What is Gender?

Gender is a term that refers to social or cultural distinctions associated with being
male or female. It is important to keep in mind the distinction between sex and
gender. Sex refers to physical or physiological differences between males and
females. So while sex is biologically determined, gender is a social construct. A
person’s sex, as determined by his or her biology, does not always correspond
with his or her gender. Therefore, the terms sex and gender are not
interchangeable. A baby boy who is born with male genitalia will be identified as
male. As he grows, however, he may identify with the feminine aspects of his
culture. Since the term sex refers to biological or physical distinctions,
characteristics of sex will not vary significantly between different human
societies. Characteristics of gender, on the other hand, may vary greatly between
different societies. For example, in American culture, it is considered feminine
(or a trait of the female gender) to wear a dress or skirt. However, in many Middle
Eastern, Asian, and African cultures, dresses or skirts (often referred to as
sarongs, robes, or gowns) can be considered masculine. The kilt worn by a
Scottish male does not make him appear feminine in his culture.
The differences and assumptions about the attributes of one sex or the known as
gender stereotypes are often used to justify patriarchy or the dominance of males
in society e.g- women are thought to be “naturally” nurturing and are assigned
the role of caregivers whereas men are supposed to be adept at worldly activities
and are thus expected to the breadwinners of a family unit. The portrayal of men
and women in mass media often perpetrates the continuance of patriarchy by
reinforcing gender stereotypes.
Portrayal of Gender in Mass Media
The media has a very powerful effect on culture, shaping societal structures and
operations. Dominant media forms have heavily assisted in constructing gender
and gendered norms. Advertising and mass media forms display codes that are
associated with representing male and female attributes. These gender codes
shape the way in which society views gender and assists in determining what is
acceptable gender performance. It is through the media’s reinforcement of gender
stereotypes, codes and gender displays that shape the way in which society
perceives and constructs genders.
Gender is not formed at birth, this self-identification of being male or female is
shaped through cultural, and social conditions. Media forms often present these
social and cultural aspects and set these as ideals for gender performance. Mass
media becomes a primary tool that introduces and encourages individuals
(especially young individuals) to participate in a gendered world.
Mass media forms set societal standards for men and women. These forms shape
the way in which society views and identifies male and female characteristics.
Mass media projects gender stereotypes as models for the sexes to follow. Men
within the media are constructed to be powerful aggressive figures, embracing
financial stability and dominant control. Whereas the media projects women to
be constructed as nurturing figures, concerned with family and sustaining
feminine beauty. Often these gender assumptions cast negative representations
that place barriers on women to develop and reach their true potential within
society. As a result, Celica Benoit author of Women, Work and Social Rights
states that gendered stereotypes have made it more difficult for women to be taken
seriously within the workplace, adding that male colleagues are more respected
in these companies for they are perceived to be more dedicated workers. Benoit’s
findings indicate that the media’s influence constricts both men and women, as
the sexes are forced to conform to gendered ideals.
These gender codes become heavily assimilated within mass media and
marketing, as many advertisers display men and women to portray stereotypical
gender norms and roles. Often these advertisements illustrate men and women
differently, altering the way in which society views the sexes. Women within
advertisements are often displayed in a sexualized nature that exposes females as
vulnerable defenceless figures. Men within ads are often seen in stances that
embrace power and status. Male advertisements conform to gender stereotypes
and use body language to convey men as powerful, aggressive beings. Body
language within advertisements allows companies to construct gender identity
and reinforce gender norms. Creating advertisements that construct to gender
enables these companies to effectively market, as they are able to evoke identity
through these products.
Advertisements marketed toward children expose gender identities and roles.
These ads assist children in constructing gender identity, by displaying ads of
children conforming to gender roles. For instance, famous toy company Hasbro
Inc. created a product called the “Easy Bake Oven”, which targeted young girls
between the ages of 4-10 years old. The company created and marketed a product
that was associated with feminine domestic roles and practises. The Easy Bake
Oven advertisements featured young girls participating in feminine domestic
practises (gender role), and deemed these domestic activities of baking as a fun
hobby for girls.
