Editing Gender role (section)

==In media==
In today's society, media saturates nearly every aspect of one's life. It seems inevitable for society to be influenced by the media and what it is portraying.<ref name=":1" /> Roles are gendered, meaning that both males and females are viewed and treated differently according to biological sex, and because gendered roles are learned, the media has a direct impact on individuals. Thinking about the way in which couples act on romantic television shows or movies and the way women are portrayed as passive in magazine ads, reveals a lot about how gender roles are viewed in society and in heterosexual marriages.<ref name=":1"/> Traditional gendered roles view the man as a "pro-creator, a protector, and a provider," and the woman as "pretty and polite but not too aggressive, not too outspoken and not too smart."<ref name=":2">{{Cite book |title=Marriage and Families: Changes, Choices, and Constrains |last=Benokraits |first=Nijole |publisher=[[Prentice Hall]] |year=2002 |isbn=978-0-13-034177-8 |location=New Jersey |url-access=registration |url=https://archive.org/details/marriagesfamilie0004beno}}</ref> Media aids in society conforming to these traditional gendered views. People learn through imitation and social-interaction both in the physical world and through the media; television, magazines, advertisements, newspapers, the Internet, etc.<ref name=":2" /> [[Michael Messner]] argues that "gendered interactions, structure, and cultural meanings are intertwined, in both mutually reinforcing and contradictory ways."<ref>{{cite journal |last=Messner |first=Michael A. |author-link=Michael Messner |title=Barbie girls vs. sea monsters: children constructing gender |journal=[[Gender & Society]] |volume=14 |issue=6 |pages=765–784 |doi=10.1177/089124300014006004 |date=December 2000 |s2cid=52253024 |url=http://www.michaelmessner.org/wp-content/uploads/2014/05/barbiegirls.pdf |archive-url=https://ghostarchive.org/archive/20221009/http://www.michaelmessner.org/wp-content/uploads/2014/05/barbiegirls.pdf |archive-date=9 October 2022 |url-status=live}}</ref>

Women are also largely under-represented across multiple types of media.<ref>{{Cite journal |last=Collins |first=Rebecca L. |date=1 February 2011 |title=Content Analysis of Gender Roles in Media: Where Are We Now and Where Should We Go? |url=https://doi.org/10.1007/s11199-010-9929-5 |journal=Sex Roles |language=en |volume=64 |issue=3 |pages=290–298 |doi=10.1007/s11199-010-9929-5 |issn=1573-2762}}</ref> A statistical disparity of the male to female ratio shown on television has existed for decades and is constantly changing and improving. Three decades ago findings highlight that males outnumbered females on a ratio of 2.5 to 1.<ref>{{Cite report |url=https://eric.ed.gov/?id=ED185178 |title=Women and Minorities in Television Drama, 1969–1978 |last1=Gerbner |first1=George |last2=Signorielli |first2=Nancy |date=29 October 1979 |language=en}}</ref> A decade later this number was at 1.66 men for every woman, and in 2008 the ratio was 1.2 to 1 in the US.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Women in the Labor Force: A Databook (2009 Edition) |url=https://www.bls.gov/cps/wlf-databook2009.htm |access-date=2 July 2024 |website=Bureau of Labor Statistics |language=en-us}}</ref> In 2010 it was found that the ratio of men to women in successful G-rate movies is 2.57 to 1.<ref>{{Cite journal |last=Wallis |first=Cara |date=2011-02-01 |title=Performing Gender: A Content Analysis of Gender Display in Music Videos |url=https://doi.org/10.1007/s11199-010-9814-2 |journal=Sex Roles |language=en |volume=64 |issue=3 |pages=160–172 |doi=10.1007/s11199-010-9814-2 |issn=1573-2762}}</ref> Notable social theory such as Bandura's social cognitive theory highlights the importance of seeing people in media that are similar to oneself. In other words it is valuable for girls to see similarities to those represented in media.<ref>{{Cite journal |last=Bandura |first=Albert |date=April 2002 |title=Social Cognitive Theory in Cultural Context |url=https://iaap-journals.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/1464-0597.00092 |journal=Applied Psychology |language=en |volume=51 |issue=2 |pages=269–290 |doi=10.1111/1464-0597.00092 |issn=0269-994X}}</ref>

Television's influence on society, specifically the influence of television advertisements, is shown in studies such as that of Jörg Matthes, Michael Prieler, and Karoline Adam. Their study into television advertising has shown that women are much more likely to be shown in a setting in the home compared to men. The study also shows that women are shown much less in work-like settings. This underrepresentation in television advertising is seen in many countries around the world, but is very present in developed countries.<ref>{{cite journal |last1=Matthes |first1=Jörg |last2=Prieler |first2=Michael |last3=Adam |first3=Karoline |date=October 2016 |title=Gender-Role Portrayals in Television Advertising Across the Globe. |journal=Sex Roles |volume=75 |issue=7–8 |pages=314–327 |doi=10.1007/s11199-016-0617-y |pmid=27688526 |pmc=5023740}}</ref> In another study in the ''[[Journal of Social Psychology]],'' many television advertisements in countries around the world are seen targeting women at different times of the day than men. Advertisements for products directed towards female viewers are shown during the day on weekdays, while products for men are shown during weekends. The same article shows that a study on adults and television media has also seen that the more television adults watch, the more likely they are to believe or support the gender roles that are illustrated. The support of the presented gender stereotypes can lead to a negative view of feminism or sexual aggression.<ref>{{cite journal |last1=Rubie-Davies |first1=Christine M. |last2=Liu |first2=Sabrina |last3=Lee |first3=Kai-Chi Katie |date=March 2013 |title=Watching Each Other: Portrayals of Gender and Ethnicity in Television Advertisements |journal=[[Journal of Social Psychology]] |volume=153 |issue=2 |pages=179–180 |doi=10.1080/00224545.2012.717974 |pmid=23484346 |s2cid=40904909}}</ref>

