Media and gender

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How does media perpetuate negative stereotypes about gender?
Introduction
In the modern world, there is no doubt that media plays a vital role in relation to
dissemination of information in the fast pace in addition to giving entertainment to a number of
audiences. Mass media, in particular, comprises the press, radio, televisions, internet as well as
books among others. Internet ought to be one of the most developing media although TV as well
as a wide coverage and influence. The truth of the matter is that following the creation of a
given content of the message; media has the capacity of influencing the attitudes together with
the opinions of very many people (Das, p. 323). Media perpetuate negative stereotype about
gender by influencing the perception of body image, self-worth, and social acceptance.
How media perpetuate negative stereotypes about gender
Individuals have the capacity of organizing their knowledge regarding the world that
surrounds them via sorting as well as simplifying the information they gather. Thus, people
create a cognitive scheme which specifically creates representations of the reality exhibiting its
ultimate and typical elements together with properties. The truth of the matter is that these
schemes go ahead in defining the essence of the worldview perception besides having a weighty
influence on the aspect of social cognition. This means having control of the understanding,
situation anticipation as well as emotion. Stereotypes entail one of that scheme that is used for
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social environment orientation to represent opinions of given group members internalized at the
time of socialization. A case in point of a negative stereotype in the contemporary society
include challenges of being able to differentiate gender roles which to a great extent ought to be
deeply rooted in the archetypes of social. Historically, the dominant family model was
patriarchy, and although men have been perceived as being assertive, independent, career-
focused as well as financial providers. On the other hand, women considered as low-position
workers, mothers as well as loving wives whose mandate entail raising children besides doing
the housework chores. Nowadays this is not the case as a family is based on partnership rather
than patriarchy in that women have more chances as well as right not only in the labor market
but also in the society in general. However in as much as male and female cannot be considered
as strictly being equal, the reality of the matter is that the differences between the genders’ role
are not vast. All in all, numerous social institutions including the media uses gender stereotypes
on the assumptions that everyone knows hence assisting the audience to comprehend message’s
content (Tucker p.6).
Focusing on how media perpetuate negative gender stereotype, it is worth noting that in
the modern world, mass media reaches a large pool of audiences hence very influential. Thus, for
the purpose of creating medium that attracts more attention, acceptable, universal and
understandable by the majority as well as diverse receipts, senders of the messages over and over
again makes use of the negative stereotypes in filling the social life besides invoking some
associations. These stereotypes, in the end, shape the attitudes, beliefs, as well as the opinion of
the people’s lives and more to that they control the social life by way of unnoticeably conveying
overriding hegemonic philosophy. Via manipulation of the message, media has the power of
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creating definite images of the reality which may be an incomplete reflection of the real society
(Das p.332).
White complexion has been idealized as a standard measure of femininity beauty in the
media. The message communicated is that females with white complexion gain approval
everywhere in the society. Females with black complexion are portrayed as crude and rejected.
Some of these television advertisements include Skin White, Golden Pearl Beauty Cream and
Face Fresh (Ullah pg.29). They communicate a powerful message to females that they ought to
achieve a white and fair complexion to be accepted in the sexist culture.
Televisions and films portray the presence of women’s bodies to sell virtually various
types of beauty products, clothing, food, cars and other services among others. The
advertisements target women with an objective of creating markets for their goods and services.
Such advertisements set standards on the beauty of females by presenting ideal images to ensure
the demand for products is stimulated (Ullah pg.31). One of such advertisements is Nisha that
emphasizes on feminine beauty. Due to the idealized portrayal of female beauty in the media,
women tend to feel insecure concerning their appearance, and this lures them to depend on
products being advertised to enhance their looks. A significant number of them are likely to
purchase into the ideas of what is presented to them that includes beauty products, diet aids and
clothes to meet the ideal beauty as depicted in the media (Berberick pg.4). Thus, it shows that
women’s bodies are not as respected as they are objectified to lure customers to purchase various
products offered by the sellers.
The idealized body of women shown in the films and televisions has forced a large
percentage of young girls, especially in adolescence to use diet pills or laxatives to reduce their
body weight. There has been an idealized image of how female figure should look. Slender has
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been a preference which is usually displayed as models by most advertisements (Vandenbosch
and Eggermont pg.872. Some of the beauty products used to achieve an idealized body shape
have a negative impact on the health of the users. Eating disorders have a negative effect on
young girls due to the use of diet pills to reduce weight to meet the desired body shape. Films
and televisions continue to put emphasis on the importance of a slim body for females.
Currently, there is pressure to attain small waist, large and firm breasts and large hips as a
representation of the idealized body for a modern woman. The looks are linked to the feeling of
worth. A significant percentage of women actors and actress in television emphasize reducing
body weight and achieve tall, slender and light skinned bodies (Ullah p.31). Televisions show
that such types of females are more attractive to their male counterparts compared to overweight
women. The idealized females are likely to get their life partners with ease as their lovers are
attracted to their body shape. Thus, these stereotypes propagated by televisions and films prompt
even young girls to use certain beauty products to enhance their looks and some have detrimental
effects on their health.
Conclusion
It is evident that media plays a critical role in perpetuating negative stereotypes about
women. Advertisements construct ideal beauty and normalize it as a cultural standard. They
portray the standard beauty of females as thin, white skin, having large hips and breasts among
others. This influences females to do all they can that include the use of certain beauty products
that may be harmful to their bodies to live up to the standard feminine beauty. White complexion
has been idealized as a standard measure of femininity beauty in the media hence females with
black complexion are portrayed as crude and reject. Slender has been a preference which is
usually displayed as models by most advertisements, hence a significant percentage of women
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actors and actress in television emphasize reducing body weight and achieve tall, slender and
light skinned bodies. All this emanates from the media aspects of perpetuating negative
stereotypes and in particular feminine.
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Works Cited
Berberick, Stephanie Nicholl. "The objectification of women in mass media: Female self-image
in misogynist culture." The New York Sociologist 5.1 (2010): 1-15.
Das, Prabartana. "The Role of Media in Perpetuating or Obstructing Gender Equality in the
Context of Developing World." Handbook of Research on Women's Issues and Rights in
the Developing World. IGI Global, 2018. 322-332.
Tucker, Dylan. "Modern HegemonyImplicit Bias, Media, and the Criminal Justice
System." Tennessee Journal of Race, Gender, & Social Justice 7.1 (2018): 6.
Ullah, Hazir. "The Objectification of Women in Television Advertisements in Pakistan." FWU
Journal of Social Sciences8.2 (2014).
Vandenbosch, Laura, and Steven Eggermont. "Understanding sexual objectification: A
comprehensive approach toward media exposure and girls' internalization of beauty
ideals, self-objectification, and body surveillance." Journal of Communication 62.5
(2012): 869-887.

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