Gender Roles And Media Portrayals Research Paper

Gender Roles And Media Portrayals - Research Paper Example Men were portrayed as dominant, strong, and independent providers. Most past television programs portrayed them as the dominant gender in the society. Men were free to choose what they felt was working for them at the expense of the opinions from the ladies. For example, in Mad Men, the executives treated their secretaries in the offices as objects rather than human beings. In fact, it is easy to observe how they disposed of them after having sexual encounters. In the end, women were not seen as having any value to the men. It is worth noting that the current television programs tend to bring out the rapid changes in the society. For example, in the television series, Modern Family, the role of the women and men in the family tends to change. Women start assuming significant roles, for example, some of them become breadwinners while men become domesticated by their wives. Rapid changes captured by these television series indicate how the society is changing. For instance, the concept of gay marriages is brought to the fore. Though it is difficult to accept at first, we eventually see a society that positions itself to accept these changes. In conclusion, there is nothing as inevitable as change. The television continues to influence the societal transformation through fostering progression of gender roles that took place in the past half century and today. In comparison to the past, there is a significant change in gender roles and various stereotypes in television today (Trier-Bieniek, 2014).