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Michelle Laney
Professor Ditch
English 114A
09 October 2014
Gender Stereotyping
Gender stereotyping is often seen throughout Western society. The media sets out
guidelines such as women to be feminine and men to be masculine; individuals are expected to
follow them in order to be accepted in society. Some women are expected to be submissives and
work at home while males are expected to be dominants and have jobs such as firefighting. This
is very problematic because these unrealistic influences lead viewers such as teenagers, young
adults, and others, to act upon these rules and possibly go to extreme lengths in order to be
accepted. Gender stereotypes are harshly used by conformists in the public eye by judging those
who appear to be nonconformist and this makes viewers discouraged to be themselves because it
does not fit the ideal image of normal. Although, if theres a positive light in the media, things
can be changed for certain individuals such as gaining confidence within themselves and neglect
all misleading stereotypes.
The picture I have used for my visual text is from the television show on MTV called
Girl Code. Girl Code is a comedy television series that have groups of women talking bout the
rights and wrongs that male and females should follow. The picture I chose consists of a cast
member named Carly Aquilino sending out a negative stereotype of both a male and female. The
scene quotes I think women will stop lying about being good drivers, when guys stop lying
about what eight inches really is. This is very problematic because Carly Aquilino talks about

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wrong information about gender; her statement can affect both women and men in a negative
way such as harming themselves with self-doubt. Not only is just this scene situational, but the
whole whole consists of negative stereotypes of men and women, mainly women. For example,
they talk about how women should always be properly groomed in order to be feminine, and
they stress that women can not be the dominant factor in many relationships.
Western society assigns codes that women and men and they're then expected to live
their lives with these expectations that they cannot live up. Rebecca J. Cook, a Professor of Law
and Faculty Chair in International Human Rights, notes in her book Gender Stereotyping:
Transnational Legal Perspectives, To the extent that stereotypes ignore particular individuals
needs, wishes, abilities, and circumstances, they significantly impact their ability to create and/or
shape their individual identities according to their own values and wishes. They also limit the
full and diverse expressions of human character (Cook 11). What Cook is explaining in her
quote is how individuals are losing their character because theyre concentrated in trying to fit in
by appearance. Stereotypes that are thrown around are unrealistic but some individuals are
willing to do anything to fit these norms. For example, women in Western society who are
unhappy with their appearance are known to get surgery done such as tummy tucks, breast
augmentations and nose jobs. While men who are unhappy with their appearance often take
steroids, or have surgeries done such as implants in the chest or arms.
In Western society, media sources such as television shows, magazines and social media
are constantly judging the appearance and characteristics of women. In professor Aaron Devors
text, Becoming Members of Society in Composing Gender, he states . . . femininity must be
expressed through modes of dress, movement, speech, and action which communicate weakness,

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dependency, ineffectualness, availability for sexual or emotional service, and sensitivity to the
needs of others (Devor 41). Society manipulates women to be sensitive and dependent;
although realistically in todays society, women are doing much more than being dependent.
Such as, women in office and are taking many jobs that would be considered traditionally a
man's job such as doctors, lawyers and police officers. Although women are getting equal
rights as men the workfield, theyre criticized for their appearance. Media sources are judging
appearance through popular television shows like Fashion Police on E!, Americas Next Top
Model on The CW or What Not To Wear on TLC. Many of these shows judge individuals,
majority of them are women, and they convert them into what they believe to be an presentable
people in society. The reality of women is not all women are 6 feet tall and weigh under 100
pounds; researchers from Center of Disease Control and Prevention have studied that the average
women in the United States weigh around 160 pounds and are 52. The media only focuses on
stereotypes that are desirable and unrealistic; they do not focus enough attention on individuals
who do not meet the standards.
Not only are women being judged because of popular culture, but many men have
stereotypes that are harshly used in the public eye. These stereotypes include gender
performance of men being masculine, tough, independent, insensitive, built and handsome. In
professor Aaron Devors text, Becoming Members of Society in Composing Gender, he states
Persons who display success and high status in their social group, who exhibit a manly air of
toughness, confidence, and self reliance and the aura of aggression, violence, and daring, and
who consciously avoid anything associated with femininity are seen as excluding masculinity
(Devor 42). Many of these harshly used stereotypes towards men can manipulate a man to put on

