Gender and the Problem of Discrimination

NB: We do not resell your papers. Upon ordering, we do an original paper exclusively for you.

NB: All your data is kept safe from the public.

THESIS: Generally, after the evaluation of the facts it appears that the consumption of media forms socializes us to hold particular conceptions of gender and other related concepts and issues, and can even confront gender ideologies excepted in the society changing it in a profound way.

Introduction

Modern media forms including magazines, pornography, music, films, and so on construct and reinforce normative conceptions of femininity and masculinity, gender inequality, and even violence against women. In addition, nowadays the problem of gender discrimination and the importance of having equal rights for women is a very important issue even though considerable changes in the area of women’s treatment have been made during the twentieth century.

In the following paper, this phenomenon will be examined on the basis of a few informative articles along with the film “Killing Us Softly”. Generally, after the evaluation of the facts, it appears that the consumption of media forms socializes us to hold particular conceptions of gender and the other related concepts and issues, and can even confront gender ideologies excepted in the society changing it in a profound way.

How varied media forms affect people’s way of thinking in terms of their perception of gender-related issues

First of all, speaking about the impact that varied media forms have on people’s way of thinking including gender concepts, it should be stated that mass media is believed to be the most influential power shaping people’s minds and inner world in our modern-day society (Kimmel 2005). There exist no doubt that different media forms are only gaining their momentum in occupying people’s lives with their prevailing ideas which can be even classified as propaganda.

Nowadays media can be evaluated as the main means of affecting people’s minds with all sorts of different ideas constantly changing the way people see and percept gender, gender issues, women’s position in society, and women’s roles in their communities (Hensman 1996). Among the most influential means of propagating modern gender ideas are, first of all, pornography, then sexually explicit films, shows and music, magazines, even comedian shows, and so on. All of them shape people’s way of thinking depicting women as inferior humans mainly seen as the object for sex and nothing more than this, thus, abasing them to the level of “goods” for sale and men’s propriety (Perkins 2002).

Next, varied media forms will be analyzed in terms of their impact on the audience in the area of gender issues.

Pornography

Pornography can be evaluated as one of the most significant types of media with regards to its controlling power in affecting people’s minds. According to Jensen (2004, p. 5), “pornography is important not only for the specific effects it has on an individual man’s behavior, but for its role in shaping our conceptions of the body, gender, sexuality, and intimacy”. With regards to this comment, it appears that pornography has its destructive influence on people’s way of thinking; as a result of watching pornography men begin to see women in a different way not as respected fellow human beings but as an object for satisfying their sinister lust (Baldwin 1989). This, in turn, leads to more and more complicated problems including violence and mental disorders. Jensen (2004, p. 6) comments on the situation in the following way,

Given the epidemic levels of sexual violence and the widespread availability of increasingly graphic pornography in the United States, it is not surprising that researchers and activists have tried to answer the question of whether there is a connection between men’s use of pornography and sexual violence.

Judging by this comment, a conclusion can be made that pornography and the destructive impact it has on men’s thinking is more than just an idea sown in men’s minds. This idea is a motivating power behind cruel acts of violence and humiliation women are to experience from day to day including assaults, rape, and sexual harassment which became a modern-day pandemic in the global society (Bergen 2000). Addressing all these terrible consequences of pornography for men’s way of thinking, Jensen (2004, p. 8) argues,

These conclusions provide support for the feminist critique of pornography that emerged in the 1970s and ‘80s, which highlighted pornography’s harm to the women and children:

used in the production of pornography;
who have pornography forced on them;
who are sexually assaulted by men who use pornography; and
living in a culture in which pornography reinforces and sexualizes women’s subordinate status.

Reflecting on this meaningful comment, it can be only said that pornography as a terrible influencing power in society is to be cut off in case people want a positive future for their children, for their families, and, thus, for a positively directed development of the human race.

Music

Further, music can be also listed among the most influential media types causing its profound effect on people’s way of thinking in gender questions. In particular, such music genres as rap, club music, and rock often address the concepts depicting women as lower beings for the sinister objections (Perkins 2002). The lyrics of songs are often full of direct addresses to women as sexual objects purposed for nothing more than sexual pleasure. Men simply changed their due masculine nature as it can be seen from the following comment by Kimmel (2005, p. 173),

What has happened to the American male? For a long time, he seemed utterly confident in his manhood, sure of his masculine role in society, easy and definite in his sense of sexual identity. Today men are more and more conscious of maleness not as a fact but as a problem. The ways by which American men affirm their masculinity signs, indeed, that something has gone badly wrong with the American male’s concept of himself.

Evaluating this comment it becomes evident that the concept of men’s masculinity has considerably changed nowadays, and what is even more significant – this is caused by nothing more but media including music. Music is a very influential form of media as it listens everywhere and by every sort of people, and, thus, in contrast to pornography, it can affect the minds of an even bigger amount of people causing its fatal effects on their behavior.

Magazines

Also, magazines as the other form of media shape the way society sees gender questions, the concept of femininity and masculinity, and makes people evaluate this or that concept in a particular way. Magazines with their glossy pages depict a certain way of living where women are seen as inferior beings mainly dedicated to sinister purposes, and men are seen as consumer personalities ruling the world and afflicting women with their acts and attitudes.

Feminist position related in “ Killing Us Softly films

Addressing varied forms of media full of destructive and painful ideas humiliating women and diminishing their role in society the films “Killing Us Softly” by Jean Kilbourne present a sober way of seeing gender questions. Jean Kilbourne is known all over the world for her feministic values and strong beliefs striving to promote women’s position in society as deserving and dignified humans worthy proper attitude to them.

In these films, Kilbourne strives to prove that women pose a row of important qualities making them deserving to occupy a better place in human society than just being men’s servants in a constantly afflicted position. The author encourages us to meditate on all the negative consequences of improper attitudes to gender-related issues including violence and the destruction of the institute of the family as an essential element of life on the planet.

Conclusion

Concluding on all the information related above, it should be stated that varied forms of media play more than a considerable role in society in every area including gender-related issues. Under the influence of such media forms, people start changing their common point of view, and even the whole way of thinking. Among the most influential forms of media are pornography, different types of music (especially rap, club music, and rock), and magazines which affect people with all sorts of ideas constantly changing the way they see and percept gender, gender issues, women’s position in the society and women’s roles in their communities.

In today’s society, all of these media forms, in general, propagate the idea that women are to be seen as inferior humans, and their main importance is in sexual abuse. Evaluating a row of the facts it appears that the consumption of media forms influences people to hold certain beliefs of gender and the other related concepts and issues, and can even confront gender ideologies excepted in the society changing it in a profound way. Such beliefs appear to be harmful and can be seen as a reason for violence and other negative developments in society.

References

Baldwin, M. (1989). Pornography and the traffic in women. Yale Journal of Law and Feminism, 1(1), 111-155.

Bergen, R. K., & Bogle, K. A. (2000). Exploring the connection between pornography and sexual violence. Violence and Victims, 15(3), 227-234.

Hensman, R. (1996). Urban Working-Class Women: The Need for Autonomy. London: Macmillan.

Jensen, R. (2004). Pornography and Sexual Violence. National Resource Center on Domestic Violence, 1-8.

Kimmel, M. (2005).The Masculine Mystique. The United States: State University of New York Press.

Perkins, W. (2002). Representations of Fatherhood and Masculinity in Rap Lyrics. Souls, 3 (2), 15-27.

Click Here To Order Now!