Gender stereotyping in the media
The following is adapted from the Women’s Media Watch Training Manual which highlights various ways in which women are denigraded in media advertisements and campaigns.
Sexuality exploitation
When women or girl are shown just for the enjoyment of others (usually men), and the woman’s sexuality is portrayed as her most important quality. The woman is usually in a proactive position and is the centre of attraction but not essential to the activity. She is often shown wanting male attention or approval. Men are usually shown approving only of sexually proactive and available women. Beauty is also essential to the portrayal of female sexuality. Very few women can conform to the standards of attractiveness which the media portrays. A healthy and positive female image depends upon many more attributes than physical attractiveness.
Dismemberment of the body
Media images often separate and highlight parts of the woman’s body in a deliberately sexual way. The woman is no longer a total person. She has no personality and feelings, often without a head. In essence, she has become an object. This common technique of using parts of the female body with no indication of what activity the woman is involved in. It is most popularly used in advertisements, music videos, soca/dancehall lyrics, calendars and posters.
Passive, submissive & subservient
Women are frequently shown in situations that make them look weak and incapable of making practical decisions. The women are often catering to men’s needs. When women are constantly portrayed in this way and men are shown as being in control and dominating, this promotes women’s acceptance of male domination and violence without resistance. These images promote the view that only men should be strong and powerful and women should be weak and passive.
Voice overs
Male voices in radio and TV ads, news and documentaries are used to convey authority and expert opinion. Female voices often take on a sexual tone and are used to sell products, or to advertise household items.
One-man-with-many-women
This image promotes the acceptance of men having multiple partners, and irresponsible approaches to relationships. It also promotes male hero worship while sacrificing women’s individuality. The underlying message is that one woman is just as ‘good’ as another, and is easy to replace.
Race/colour
The media usually uses women with particular complexions to sell certain ideals. Dark skinned women are usually associated with products used primarily by low-income earners. Light skinned (brown) or white women are used to sell expensive products associated with a sophisticated, glamorous and rich lifestyle.
Women in the news
There is far more emphasis on the appearance of female newscasters than on male newscasters. News reports on women, especially those in positions of power and authority, usually include descriptions of their personal appearances and family ties, which is NOT usually done for men. Topics such as Health, Family, Education and Community are considered “soft news”, not serious. “Soft news” is considered to be more important to women than men. Women’s perspectives are not generally reflected in the news, women are rarely quoted as experts or spokespersons. The analysis of issues in the news rarely looks at how issues affect women.
Lack of diversity
The media tends to show one type of woman; she is young, slim, beautiful, delicate and glamorous with the most important asset being her beauty. Rural women, fat women, disabled women, old women and women who do not fit contemporary society’s ideas of beauty and are not from a middle/upper-class background are rarely seen in the media. Fat or rural women tend to be used for the purpose of comic relief. In contrast, men of all ages, sizes and colour appear in the media in more varied roles.
Machoism
Men are shown in the entertainment media (that is films, radio dramas) as studs, conquerors of women with unlimited physical sexual prowess and sexual aggressors towards women. They tend to resolve conflicts by using violence. Men are also shown as emotionally inexpressive except for violent outbursts. They are seen in control of most situations.
Sexual division of labour
Ads, soaps, news, entertainment, show women primarily in the home. Men are rarely shown in a domestic situation. The focus on women in the home reinforces the view that the women’s place is in the home; men’s place is outside the home, and the public sphere is of more significance than the home sphere. Women are also shown serving, waiting, always ready to please men. Missing from the picture is the truth about what a domestic work involves: the planning, budgeting, organising, scheduling, deployment and supervision of personnel. In an office setting rather than in the home, such skills are well-paid.
Commodification of women
Women’s sexuality is often packaged for consumption. Particularly in ads, the woman’s body is associated with goods and services. Women are shown inviting persons to purchase the product through seductive verbal or body language. The impression is given that if you buy the product, you will get the women free. In some ads this actually happens: a man is seen walking away with a woman on his arm because he uses or buys a particular product.
