Mainstream media may be all-pervasive, but it is not inclusive. This is no mystery- after all, the attention that has recently been brought to the misogynistic, racist, and homophobic tendencies of television and other modes of media. Muscular white men and slender white women of the silver screen are a source of constant gender reinforcement for our society. Not only does this create unrealistic and harmful standards for those who are cisgender (people who identify with the gender they were assigned at birth), but it also outlines a lack of representation for the LGBTQIAP+ and POC communities. In such a society where gender is polarized and based entirely off of genitalia, where do the people who classify themselves as 'other' factor in? Those who are intersex, transgender, non-binary, gay, lesbian, and people who do not abide by nor fit the criteria of gender-specific norms? How about cisgender people of color and people of color who are gay and gender non-conforming? There are so few people willing to be their voice. The gender binary and all of its unspoken rules are outdated, exclusionary, and serve no beneficial purpose to the progress and development of individuals and their identities, so therefore should be eliminated from society. By exploring the effects of the promotion of the gender binary on different demographics such as men, women, gay & transgender people, and people of color (particularly women), I hope to show that there has to be a conscious change in the way we teach our children about gender identity.

The media's portrayal of gender makes an appeal to specific gender demographics based on product types and it is exploitative and dangerous. It presents the aforementioned demographic with behavioral cues, i.e. connecting with their viewer through their manipulation of previously instilled insecurities. Several studies have proven that cisgender men tend to respond more positively to advertisements that favor the stereotypical approach- the appeal to their masculinity (Nelson, Paek & Viela). One such tactic is to presenting men with "things that guys like." A particular study featuring Canadian Club Whiskey advertisements further exemplifies this method. Circa 2007-08, the company released a series of advertisements that 'suited male interests', such as ads with a "Dad" character who was described as a "guy's guy" (Nelson, Paek & Viela). In order to sell their whiskey, they used the archetypal, cool father figure. This is appeals to affection and respect for paternal figures. The company's end goal is to convince men that if they should drink this whiskey, they too can become as cool and strong as the man in the advertisement; which in turn creates desire for the product and for the fulfillment of that specific gender role among cisgender identifying men. 

A print advertisement by the same company (Canadian Club Whiskey) presented another advertisement along similar lines including a fatherly figure with a woman seated on his lap along with the caption "Your Mom Wasn't Your Dad's First." (Nelson). By alluding to the man in the advertisement (and to a greater extent 'Your Dad') having many sexual partners, you imply that he is attractive and successful, and therefore popular with women. Gender reinforcement has such a negative impact on people that there id actually a term associated with the mental trauma: GRC. GRC, or Gender Role Conflict, is "defined as the psychological state in which socialized gender roles have negative consequences for the person or others" (O'neil). A passage from James O'neil's study on the subject states:

"GRC occurs when rigid, sexist, or restrictive gender roles result in restriction, devaluation, or violation of others of self. The ultimate outcome of GRC is the restriction of a person's human potential or the restriction of another person's potential" (O'neil).

The most important thing to understand about what O'neil is trying to say is that everyone is affected by these stereotypes. The treatment of other demographics is, sadly, determined by the heterosexual, white and cisgender male. Society is teaching these men that they need to feel superior in every situation; it is teaching them that their manhood is in question as soon as they stray outside the invisible boundaries of the masculine ideology. White cis men are the most privileged demographic in the world. They are the most powerful subset of people, and that power has a tendency to snuff out all other voices. Gender representation will only be addressed if the way these men are taught to address their identities is altered. Masculinity complexes are toxic and often lead to the abuse of others. The correlation that the media has made between violence, superiority and manhood is not a healthy one. 