It has been presented in a journal article by [[Emerald Group Publishing Limited]] that adolescent girls have been affected by the stereotypical view of [[Media and gender|women in media]]. Girls feel pressured and stressed to achieve a particular appearance, and there have been negative consequences for the young girls if they fail to achieve this look. These consequences have ranged from anxiety to [[eating disorders]]. In an experiment described in this journal article, young girls described pictures of women in advertisements as unrealistic and fake; the women were dressed in revealing clothing which sexualised them and exposed their thin figures, which were gazed upon by the public, creating an issue with stereotyping in the media.

It has also been presented that children are affected by gender roles in the media. Children's preferences in television characters are most likely to be to characters of the same gender. Because children favor characters of the same gender, the characteristics of the character are also looked to by children.<ref>{{cite journal |last1=Aubrey |first1=Jennifer Stevens |last2=Harrison |first2=Kristen |title=The Gender-Role Content of Children's Favorite Television Programs and Its Links to Their Gender-Related Perceptions. |journal=Media Psychology |date=May 2004 |volume=6 |issue=2 |pages=141–142 |doi=10.1207/s1532785xmep0602_1 |s2cid=144754474}}</ref> Another journal article by Emerald Group Publishing Limited examined the underrepresentation of women in children's television shows between 1930 and 1960. While studies between 1960 and 1990 showed an increase in the representation of women in television, studies conducted between 1990 and 2005, a time when women were considered to be equal to men by some, show no change in the representation of women in children's television shows. Women, being underrepresented in children's television shows, are also often portrayed as married or in a relationship, while men are more likely to be single. This reoccurring theme in relationship status can be reflected in the ideals of children that only see this type of representation.<ref>{{cite journal |last1=Steyer |first1=Isabella |date=2014 |title=Gender representations in children's media and their influence |journal=Campus-Wide Information Systems |volume=31 |issue=2/3 |pages=171–180 |doi=10.1108/CWIS-11-2013-0065}}</ref>

=== Gender Roles in Social Media ===
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[[Social media]] has become an integral part of daily life for nearly everyone, serving as a dominant source of information and communication. Women's presentation on social media is directly influenced, with platforms utilizing metrics like numbers and publicity to endorse certain ideals in posts. Perceptions propagated through social media significantly shape real-life thinking and opinions regarding gender. According to professor Brook Duffy at [[Cornell University]],<ref>{{Cite web |last=EAVI |date=22 September 2021 |title=Social Media and Gender: A Tricky Combination |url=https://eavi.eu/social-media-and-gender-a-tricky-combination/ |access-date=5 March 2024 |website=EAVI |language=en-US}}</ref> social media operates as a [[meritocracy]], yet women's voices are often underrepresented and carry less weight in the public sphere.

The creation of an [[online identity]] on social media can also lead to the perpetuation of false narratives about gender, setting unrealistic standards for both women and men. [[Body image]] plays a significant role in this, particularly affecting the mental health of young women and men who internalize beauty standards portrayed online, leading to dissatisfaction and harassment.<ref>{{Cite journal |last1=Santoniccolo |first1=Fabrizio |last2=Trombetta |first2=Tommaso |last3=Paradiso |first3=Maria Noemi |last4=Rollè |first4=Luca |date=2023-05-09 |title=Gender and Media Representations: A Review of the Literature on Gender Stereotypes, Objectification and Sexualization |journal=International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health |volume=20 |issue=10 |pages=5770 |doi=10.3390/ijerph20105770 |doi-access=free |issn=1661-7827 |pmid=37239498 |pmc=10218532}}</ref> A survey conducted by the [[Pew Research Center]] found that women are more likely to have multiple social media accounts, making them more likely to internalize their body image and be influenced by the cultural [[stereotype]]s of female beauty. The emphasis on body image on social media platforms fosters daily comparisons and exposes individuals to sexualized media, increasing self-image insecurity. Furthermore, social media has also contributed to the spread of [[sexist]] beliefs and [[sexualized]] images of men.<ref>{{Cite journal |last=Daniels |first=Elizabeth A. |date=June 2020 |title=Does Objectification on Social Media Cost Young Men? |url=http://journals.sagepub.com/doi/10.1177/2167696818804051 |journal=Emerging Adulthood |language=en |volume=8 |issue=3 |pages=226–236 |doi=10.1177/2167696818804051 |s2cid=149814259 |issn=2167-6968}}</ref> However, [[hashtag]]s like #loveyourself and #allbodiesarebeautiful have sparked movements to challenge these standards.

Despite these challenges, social media has also created new opportunities for women in the workplace, particularly as [[influencers]]. However, gender disparities persist, with male influencers generally outperforming their female counterparts. Additionally, media contents across various platforms perpetuate gender stereotypes, with women often portrayed in [[Cosmetics|cosmetic]] and [[fashion]] [[advertisements]], while men are associated with gaming and knowledge. On an economic aspect, social media is driven by gendered advertisements and commercials, often reinforcing stereotypical representations of gender. [[Algorithm]]s on social media platforms can further exacerbate discriminatory recommendations, reflecting the biases of programmers. Overall, social media's influence on gender norms is profound, shaping perceptions, behaviors, and opportunities in both virtual and real-life settings.