Write an essay about Gender Longitudes and Attitudes .
Choose an artifact or an image that you think represents and reinforces or challenges and undermines gender stereotypes and codes of behavior in another culture. In selecting your subject and thinking about how it conforms to or goes against gender codes, try using the following guidelines and questions:
I. For images: Look in magazines, your personal or family photos, in textbooks or children's books--for scenes that you think present something about what men and women should look like and how they should behave. Find evidence that the way genders are presented is not onlyin the United States.
If you are looking at a picture or ad: Try not to look at the advertising aspect of the ad to make money-rather, look at the picture and dissect it in regard to how the genders are portrayed-and what message that sends. These elements are your evidence.
1. What is the sex of the model(s)? Why did this designer choose to use these models?
2. What do their bodies look like? Why? Where did you find the photo?
3. How are they dressed? Why?
4. What colors are used? How are these colors associated with our stereotypes of men and women?
5. What props are used (elements in the ad/photo to "set the scene")? How do these props conform to or go against gender stereotypes for men and women?
6. What does the combination of these details say about what men/women are like and how they should behave?
II. For artifacts: look for or think about objects/clothing that seem to be designed with a particular gender in mind. An artifact can be anything: a piece of clothing, a purse, or a toy. (Please do not pick obvious items such as baby dolls, easy-bake ovens, footballs, cars etc. unless you have an interesting angle. Please check with me first if you are unsure about your topic.)
1. Where did you find the object? (Always consider what the source is or when you find information).
2. What is the intended use of the item and whom is it designed for? How do you know this?
3. What color is the object? What does that indicate about the intended audience?
4. What material is it made from? Why might a man or woman respond to this material? If it is a Tierra for example: What does that say about our culture--or all cultures that may use this item? What about high heels? What do they generally represent? What have they represented in the past-and in other countries in regard to gender. What about purses? Or a veil? How is a veil used in marriage and/or in religion? What does it represent? What about mini skirts, corset, or mirrors etc?
5. Why might the intended audience need or want to have this object?
6. What is the size and shape of the item? How is this related to stereotypical ideas about gender attitudes and behavior?
7. What does the combination of these details (of appearance and purpose) tell us about how a particular society believes men and women should think and behave? You may discuss American issues, but the item's intent/message needs to extend beyond American soil. We cannot assume that American values are shared in every country. However, if they are, what does that tell us about Gender roles and behaviors in the past and in the present?
III. For a country: picka country/culture(although you may use the USA as an element in your discussion, you must incorporate another culture or country-see note below) and analyze how men or women are portrayed. How do they view beauty and femininity? How do they construct gender roles? How do they view strength and masculinity? What are beauty and strength measured by? In some cultures the men wear the finery-or dress to impress.