Cultural Images of Men and Women in the Media
Adapted from Cheryl A. Rickabaugh. Sex and Gender: Student Projects and Exercises. New York: McGraw Hill, c. 1998
Assignment: Collect six full-color magazine advertisements that contain photographic images of women and men. Try to find 2 advertisements that portray only men; 2 advertisements that portray only women, and two that portray men and women together. Try to include as many diverse images of men and women as possible by including examples of women and men from different ethnic, racial and social classes and cues on sexual orientation.
Attach the six advertisements to this worksheet. Label your photograph with the name of the magazine.
1. Did you notice any differences in ease of finding certain advertisements? For example, was it easier to find advertisements of women and men together? Women only? Men only? Was it as easy to find ethnic and social classes as it was to find whites?
2. Who are women depicted in these advertisements? Describe similarities among the advertisements as well as differences? Pay attention to appearance, occupation, social status, face-ism, body-ism, etc.
3. How are men depicted in these advertisements? Describe similarities among the advertisements as well as differences? Pay attention to appearance, social status, occupation, face-ism, body-ism, etc.
4. How do gender stereotypes vary by race, ethnicity, and social class? If you had difficulty finding a diverse collection of photographs, you might want to comment on this fact?
5. How do men and women interact in these advertisements? Comment on factors such as touch, images of strength, dominance, sexuality, occupation, face-ism vs. body-ism, etc.
6. What cues, if any are present about sexual orientation? Describe.
7. Reverse the positions of men and women in each advertisement. Do the messages about gender change? If so, how?
8. What conclusions can you draw about how men and women are depicted in the media? How might these images relate to the development and maintenance of gender stereotypes?
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