Gender and Media

While thinking about the readings and discussions from this course, I realize that for a long time most people assume that gender and sex is one interchangeable word. But as we distinguished in class, there is a difference between the two categories, in which sex is defined by a person's genitalia and is considered to be male or female, and gender is identified by one's "masculine" and "feminine" traits he or she assembles in their own sexed body. By referring to a past communication class I took at USC, gender is socially constructed through media. We are constantly learning about gender through representations from television, films, advertisements, etc. These representations from multiple media platforms become narratives in our culture, and we actively produce and participate in it. For instance, Mr. Clean and Windex commercials always show a woman using their products while cleaning the bathroom, and Budweiser beer ads show men drinking beer while watching sports. These images represents the social standard that women are supposed to be the "nurturing" one by cleaning the house, and it is more socially accepted for men to drink beer and watch sports after a long day at work. But what if the tables were turned? What if you saw a man cleaning in the Windex commercial and a woman drinking a Budweiser beer? The media obviously portrays a huge affect on the socialization of gender, and therefore can affect individuals' attitudes and behaviors towards the opposite sex.