SOC/WOMS 306

Length: 4-5 pages

Times New Roman, 12pt font, 1" margins, double spaced

150 points possible

For this Paper, you are required to investigate the ways in which the popular media portray gender in stereotypical ways. Look for stereotypes associated with women or men as a whole and/or stereotypes associated with particular groups of women or men based on race, class, sexual orientation, physical ability, etc.

You need pick a combination of at least three media:

• Video games
• Magazines
• Television
• Children's Books
• Music
• Movies
• Commercials on television
• Websites

Instructions

1. Introduction. Paragraph 1.
2. State which of the above media you selected, state the specific sources you used, and briefly describe the stereotypical references that you found. This should be the first three paragraphs after your introduction, one paragraph per media source.
3. How do the stereotypes portray women versus men? If relevant, discuss how the stereotypes portray particular categories of women or men (based on race, class, sexual orientation, physical ability, etc.) as subordinates of individuals from dominant groups. This should be paragraph five.
4. What do you think are the purposes of these stereotypes? How do these portrayals benefit certain groups while disadvantaging other groups? How do the stereotypes maintain the gender system? (Discuss the ways in which we as a society enforce stereotypes to maintain the status quo. Also consider how people are treated when they do not conform).This should be paragraph six.
5. How does what you have learned from our text and this class help you better understand the meaning and consequences of stereotyping in the mass media? Do you think about gender in more complex ways—i.e., as not simply consisting of norms about femininity and masculinity but as a process, a stratification system or structure, and an institution in and of itself? Finally, how has this class helped you understand gender, race, class, and sexual orientation as interlocking systems of oppression? This should be paragraph 7.