Read Hesse-Biber’s essay in Part
VIII and review Lorber’s essay in Part I. Also
look back over
the essays that discuss masculinity and men. Then, either watch
commercials
that appear on a stereotypical “woman’s show” (soap operas, daytime
talk shows, a
women’s sporting event, etc.) and a stereotypical “man’s show”
(sports, news,
an action show, etc.), or compile a selection of ads from women’s
and men’s
magazines for products that are similar to one another. Compare the
ways in which
marketers target women and men. What do you notice? How do
advertisers
construct gender differently in the commercials or ads? Which
assumptions do
the ads seem to make about male and female consumers? How do
those
assumptions influence the ways women and men act, react, feel, or think
about
themselves? Why do you think capitalism promotes gender differences in
advertising?
How does capitalism directly benefit from maintaining perceptions of
gender
differences?
This could be a working thesis:
Advertisements in modern media
perpetuate and reinforce traditional gender roles and stereotypes by
consistently depicting males and females in narrow-defined roles that highlight
and focus on female passivity and male authority, reinforcing societal presumptions
and pushing consumer behaviors to align with these gender norms.
Should have at least 6 sources, including Hesse-Bibers essay, “Am I thin Enough Yet?” and Judith Lorbers essay “The Social Construction of gender.” Make sure to have this essay in MLA format with MLA in text citations and quotes.
