Representation and Gender stereotypes

To understand the meaning of representation

To explore gender stereotypes

1 May 2023

What is the difference between ‘sex’ and ‘gender’?

"Sex" refers to the biological and physiological characteristics that define men and women.

"Gender" refers to the socially constructed roles, behaviours, activities, and attributes that a given society considers appropriate for men and women.

...and transgender/pangender/trigender should be part of this too.

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.

• It’s not just toys… it’s clothes, birthday cards, girls/boys magazines.

• What do these say about what it means to be a boy/girl? What do boys like and what do girls like?

• Do you think this changes in men’s/women’s magazines?

• Spend 5 minutes discussing the contents of ‘men’s magazines’ and ‘women’s magazines’.

• What types of articles do they feature?

• What does this suggest is important about men/women?

• What do you think about this?

Masculinity and femininity

Gender and representation of gender is tied up with ideas of masculinity and femininity...

Are the following ideas about the representation of men and women reinforced by what you found in the magazines?

Representation of Men

'Masculinity' is a concept that is made up of more rigid stereotypes than femininity. Representations of men across all media tend to focus on the following:• Strength - physical and intellectual • Power • Sexual attractiveness (which may be

based on the above) • Physique • Independence (of thought, action,

finances)

Representation of WomenRepresentations of women across all media tend tohighlight the following:• beauty (within narrow conventions) • size/physique (again, within narrow conventions) • sexuality (as expressed by the above) • emotional (as opposed to intellectual) dealings • relationships (as opposed to independence/

freedom)

• 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.

• Colours• Clothes• Jobs• Leisure Activities• Physique• Appearance • Strength

MASCULINE FEMININEColoursClothes

…

In groups draw up a list divided into two columns and label one side MASCULINE and the other FEMININE and see what gender codes you can associate with each (Use the headings below to help)

• Drinks on a Night Out• A Typical Night Out • Typical Character

Qualities• Responsibilities in the

Home• Favourite Genre of Films

Feedback

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