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a gender performance which is masculine. This can be problematic because in reality, not
everyone can fulfill the idea of being insensitive. Another stereotype is the common appearance
of a man being masculine; such as broad shoulders, facial hair, strong bone structure and a beach
body. Shows such as American Gladiator on NBC promote strong men completing obstacles
using their muscles. If the men in the show do not complete these obstacles, they are then not
viewed as a hero. To many individuals, this just may seem like a friendly competition; but in all
honesty, these men and sometimes even women try their absolute hardest to train to look tough
in front of the camera. Men who do not have large muscles are not considered manly. This can
be difficult for men to cope with because they might not be able to gain these muscles . So they
have a harmful alternative of getting surgery. These surgeries consist of chest, arm and leg
implants for a larger body appearance. This is very situational for men because they are losing
who they are as individuals and theyre satisfying the needs of society.
Ways in which these wrong stereotypes can disappear is the positive light of popular
culture. I believe celebrities are often seen as role models to many young and older individuals .
If celebrities or media such as commercials or television shows come up with positive messages
for viewers, people will not discriminate one another based off of their gender performance. An
example that a celebrity sends out a realistic message of women is Tina Fey, a successful actress,
she quotes Every girl is expected to have caucasian blue eyes, full Spanish lips, a classic button
nose, hairless Asian skin with a California tan, a Jamaican hall behind, long Swedish legs, small
japanese feet, the abs of a lesbian gym owner, the hips of a nine-year-old boy, the arms of
Michelle Obama and doll tits. This is why everyone is struggling. Messages like these are
pointed in the right direction of individuals to follow. Danielle Moodie-Mills an educator,

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advocate and government affairs specialist has made several claims about the media, she quotes
Consequently, popular culture, and the emergence of unprecedented powerful female characters
on TV, has begun to change the way young women view strength and femininity. Thanks to
characters like Kerry Washington's Olivia Pope, women can be sharp and chic at the same time,
no longer having to trade one characteristic for the other in fear of not being taken seriously
(Mills). When a powerful celebrity sends out positive messages, people will absorb the
information and follow what they are saying. Instead of comedy shows such as Guy Code and
Girl Code that negatively portrays men and women to follow unrealistic stereotypes, there can be
positive commercials that promotes feminism.
Gender stereotyping in the media can cause great damage to an individuals health and
mind. Shows such as Girl Code can manipulate men and women to follow these gender
stereotypes such as looking a certain way and acting out of your character to fit the ideal image
of perfect. Women do not need to look like a Victoria Secret model and act like a housewife in
order to be accepted in society. Also, men do not need to look and act like bodybuilders in order
to be considered real men. These wrong ideas that are implanted in peoples head can make them
turn to something as harsh as surgery to fix their appearance. Ways in which stereotypes can
drop out of sight is for the popular culture to promote positive aspects of men and women such
as women getting jobs that were once considered a mans job, and for men to be stay at home
fathers that were once seens as a woman's job. Gender stereotypes need to be put to rest and
individuals need to focus on being themselves without the fear of not being accepted.

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Works Cited
Cook, Rebecca J., and Cusack, Simone. Pennsylvania Studies in Human Rights :
Gender Stereotyping : Transnational Legal Perspectives. Philadelphia, PA, USA: University of
Pennsylvania Press, 2011. ProQuest ebrary. Web. 6 November 2014.
Devor, Aaron. "Becoming Members of Society." Composing Gender. By Rachael Groner
and John F. O'Hara. Boston: Bedford/St. Martin's, 2014. Print.
Moodie-Mills, Danielle. "Can Beyonc's Celebrity Reshape Feminism?" Memphis, Tenn,
USA: Tri - State Defender: 9. Mar 2014. ProQuest. Web. 6 Nov. 2014.