Chapter 1. Gender Stereotypes in Television Ads

Introduction

Media Literacy Activity: Gender Stereotypes in Television Ads
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You must read each slide, and complete any questions on the slide, in sequence.

Activity Objective:

In this activity, you will apply the critical process to evaluate visible gender stereotyping in advertising.

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Reviewing the Critical Process

Developing a media-literate critical perspective involves mastering five overlapping stages that build on one another. Let’s review the critical process you’ll be using below:

Description: paying close attention, taking notes, and researching the subject under study

Analysis: discovering and focusing on significant patterns that emerge from the description stage

Interpretation: asking and answering “What does that mean?” and “So what?” questions about one’s findings

Evaluation: arriving at a judgment about whether something is good, bad, or mediocre, which involves subordinating one’s personal taste to the critical “bigger picture” resulting from the first three stages

Engagement: taking some action that connects our critical perspective with our role as citizens to question our media institutions, adding our own voice to the process of shaping the cultural environment

Description

To get started, record all the commercials during one night of prime-time television on a chosen channel.

Use the space below to answer the following question.

Question

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Analysis

Building upon your observations, use the following questions to find patterns in visible gender stereotyping in advertising.

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Question

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Question

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Question

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Interpretation

Now, let’s explore the meaning of the patterns you found.

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Question

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Question

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Question

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Evaluation

Next, we’ll examine what your view is as you assess gender portrayals in advertising.

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Question

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Question

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Question

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Engagement

Let’s take action! Think about ways that you could register your own opinion to corporations that peddle gender stereotypes and the viewers who see these stereotypes while watching TV. Here are some suggestions:

  • Check out the Gender Ads Project, a growing collection of more than 3,800 advertisements (mostly from magazines) categorized into various topical areas in advertising (e.g., The Gaze, Social Class, Dolls, Males as Hero). Visit the site (https://www.genderads.com), and offer your own commentary on issues related to gender and advertising.
  • Make a point of being aware of gender stereotypes when you watch television, and point them out to people with whom you watch.

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Question

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