Psychologist Lawrence Kohl perceives gender identity to be constructed within
the early stages of childhood. It is through mass media messages that showcase
masculine and feminine roles as the “norm” for society. Children at a very young
age have a strong desire to fit in and feel accepted amongst their peers. Media
images and mass messages in advertisements aid children in constructing identity
by presenting gender roles as the “norm”. Masculine and feminine functions
become assimilated into modern culture, and are rendered to society as the
common ideal for men and women.
It becomes apparent that gender is socially and culturally constructed through
media outlets. These media forms are extremely influential and can alter the way
in which society perceives gender.
Gender Stereotypes and Misrepresentation in Mainstream Media
 Underrepresentation of Women
A primary way in which media distort reality is in underrepresenting
women. Whether it is news, prime time television or the cinema, the
narrative seems to feature and revolve around men, the protagonists of any
form of communication are primarily men.
 Stereotypical Portrayals of Women and Men
In general, media continue to present both women and men in stereotyped
ways that limit our perceptions of human possibilities. Typically men are
portrayed as active, adventurous, powerful, sexually aggressive and largely
uninvolved in human relationships. Just as' consistent with cultural views
of gender are depictions of women as sex objects who are usually young,
thin beautiful, passive, dependent, and often incompetent and dumb.
Female characters devote their primary energies to improving their
appearances and taking care of homes and people. Even if a woman is
depicted as a professional, the man is often shown as the responsible for
her success and a saviour who ultimately saves her in a crisis. Because
media pervade our lives, the ways they misrepresent genders may distort
how we see ourselves and what we perceive as normal and desirable for
men and women.
 Objectification of Women
Adhering to the notion of sex appeal in attracting attention and increasing
viewership, women are often portrayed as objects of desire rather sentient,
intellectual being in mass media. This practice not only dehumanizes
women but it also produces unhealthy ideals for women. It insidiously
creates the notion that women are vessels of sex who can be conquered and
violated. Women who do not conform to the ideal skinny yet curvaceous,
 light-skinned, sharp-featured and tall image portrayed in the media are
made to feel insecure about their appearance and often resort to buying
“beauty” products and in extreme cases suffer from eating disorders.
 Gendered Language
Language plays a critical role in how we interpret the world, including how
we think and behave. Word choices often reflect unconscious assumptions
about values, gender roles and the abilities of women and men. Gendered
language is still commonplace in both the media and everyday life. For
example, when speaking about a cop many people automatically use the
male form ‘he’, not knowing if the person is a woman or a man. With the
recognition of the LGBTQ spectrum of genders, the preponderance of
masculine pronouns and the use of gender binaries: his, her/ he, she has
become more problematic.

Gender Sensitization
Gender sensitivity is the process by which people are made aware of how gender
plays a role in life through their treatment of others. Gender relations are present
in all institutions and gender sensitivity especially manifests in recognizing
privilege and discrimination around gender; women are generally seen as
disadvantaged in society.
Gender sensitization is the process which promotes equality for men and women
by allowing men and women to view what is stereotypical of and reasonable for
their gender. Gender sensitivity trainings are used to educate people, usually
employees, to become more aware of and sensitive to gender in their lives or
workplaces.
Some of the ways in which gender sensitization can be achieved are:
 Making education gender sensitive
There has been much progress in increasing access to education, but
progress has been slow in improving the gender sensitivity of the education
system, including ensuring textbooks promote positive stereotypes.
 Sensitizing boys and men to women’s issues and creating awareness about
concepts such as sexuality, consent and gender discrimination
 Encouraging women to enter the workforce and into non-traditional
vocations
Supporting women in non-traditional jobs is crucial in not only making
long-lasting change in their lives but also help break social taboos.
 Give proper value to ‘women’s work’
 The unpaid work women and girls do provide the foundation for the global
economy. This fact needs to be highlighted more in the media, with the
private sector, and in communities.
 Making the workplace women-friendly
Corporate policies to ensure adequate benefits and leaves for working
mothers and a safe environment for women preventing sexual harassment
should be put in place. Prejudices about women should be addressed and
mitigated through sensitization campaigns.
 Get women into power
A proven way to overcome many systemic barriers to a woman’s success
has been increased participation by women in local, regional and national
legislation as empowered change agents. Women should be encouraged to
break the glass ceiling and take up managerial roles in the workplace.
The media can play an important role in gender sensitization through promoting
these ideas and sending out positive messages about women empowerment.
Media should lead the way towards gender equality through gender-sensitive and
gender- transformative content.