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  • Essay / The issue of stereotypes in the media

    Communication and mediaIn Western society, the stereotype is usually placed on what the Anglo-Saxons think is not normal in their culture. Basically, the media also plays a role in how people "think" and generalize about a group of individuals, based on gender, race, religion, hair color, etc. This essay will discuss the stereotype reinforced in specific depictions in print and broadcast media, focusing on three examples of gender roles, blondes and African Americans, and what it says about dominant ideologies. Say no to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on “Why violent video games should not be banned”?Get the original essayFirst, we fixed individuals' beliefs, opinions and attitudes regarding the typical characteristics of female and male gender roles . These may be related to personality, where males are harsh and intensive, while on the other hand, females are generally weak and sensitive (Williams, La Rose & Frost, 1981). A popular example of this is the television series “The Simpsons”, an American cartoon series. In "The Simpsons", the man (i.e. Homer Simpson) is portrayed as a drunk, obese ogre who is stupid and does not know how to behave appropriately, nor be an appropriate father figure to his children. The woman (Marge Simpson, wife and mother of three children) is, however, described as a no-nonsense, musically oriented, fun-loving person (Jorian, 1997). Additionally, Gunter argues that there are two major traits in female stereotypes:; First, there is a serious underrepresentation of women in action drama films in terms of actual numbers compared to men. Second, even when women do appear, they tend to be portrayed only in a very select range of roles. An example of this is the James Bond film "The World Is Not Enough", where he is the handsome and witty one, while the actress is depicted as the helpless victim, even though she plays the role of a scientist professional nuclear power. women were more likely than men to be portrayed as product users in advertisements. Women were more often depicted than men at home, as housewives. The nature of differences in gender role representation was common and consistent with traditional gender roles. Men were generally described as having and knowing their reasons for purchasing particular products, as occupying roles in the practical consequences of product purchases (Gunter, 1986). For example, the commercial for “Demtel”, in which a man explains to viewers how reliable the product is. Where in the “Continental Pasta” commercial, a mother instantly cooks dinner for her family and becomes a “super mom.” Likewise, stereotypes are given to people with blond hair. The popular saying about blondes is that "all blondes are bimbos." This is an increasingly common stereotype associated with women with blonde hair. The notion of a “blonde bimbo” is usually determined by age – for most people, they associate it with “a sexy young girl with long blonde hair, big breasts, long legs, stupid and shallow” ( Agius, Bicknell & Watson, 1997). This suggests that the stereotypical images were formed from iconography rather than any evidence that there is a precise relationship between blonde hair and stupidity. The stereotype has been largely constructed and shaped by today's media. A key example is Pamela Anderson,.