Gender Stereotypes as a Reflection of Women

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Introduction

The media holds up a mirror to our society. As condemned as the media may be, it does reflect much truth and reality. This is especially so for comics and advertising media because they are very much inspired by our daily lives and struggles (Klein, 1993).

Commercials and comics should never be solely regarded as the promotion of tangible objects as they carry subtle messages and reinforces certain ideas subconsciously. Gender roles are underlying and recurring themes in these commercials and it is crucial to understand the development of the images media portray because they have a strong correlation with the society. As these forms of media dominate the industry, we have to be wary of how it validates and ascertains our …show more content…

Therefore, in order to retain their husbands’ affections, they will have to sustain a youthful image. This is reflected by their endorsement in health and beauty products in commercials out of concern for their physical appearance (Wearden & Creedon, 2002). In addition, women would even perform domestic duties for relatives (such as adult sons) as a hedge against loneliness – as an insurance policy (Delamont, 2001). By carrying out such domestic services, the company of their family and relatives is guaranteed. This is correlated to how women are constantly portrayed in commercials as caretakers of the family and always ensuring that their families are satisfied with their domestic services (Kaufman, 1999; Thompson & Walker, 1989). Social needs

Women in the advertising media and comics have also constantly been depicted as social creatures, where they attempt to create an identity and improve their social status by their obsession with their physical appearances. Le Monchek discovered that the emphasis on one’s appearance in comics reveals that the real source of self-esteem for many women still lay in the way they looked (Klein, 1993). This is due to the notion that a woman’s physical appearance is an indication of her social status (Delamont, 2001).

Commercials for health and beauty products continue to

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