In what way does media contribute to gender roles?
In what way does media contribute to gender roles/ gender stereotypes? Gender stereotypes are created because of mainly two reasons, first reason is to rapidly establish a recognition towards a diverse and general group of people, which in this case are the two genders. Second reason is to portray a suitable image for the function of society and subconsciously affect people's behaviors. From these two reasons, media uses different methods to use gender stereotypes as a way to reach its target. In China, gender stereotypes greatly changed for the last few years when the economy and interaction with foreign countries especially western countries, South Korea and Japan are rapidly developing. At first, out of the need of woman participating in the revolution and later the construction of China, women are portrayed as equally useful as men. In this time period, media is mainly controlled by government, so it always deliberately shaped men as workers who are strong, diligent and masculine, and women as good wife who support family and bear babies. These images helped government to maximize need for productivity. Later, after 1979 reform and opening-up, more commercial advertisement and foreign film works are introduced to China. In those commercials, women were more feminine, and aware of outfit whereas men were more gentle and clever. During these two time periods, people passively accepted gender stereotypes presented in those media, but after 2000, after communication throughout the country and emphasis on education, most of the public realized that people are able to have multiple personalities, and it should be determined by themselves. Therefore, from 2000 till now, though gender stereotypes still exist, but there have been variety within a gender stereotype, and people are more willing to find the kind that suits them.
As a Chinese student, I only have limited knowledge towards the issue about how media affect the formation of gender
As a Chinese student, I only have limited knowledge towards the issue about how media affect the formation of gender