Gender Representation In Media

Gender Representation In Media Homework

Task 1

In video games male characters are 4 times more common than female characters. Research was done on the top 1,000 video games to show the number of appearances through female/ non-gendered characters over male characters. The video games were determined through sell rate and average ratings to complete this research. The studies show that even with non-gender specific characters or the option to chose the gender of your character, male characters still significantly outnumbered the others by 4:1.  Studies were also done on the top 10 most popular video game characters and only 10% of those characters were female. This could be linked to many things. in my opinion this is due to stereotypes. For example, women are meant to be 'girly' and feminine. They are stereotypically interested in makeup, magazines and fashion, so at a young age their parents introduce them to this and not stereotypical 'boyish' hobbies or interests. This takes away their choice to decide if they like this or not and deprives them of their exploration of other hobbies. All of this leads to video game developers to not make female character because female don't like to play video games. Moreover, their could be the possibility that through time women have been seen as the weaker gender and been  dependent on men whilst men have been seen as strong and tough. So, because of this people don't want to play reliant or weak characters they want to play strong and dominant characters.

Task 2

• There was a study done in the film industry to sort Oscar-winning characters into 23 defining roles. If someone had more than one defining role then they would be placed into their more dominant role. The final tally showed us that 16% of women won an Oscar for playing the role of a wife whilst only 2% of men won an Oscar for playing the role of a husband. 
•  Furthermore, female actresses won the same percentage for playing blue collar workers over widows but men have won awards for playing blue collar workers 6 times more than playing widows.
•  Looking into this years nominees on the female side for best actress category you have 2 wives, a mother, a shop girl and one entrepreneur. On the male side, you have a screenwriter, a scientist, a fur trader, a tech innovator and a painter/husband. This shows a striking difference between the genders to show the men have well-respected jobs whilst the women are defined by their relationships or roles as caregivers.
• In Hollywood, the idealised version of women are not often scientists or lawyers. in fact, Hollywood shows us that to be valued, women should dream of being wives or mothers, whereas men should dream of being professionals.
• Six best actress awards have been given to women playing sex-workers whilst no best actor award has been given for playing one. Bases on this, it shows that roles that emphasise a women's sexuality are celebrated and pushed to the forefront, while male roles don't require a similar appeal. For further proof, it is known that average looking men can be together with supermodel looking women in a movie and it is normal. However, all leading female roles all tend to fit the current model of attractiveness, regardless  of the looks of their male partners.

Task 3

What is a patriarchal society?
Patriarchy is where the farther or eldest male is in charge of the household, having authority over women or children. It also refers to a societal system run by a government of males, and to the dominance of men in social and cultural systems. In my opinion there are still glimpses of patriarchy but it isn't as big of a case as years ago. In the modern society, women aren't as degraded as they used to be but there is still some issues. For example, men still earn more than women in everyday jobs. In 2016, there was a study in the UK to show the wage gap. If a man and a women have a same job it is proven that a man gets an average 1.6% more earnings than a women. However, this point can be debated because people say the real gap is caused by the low numbers of women at the highest and best-paid jobs like the oil, science or technology industry. Also, everyday people use comments like "you fight like a girl" degrading women and it is seen as normal because men are seen as the superior sex. Moreover, when a woman and a man get married the woman traditionally takes the mans last name and is basically saying that she belongs to him now, even though this has changed a little and more people are putting their two last names together etc. overall, i think there is little patriarchy but there is problems in regards to both men and women.

Task 4

In media there is lots of evidence that supports Butler's theory. For example, in media products like magazines or movies it shows us what women and men should act like. Women and men are taught from a young age by society, their parents, friends how to perform like a woman or man and if you don't act this way you aren't seen as a real woman or a man. Evidence of this is seen in the magazine cover below. This is aimed at teen girls or young women and shows a celebrity icon in the traditional 'girly' coloured pink clothes, to give the impression she is a true woman and someone to look up to and to use as your role model which influences many people to want to be like that. Next, it has the anchorage text "pretty looks for you" which gives the impression they you should be finding it or should always be trying to look pretty and it also says "perfect party hair for your face shape" which contributes to the idea that you should be trying to find the best possible way to look you best and most beautiful. Finally it says how to get the "best body" in bold to highlight the concept that you should have a good body or working towards getting one. All of these factors add up to conclude that every woman should be beautiful and have a good body like this celebrity or you're not a true woman, so women try to act like this or be the closest representation of this that they can because that's what you're meant to be like if you're female.      

Task 5

Media producers have alot of influence on society.and the views that society has. They also have a massive responsibility when it comes to the representation of men and women. In my opinion, media producer could do alot to create and equal society for men and women. They could stop objectifying and sexualising women in everything e.g posters, movies, magazines. to make their product appeal to men or to make women buy it because they want to know how to look like them. This would make them be seen as people and not something to look at. Also, the producers could teach women that is better to be smart and intelligent than to be  beautiful, this would make men and women seen equal and have the same respect and intelligence as men which often media products don't show them as. Moreover, they can teach men that it is ok to be feminine because it is seen as such a bad thing for men to be seen this way and if they're not tough and 'manly' they are made fun of or degraded when they should be seen as equal to a 'real man' and a woman.