The Macro Perspectives Of Gender And Social Identity In The Media

Sex is biologically determined and hormones may make differences between women and men’s characteristics. However, gender and/or sexual identities are shaped through culture, social constructions, and interactions (Brooks & Hebert, 2006; Eguchi, 2009: Riley, 2003; Pascoe, 2005; and Speer, 2001). Eguchi (2009) discusses identity negotiation theory that “identity is constantly co-created and co-shaped while being negotiated ‘between the self and relevant others’ via social interactions” (p. 198). We negotiate our gender identities from macro and micro perspectives. Macro perspectives refer to the discursive ideas that are shared by the national level such as American hegemonic masculinity. Micro perspectives refer to narrow range, such as family, school, and community. Thus, our gender

According to the film, Miss Representation, the media “are shaping our society and delivering contents, but shaping children’s brains and minds (Newsom, 2011). Brooks and Hebert (2006) also discuss that “Much of what audiences know and care about is based on the images, symbols, and narratives in radio, television, film, music, and other media” (p. 297). The media is mostly governed by white men. “Women own only 5.8% of all television station and 6% of radio stations” (Newsom, 2011). “The limited employment of women in decision-making roles is the key element in understanding how gender inequality is woven into the media industry” (Watkins & Emerson, 2000, p. 155). Collins (1999) points out that elite groups manipulate controlling images that marginalize specific groups. As a result, girls and women are encouraged to achieve men’s ideals, impossible beauty standards; young men who are used to such models are judgmental toward real women (Newsom, 2011). Moreover, advertisers and marketers have had “dictated cultural norms and values” since the establishment of the Advertizing First Amendment Protection in 1976 (Newsom,