Every woman has experienced sexism. It comes in all colors, shapes, sizes and intensities. It is woven into our society's very fabric. It's the casual, overheard-on-the-train, purse-your-lips kind of sexism, or a brand far more dangerous. An article entitled "We Want You in the Workplace, but Only in a Skirt!" focuses on society's treatment of women, and how Benevolent Sexism (the opinion that women are weak and in need of male protection) is detrimental to the fight for gender-based affirmative action. In the introduction, the authors explicitly state their goal (women's affirmative action) and the hindrance that gender roles are to that cause, citing studies concerning Social Dominance Orientation (SDO) and its correlation to sexism. SDO has to do with masculinity vs femininity and their respective places on the spectrum of social power (Fraser, Osborne & Sibley). The fight for gender equality has been made extremely difficult by the all-pervading and inherent sexism of society. The article separates sexism into two types: Hostile Sexism (HS) and Benevolent Sexism (BS). It goes on to explain that Hostile Sexism is just blatant, obnoxious sexism, while Benevolent Sexism is sexism that presents itself as:

 " ... an expression of protective attitudes in which women who fit their prescribed gender roles are seen as worthy of men's love, care and adoration" (Fraser, Osborne & Sibley).

Basically, what women have been taught to accept as chivalry is actually thinly veiled sexism. Women are perceived and expected to be the weaker of the sexes. Throughout history, women have basically been property and they've been expected to do the bidding of their husbands and fathers. They are expected to dress a certain way- 'presentable' might as well be synonymous with 'appealing to the male eye'. 'Feminine' clothing and products are often made shoddily and then marked up to ridiculous prices whereas men's clothing is cheap, straightforward, built to last. These industries aim to profit off of the perpetuation of female insecurity. The media makes women feel insecure about themselves with constant reinforcement of gender. The promotion of flawless beauty sets an unattainable standard for all women and it also panders to the fantasies of men. Products and goods need to stop being gendered, and women need to be allowed to live their lives as themselves. The constant struggle to obtain' dream girl' status is harmful to the psyche and identity of women everywhere.

Women of color constantly face a different kind of oppression. Kimberly Crenshaw of the Stanford Law Review writes that:

"Race, gender and other identity categories are most often treated as vestiges of bias or domination- that is, as intrinsically negative frameworks in which social power works to exclude or marginalize those who are different"(Crenshaw).

Race and gender go hand in hand when talking about the effects of stereotyping/ pigeonholing a certain demographic of people. Not only are women of color already marginalized because of their ethnicity, but they also have to deal with the marginalization that comes with being a woman. Women of color are more likely to experience male violence such as battery or rape, and they are also more likely to come from poorer, less privileged backgrounds. Crenshaw makes sure to emphasize how class contributes to the experiences of women of color. Intersectionality is very important when considering women of color and how they are affected by gender roles. It isn't just a question of race or a question of gender, but a question of class, experience and sexuality too (Crenshaw). More awareness must be brought to POC issues, and intersectional feminism must become the norm for there to be any progress in the liberation/ empowerment of women who are as oppressed as women of color are.

Masculinity and its portrayal in entertainment can often be confusing and frustrating for men that do not see themselves sufficiently represented. Gay men can often be forgotten when things like the previous print advertisement hit the drawing board. Because people don't consider gay and transgender men 'legitimately male', media tends to portray them in an overtly feminine way. This is an insult, of course. Our patriarchal society assures us there is no greater misfortune/ insult than to be or be compared to a woman. In one article entitled Can Two Real Men Eat Quiche Together?- Storytelling, Gender- Role Stereotypes and Legal Protection for Lesbians and Gay Men, Marc Fajer, an openly gay man, recalls dealing with an administrator who was nervous about his resume and its involvement of gay activities/ projects whilst applying for a teaching job at Yale. When Fajer asked the man if he felt he was biased against hiring gay men, he insisted he was just worried about "extremes" and later elaborated: "Well, I wouldn't want you showing up for class wearing a skirt and hose.", to which Fajer wittily replied "I don't have the legs for it." (Fajer). This exemplifies society's attitudes towards gay men in general- they're not really men, because they don't fall within the stereotypical lines of gender conformity. In his article, Fajer states that heterosexual people often think gay people exhibit 'cross-gender' behaviors. On some level, they interpret gay men as wanting to be feminine or, as Fajer words it, the 'normal female'. This is problematic because the media uses this misassumption to fuel caricature-esque portrayals of gay men on television and in media. 

