By Megan Mosquera
Objectification of gender has been present throughout time and can be seen in most pieces of art. Gender has always become an easily manipulated symbol such as women becoming representative of fragility and men of force. This easy categorization dehumanizes people and removes their individuality.
For most people it is difficult to see women as solely biologically different from men because of this universal female and male identity. This limited existence is so strong that deviation from the norm is stigmatized and reprimanded in most cultures. There are given customs of dressing and acting that characterize gender, and they can easily be found within media. People in the industry that try to change this, such as Jaden Smith who has worn skirts in Vogue, usually receive backlash.
Lynn Webb, professor of Communications Arts at the University believes that the media plays a limited role in our interpretation of gender, but that it does hold enough impact for people to reform.
“Corporate, mainstream websites tend to contain large amounts of advertising, and that advertising often portrays pre-existing stereotypes of what it is to be a ‘man’ or a ‘woman,’” wrote Webb in a published essay co-written with Nicholas Temple titled “Social Media and Gender Issues.”
There is a disconnect between the viewer and the artists presented to them because most media personalities are purposefully placed in a position where they represent a specific doctrine or aesthetic, whether that be conforming to sexist ideologies or otherwise.
In advertisements women are most likely to be placed in a domestic role for example. As a viewer one subconsciously normalizes these principles while protest rarely arises within the industry.
“Evidence suggests that young women internalize the commercial images that they see in advertisements here and incorporate the stereotypes into their online social presentation to varying degrees”
While we cooperate in creating our vision of gender through everyday interpersonal interactions, media can allow us to gain new outlooks. She explains that “diverse narratives written by girls themselves could begin to upset the dominant, stereotypical definitions of “girl” and perhaps even challenge gender-based constraints that hinder social equality.”
Media can be used to both advance gender norms as well as promote equality. It is a matter of exposure. We have begun speaking about body positivity and its inclusiveness has become a international phenomena.
Beauty Pageants that followed certain standards have changed and as a society we are more accepting of variety. The specific values that are generally portrayed by the media tend to educate a population about what to believe.
It is important to incorporate diversity and engage in inclusive behaviours because it popularizes non conforming ideas and makes things that seem unconventional, ultimately common and accepted.
“Thus, social media has proved to be a “mixed bag” offering and at times encouraging the enactment of traditional gender roles as well as, at other times, providing opportunities to “give voice” to users’ unique ideas, including both men and women who may be uncomfortable communicating in face-to-face public venues”
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