MediaSmarts Tags - Gender Representation

In Tough Guise: Violence, Media and the Crisis in Masculinity, Jackson Katz and Jeremy Earp argue that the media provide an important perspective on social attitudes – and that while the media are not the cause of violent behaviour in men and boys, they do portray male violence as a normal expression of masculinity. [1]

Level(s): Grades 8 - 9

Author: This lesson was taken, with permission, from the award-winning Violence-Prevention Curriculum Healthy Relationships, produced by the Halifax, Nova Scotia advocacy group Men For Change.

The challenge is to control the aggression that may arise in such play, while recognizing the important role that this kind of "creative drama" plays in the healthy development of children. Properly supervised, superhero play can be a great outlet for energy and a wonderful stimulus for the imagination.

Level(s): Grades 8 - 12

Author: Charity Laboucan and Tracy Duncan, Planned Parenthood Edmonton, and Sonya Thompson, Film Classification Services, Alberta Community Development. 

Overview:

In fact, in his analysis of gender in advertising, author and University of North Texas professor Steve Craig argues that women tend to be presented as "rewards" for men who choose the right product. He describes such commercials as "narratives of playful escapades away from home and family." They operate, he says, at the level of fantasy—presenting idealized portrayals of men and women.

A study conducted by the Amateur Athletic Foundation of Los Angeles reports that 98 per cent of American boys between the ages of 8 and 17 consume sports media. [1] Since professional sports are virtually dominated by men—from the athletes and coaches to the commentators and reporters—sports media have the potential to transmit powerful ideas about manliness and masculinity.

You've Come A Long Way, Baby?

The mass media, especially children's television, provide more positive role models for girls than ever before. Kids shows such as Dora the Explorer, Canadian Geographic for Kids, and The Magic School Bus feature strong female characters who interact with their male counterparts on an equal footing.

Women, News and Politics

Although there has been a steady increase in the number of women professionals over the past 20 years, most mainstream press coverage continues to rely on men as experts in the fields of business, politics and economics. Women in the news are more likely to be featured in stories about accidents, natural disasters, or domestic violence than in stories about their professional abilities or expertise.

A meta-study of programs that have been designed to help youth deal with body image and eating disorders has shown that media education is one of the most successful strategies for dealing with these issues. [2] Similarly, an evaluation of Go Girls!, a media education program created by the National Eating Disorders Association in the U.S., found that media literacy skills helped high school girls increase their self-acceptance and feel more empowered when viewing media images of women’s bodies.