Lesbians are another demographic that get passed over quite a bit when it comes to media representation. Once again, there is this idea that lesbians are 'trying to be men' or fit the standard of Fajer's 'normal man' (Fajer). Society sees lesbians as "atypical of their sex", meaning they aren't real women, or they're 'wrong'. Also, lesbians are inappropriately hypersexualized in media, drawing back to Fajer's ideas about how heterosexual people are afraid of gay relationships because they think sex is the only driving force there. Heterosexual people don't understand that gay and lesbian relationships are real relationships based on trust and love, just like the nuclear couple. The idea that one type of love could be less civilized than another is baffling. 

In addition to being marginalized for being gay, lesbians are also women, so they face a lot of sexism in their day to day lives. Sometimes men refuse to acknowledge the validity of lesbian relationships, and don't believe them capable of lasting. As much is evident in male director's portrayal of lesbian couples in the media, from Buffy to Blue is the Warmest Color. The most recent uproar was surrounding the sudden death of a lesbian character on the popular show The 100. There is a phenomena in television where women who love women are doomed to either die or end up with a man in the end. This plays into the idea that men are the center of women's worlds. Change has been slow for the LGBT movement, but it is happening. One can only hope that the idea of being lesbian or gay will one day be completely normalized. Understanding is key in the process of changing our world to be more accepting. 

Transgender men and women are less accepted into society and the LGBT community than gays and lesbians and experience more marginalization. There are those who refuse to consider them masculine or feminine despite their wishes because of the gender they were assigned biologically at birth. In order to change the way people perceive transpeople, there has to be a better attempt at understanding their issues. For instance, Laverne Cox, an actress on the popuar Netflix series Orange is the New Black, was quoted saying:

"I think transwomen, and transpeople in general, show everyone that you can define what it means to be a man or a woman on your own terms. A lot of what feminism is about is moving outside of roles and moving outside of who and what you're supposed to be to live a more authentic life."

Not only does she address how gender roles are relevant to transpeople, but she also mentions feminism in terms of it being a universal movement, which is important. Feminism isn't about just women- it's about equality between all genders. Intersectional feminism is inclusive and positive.

People who identify as nonbinary are people who don't identify fully with either gender. Being agender is rejecting gender altogether, and being genderqueer is treating gender as fluid. Gender fluidity usually entails the use of both masculine and feminine pronouns interchangeably and dressing traditionally masculine on some days but feminine on others. This is a relatively new concept and technically falls underneath the Trans umbrella. It is a very large community on the internet, particularly Tumblr. That being said, there are definitely those who perceive it as 'role playing' rather than a valid identity. 

In a recent article, author Lynn D. Roberts and Malcolm R. Parks negate hundreds of gender identities by dismissing it as self-expressing for the sake of self-expression and control over one's identity (Roberts & Parks). They specifically state that the behavior "might best be understood as experimental behavior rather than an enduring expression of sexuality, personality or gender politics" (Roberts & Parks). This mindset is conducive to prejudice and dismissal of personal choice as 'silly' or 'experimental'. It is not unlike mothers and fathers telling their children that their sexuality is 'just a phase'. It is rude and close-minded. There is still so much progress to be made before our society moves beyond the rigid confines of gender. 

In conclusion, the way that gender is enforced in society is not only harmful to all demographics from men to nonbinary folks. Gender should not be cemented, and nor should there be a strict set of rules that come along with your sex. There is no gender handbook. It's something we've created for ourselves. In order for anything to change, we have to change the way we teach young people about gender. Gendering toys and clothing from such a young age is limiting children's' perspectives and self-expression (The Pros and Cons of Gender-specific Toys). Therefore, we should try to let children decide for themselves how they want to dress, act, and feel in the absence of inhibiting gender norms. 

Final Research Project Reflection:

I'm glad I chose this topic, even if it was a little difficult to figure out where I was trying to go with it sometimes . Gender Roles and the way they affect these demographics is very interesting to me, and being part of the LGBT community is very new to me. I learned a lot about myself as well as about my topic this semester, and I've also come to understand my partner better from the things that I've read. Learning about how people outside of the nonbinary community was fascinating to me- it's a reality for so many of my friends but I forget that some people don't see it as a valid identity. I definitely want to bring more awareness to these issues and become more involved in my community to foster change. 
