Gender roles in society: masculinity, femininity, and media influence

Gender roles, which is to say the way that society expects men and women to act based upon what society and long standing tradition says is appropriate for men and women to act, have been open to interpretation in recent generations due to both a better understanding that gender roles are one, but not the only standard of behavior and that each person is unique and as such may behave in a unique way in terms of what their gender expression might be. In this paper, various dimensions of the terms and expectations of gender definition will be explored in an effort to better understand the topic itself.

Socially Defined Terms-Masculinity and Femininity

Reflecting back once again on what society defines as the appropriate expression of gender and more precisely how those who are biologically born as male or female are expected to act, it is vital to first understand exactly what society demands of genders. The classic view of gender roles maintains that the male should act in an aggressive manner, using forcefulness and even violence if necessary to relate to other people, resolve issues, and conduct daily life. Conversely, females are expected to be delicate, more reserved, less aggressive, and to act in a conservative way and use logic and intelligence to maneuver through the situations of life, rather than the stereotypical brutality of the male gender definition (Devor, 1989). Importantly, it must be clearly communicated and understood that these gender definitions are what is socially acceptable by those who set the pace of how society should function. The reality of gender expression is a different matter entirely, as seen when a close look is taken at external sources that show although gender roles are upheld in some situations, they are also violated.

Outside Sources that Uphold and Violate Defined Gender Roles

Because of the proliferation of mass communications of an audio-visual nature, such as the invention of motion pictures and television, the classic ideas of what gender roles should be was indoctrinated into the minds of the viewer and served to try and reinforce what was in many cases a worn ideal. While for years the average person felt that every man was the one who went to work everyday and brought home a paycheck to his subordinate wife who waited at home with a hot dinner and made sure that the children and home were well taken care of, there were likewise examples that defied the set gender roles.

Female Gender Roles-Followed and Violated

Similarly to the male gender definition, the female gender role has been defined and forced upon society by longstanding traditions, perceptions of what the true expression of feminine behavior should be, etc. All of this, of course, is amplified by mass media, entertainment, and in the present day, the Internet. Loyal following of the female gender role can be seen in advertising for department stores which depict women as mind numbed robots who will buy every dress in sight because it exists, the dutiful mother serving fresh baked cookies to the children, and icons such as Martha Stewart who make it seem perfectly normal to be a domestic servant of sorts.

Reflecting back to the 1940s, however, one of the women who broke down many of the stereotypical barriers of the female gender definitions was actress Marlene Dietrich, whose choice of male clothing and husky voice portrayed a woman who was more masculine than feminine (Borich, 1999). Additional examples of the shattering of the female gender restriction exist in the open expression of homosexuality among women in public and the fantastic, yet amusing assertion put forward that while some women are not well suited for childbirth, perhaps some men are (Quindlen, 2000).

Overall, what can best be said about female gender roles, like male gender roles, is that they are not absolute. Thanks to spirited women over the years, the free expression of self has been allowed in many cases to override a stiff gender definition.

Summary

In this paper, the contemporary view of gender roles has been examined both in terms of sources which reinforce these so-called traditional roles and sources that violate the established order of gender itself. Beyond this, and perhaps more importantly, this paper has presented a tribute to the complexity of the human spirit and the desire for all people to express themselves and be who they truly are without the oppression of a judgmental society. Therefore, in closing, perhaps the best take away from this research is the fact that while stereotypes and generalizations may always exist, the yearning of the individual to be free will always be there to keep the judgmental members of society in check.