male and female gender
roles has blurred, women and men are still portrayed
as being in their “original” gender categories in
many commercials

7. Gender Is Learned
 Gender is how we tell the difference between how a boy
should act and how a girl should act
 Gender differences are the main way in which we
organize our own behavior and figure out how to act
with our own gender
 We learn how to act by observing how people of the
same sex act in society and then finding our own way or
conforming to what the majority of the same sex is doing
 Learn how to act within our gender by being
influenced by our friends, family, and parents.
 Ex. Parents teach us how to properly act
 Ex. Friends influence how we act/dress socially

8. Advertisements: Women vs. Men
 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0DnQypXp54Q
 Overview of women portrayed in advertisements
 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ruIpTQAIbLE
 Bounty Paper Towels
 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=L0YPsuZYZIY
 Mr. Clean
 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lreImESlrG0
 Easy Bake Oven
 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gPXd_5TQCiU
 Little Mommy Doll
 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Mrl-mm-7WM8
 Chevy

9. Commercials: Women vs. Men
 Women are used to advertise for domestic products
 “There is a greater use of female produce representatives for
domestic products and male product representatives for
nondomestic products” – Robert Bartsch
 Men are used to advertise non-domestic products such as beer,
cars, razors etc…
 If men are shown in domestic commercials they are usually
the ones making the mess with the kids (woman has to clean
it up) or coming to get a meal (prepared by a woman)
 Men are used more in advertising
 “As the media continues to represent men in advertisements
more than women, our society continues to respect and
represent men more than women in every aspect of our daily
lives.”

10. Gender Is Learned
 Midriff vs. Mook
 This perception has changed for men but the midriff still
remains
 Images of women in advertising are primarily negative
 Ads are supposed to represent reality but only make people
feel bad about themselves
 Men used in ads make regular men feel bad about themselves
 Put an emphasis on looking good & havinga lotof muscle 
need these assets to impress women

11. References
 O’Brien, Jodi (1999) Social Prisms. Pine Forge Press
 Still Killing Us Softly Advertising's Image of Women. Dir. Margaret
Lazarus and Renner Wunderlich. Perf. Jean Kilbourne.
Cambridge Documentary Films, 1987. Online Video.
 "Gender Roles and the Media." InfoRefuge. 2006. Web. 15 Apr.
2012. http://www.inforefuge.com/gender-roles-media.
 Bradway, Jacquelyn S. "Stereotypical Gender ROles Portrayed In
Children's Television Commercials." (1996). Web. 29 Apr. 2012.
http://people.wcsu.edu/mccarneyh/acad/bradway.html .