Socialization - Gender Messages in the Mass Media Essay

Socialization - Gender Messages in the Mass Media How Images on Television/Movies reinforce society’s expectations of gender. The most powerful form of mass media that we enjoy in America is the television. What we see on our T.V.’s can have very deep and profound effects on our beliefs, our life-styles and our needs and behaviors. On most of T.V. women are portrayed as flawless, beautiful, hair of silk, skin like peaches and cream and God forbid if they can pinch an inch, whereas men are portrayed as hunks that are muscular, have beyond good looks and are rich, powerful and successful. There is of course gender based bias in the shows and commercials played on T.V. The fact that most are targeted towards the female†¦show more content†¦They play up the beauty products, the seductive clothing and the exercise equipment that makes many women frustrated with their own looks and this type of media leaves them wanting to crawl out of their own skin and into the perfect skin that they feel they need to be worthwhile and approachable. Men are not judged as harshly as women, the men in the media can get away with carrying a few extra pounds and if his hair is out of place, well that just makes him better looking. The culturally conditioned pressure of looking beautiful at all times does not apply to men but a woman’s body on the other hand must always be attractive if not drop-dead gorgeous because this is what the media has made us believe that most men want. Movies can be a very negative or positive influence on a young person’s behavior and outloo k on life. They can influence a young woman’s image of herself and how she thinks she should look or how the movie industry portrays a woman’s image. It can make a young man feel as if he’s not muscular enough or tough enough or has to be rich to get the girl he wants. In most movies females are generally thin and physically attractive, which has led some people to suspect a relationship between television images and eating disorders. More than 98 percent of United States households have at least one TV set, 65 percent have videocassette recorders, andShow MoreRelatedMass Media And Its Effect On Children1363 Words   |  6 PagesIn today’s society Mass Media portrays gender roles in a negative way as well as the educational systems for both males and females. Mass media is defined â€Å"as any of the means of communication such as television, newspapers that reach to large amount of people†. (Dictionary.com, 2015). 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