The Importance Of Popular Culture And Mass Media

In today’s society sex and gender seem to have two distinct connotative meanings. Sex is the scientific term that explains physical individualities one is born with and their sexual tendencies. Gender rises from the social quality, which refers the different clothing, activities, career choices, and positions people hold in society.

This essay aims to prove that ideas on gender, sexuality and identity have been socially constructed and are reinforced by popular culture and mass media. Gender roles, sexuality and identity are all played out in the heteronormative (denoting or relating to a world view that promotes heterosexuality as the normal or preferred sexual orientation) environment. I will analyze popular culture and mass media examples

By enacting conventions, we do make them ‘real’ to some extent, after all, our ideologies have ‘real’ consequences for people but that does not make them any less artificial. In particular, Butler concerns herself with those ‘gender acts’ that similarly lead to material changes in ones existence and even in ones bodily self: “One is not simply a body, but, in some very key sense, one does ones body and, indeed, one does ones body differently from ones contemporaries and from ones embodied predecessors and successors as

Johnson, the author of “Patriarchy,” states some of the very common stereotypes or ‘qualities’ of men. “Control, strength, efficiency, competitiveness, toughness, coolness, under pressure.” These are just some of the many stereotypes of men regarding how they should ‘normally’ act and try to portray themselves. Stereotypes for women have also come into place. Johnson lists some common stereotypes that society gives women as well: “inefficiency, cooperation, mutuality, equality, sharing compassion, caring, emotional, expressiveness. In the book, ‘Patriarchy’, it states, “Power looks sexy on men, not on women.” (Johnson 160) The stereotype of “efficiency” for men and “inefficiency” for women gives a double meaning to this quote. Since women are inefficiency, in other words unskilled, compared to men, it is evident that society’s opinion on gender describes that men should have the power. This quote is one more thing that is contributing to the social construction of gender by making men seem like they have more power and privilege over women.

The social construction is segregating individuals depending on their physical appearance. Men and women are seen differently because of the way they look. Women are weak, and men who are strong and controlling, should therefor be the ones in