Gender

• Male Stereotypes


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• Stereotypes of women in the media

  • The WAG: wives and girlfriends of men who are concerned with beauty, love, being a good partner and getting and keeping their men
  • The Ball Breaker: who is sexually active, strong, selfish, ambitious, career minded and not dependent on men
  • The happy home-maker or part-time worker mainly concerned with childrearing, housework and family relationships and who keeps the family together
  • The Angel: who is 'good', displays little sexuality, is sensitive, is domesticated and supports her man
  • The Sex Object: slim, sexually seductive, scantily clad figure typically found in the red top press, e.g. the 'Sun' and in advertising
• Some sociologists argue that differences between men and women are socially constructed.

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• The cult of femininity

  Ferguson (1983) argued teenage girls’ magazine traditionally prepared girls for feminised adult roles and generated a cult of femininity. This included themes like:

  getting and keeping a partner, being a good wife/partner, keeping a family happy, what to wear, how to be a good cook etc.

  This socialised girls into the stereotyped values and roles of femininity and are often reflected in women’s magazines.
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• Metrosexual is a portmanteau of metropolitan and sexual describing a straight man who is especially meticulous about his grooming and appearance, typically spending a significant amount of time and money on shopping as part of this