Final Essay - Gender Stereotypes - 11 Entries

Final Essay

Gender Stereotypes - 11 Entries

After blogging about gender stereotypes this semester, I have been able to learn about inequality and sexism within the media. Not only is gender stereotypes present in American history, but it is still present in today's media. Movies and TV shows have been able to hide gender stereotypes and sexism better than they use to, but it's still in most of them. This media diary shows the many different ways that media shows gender roles and sexism to their audiences.

In diary entry #8, I wrote about how MTV is still sexualizing and objectifying women in their episodes today. This TV show shows women to be sexual objects by wearing little clothing, showing their bodies off, and making it seem as if women will do anything for money. However, this is not the only popular form of media that shows gender roles. Most TV shows today still objectify women and show men to be the "stronger" characters. For example, in diary entry #6, I wrote about the movie Grease and how it shows clear gender roles throughout the movie. Sandy is shown to be quiet, and sweet while Danny is shown to be tough. Sandy is able to win Danny's attention at the end of the film when she changes everything about her appearance. She wears makeup, tight clothing, and changes her attitude to be "sexy."

In order for America to combat sexism and gender stereotypes in the media, we need laws and regulations similar to the U.K. In diary entry #10, I wrote about the U.K banning sexist commercials from the television. I believe this is something the U.S needs to adopt to help fight against these issues in our own media. After writing this particular diary entry, I realized that there are ways that gender stereotypes can end. If consumers didn't see gender stereotypes telling them how to act accordingly, people would be free to express themselves the way they want. Overall, this media diary has helped me see the sexism and gender roles within our own media. Media plays a huge part of shaping our reality, and it's our job to help fight against the negative effects.