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Gender norms and their evolution connect directly with our class lectures. We explored how gender roles are deeply ingrained through both cultural and biological narratives, much like Freud's early theories about gender identity. The article highlights shifts in these beliefs, especially in the growing recognition of gender as a fluid concept. This evolving understanding challenged traditional norms, encouraging a more inclusive approach to gender.

Weingarten, Elizabeth. “How to Shake up Gender Norms.” Time, 20 Jan. 2015, time.com/3672297/future-gender-norms/.

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The Past, Present and Future of Gender Norms

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Will continuing to challenge gender norms and document their harmful impacts lead to their extinction - or evolution?

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This post emphasizes how traditional gender roles, rooted in historical and social contexts, continue to shape expectations and inequalities. In areas like the workforce and family decisions, these issues are particularly relevant. Understanding these dynamics amongst genders is crucial for developing strategies to address gender disparities and promote equality.

“ContentKeeper Content Filtering.” Teachers.institute, 2025, teachers.institute/gender-school-society/exploring-gender-dynamics-power-relations-structure/.

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Exploring Gender Dynamics: Power Relations and Social Structure • Teachers Institute

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Gender dynamics are examined through the lens of power relations between genders, focusing on the traditional division of labor and decision-making within families and societies. The concept of gendered division of labor, which assigns domestic roles to women and external earning roles to men, illustrates the embedded inequalities. This section also discusses how these dynamics perpetuate gender inequalities and the significance of recognizing and addressing these power imbalances for societal progress.

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While women face challenges based on their gender in the workplace and in gender roles within their lives, Black women face the additional struggle of race-related challenges.

Black women face many barriers on top of being female. They are often judged more harshly than their counterparts in the workplace. They also are often forced to carry heavy emotional tolls from a lack of support by management. Many black women are used as a "token" or the representative of their entire race, which leads to undue burdens of isolation and feeling overwhelmed. They are also faced with a lack of recognition for accomplishments compared to their counterparts.

“7 Struggles Faced by Black Women in the Workplace.” The Corporate Sister, 3 Feb. 2021, www.thecorporatesister.com/blog/7-struggles-faced-by-black-women-in-the-workplace/.

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7 Struggles Faced by Black Women in the Workplace - The Corporate Sister

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“It’s hard to explain what it feels like to be a Black woman at work. “It feels like a long, invisible uphill battle.” “I feel like I can’t be myself at work, that I constantly have to perform.” These are a few of the words and feelings echoed by many Black women at work, indicative […]

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The Gender Gap is a long dicussed issue. Women have been consistently underpaid compared to men for the same jobs. In 2024, women's participation in the labour force has surged beyond that of 2023.

Women fall behind men in the "C-suite" positions, holding only 25% of top positions. This article recommends quotas and professional networks to improve women's access to the world of work, helping to close the gap. They also discussed the Forum's Global Gender Parity Sprint 2030, a six-year initiative to promote economic gender parity.

Geldard, Rebecca. “Gender Gap: This Is the State of Work for Women in 2024.” World Economic Forum, 27 June 2024, www.weforum.org/stories/2024/06/women-work-gender-gap-2024/.

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Gender Gap: This is the state of work for women in 2024

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The Global Gender Gap Report 2024 highlights the progress and challenges facing women in the workforce. Find out how far we’ve come – and what still needs work.

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When it comes to gender expression there are no rules. Gender expression is what you feel is right and what makes you feel good. For many people, things like makeup, clothing, and other forms of gender confirming accessories can help them to feel at home in their bodies.

While there are options such as padding or binding, some even feel comfort in adding makeup to their every day look simply to better express their true identity.

Minus18.org.au, 2025, www.minus18.org.au/articles/ways-to-play-with-your-gender-expression/. Accessed 4 Mar. 2025.

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Ways to play with your gender expression

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Packing, binding, makeup – there are heaps of ways to express your gender. There are no rules, so do it in the way that suits you!

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This article examines the impact of heteronormativity in elementary schools, highlighting how gender norms are reinforced in curriculum. It discusses how it can lead to bullying and exclusion of those that do not conform to "typical" gender norms. The study shows that while teachers are generally open to embracing diversity, they face barriers to addressing these issues effectively. Emphasizing the importance of early intervention and creating inclusive school environments to support all students.

Goodhand, Margaret, and Kathleen M Brown. “Heteronormativity in Elementary Schools: The Hidden and Evaded Curricula of Gender Diversity.” International Journal of School and Cognitive Psychology, vol. 3, no. 3, 2016, https://doi.org/10.4172/2469-9837.1000188.

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Longdom Publishing SL | Open Access Journals

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Longdom Publishing SL is one of the leading international open access journals publishers, covering clinical, medical, and technology-oriented subjects

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Although we have come to see some progress within the film industry in recognizing female filmmakers, significant challenges remain. Recent award season nominations highlight the continued underrepresentation of women in key categories. Initiatives like the #MeToo movement and the F-Rating have sparked efforts to address gender inequality in film, but the struggle for recognition continues. Although challenges remain, there is optimism for changes as the industry slowly shifts towards more inclusive practices in celebrating females in films.

Sinclair, Isla. “A Decade of Women in Film: How Gender Equality in Film Has Changed from 2010 - 2020.” Plymouth Arts Cinema | Independent Cinema for Everyone | Plymouth College of Art., 22 Jan. 2020, plymouthartscinema.org/a-decade-of-women-in-film-how-gender-equality-in-film-has-changed-from-2010-2020/.

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Plymouth Arts Cinema | Independent Cinema for Everyone | Plymouth College of Art.

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Now that we are in a new decade, it is hard not to look back on the last ten years and reflect on the changes and developments within the film industry, particularly in terms of female filmmakers. The beginning of the decade kicked off with Kathryn Bigelow being the first woman to win an Academy Award for Best Director, for The Hurt Locker. For many, this award is widely considered the highest honour a filmmaker can receive, yet since the Academy awards first started in 1929, only five women have even been nominated in this category, two of which in the past decade.

With the recent nominations from BAFTA and the Academy Awards, the lack of acknowledgement women receive during award season, is yet again prevalent; no female directors were nominated for Best Director for either award ceremonies. BAFTA is now reviewing its voting process, after criticism over the lack of female directors nominated. This year's oversights feels particularly shocking considering the success of films such as, Lorene Scafaria's , Lulu Wang's The Farewell, Kasi Lemmons' , Olivia Wilde's , Joanna Hogg's The Souvenir, Céline Sciamma's Portrait of a Lady on Fire and Greta Gerwig's Little Women. These films are key examples of how female centred narratives which are directed by women, can excel both critically and commercially. A lot of backlash has been focused on Gerwig not receiving a nomination for Best Director (which she was previously nominated for in 2018 for Lady Bird) due to the film not only being a box office hit but also receiving rave reviews. It's hard to ignore the parallels between the themes in Little Women and the continually reoccurring themes during award season: the difficulty for women to get recognition in a male-dominated world.

Unfortunately, this is nothing new for Hollywood and awards nominations with films such as Marielle Heller's Can You Ever Forgive Me?, Debra Granik's Leave No Trace and Lynne Ramsay's You Were Never Really Here, getting overlooked the previous year. However, despite industry's reluctance to dismantle the gender hierarchy, it is important to remember that there has been many key milestones for women in film in the last decade.

In 2018, Plymouth Arts Cinema became one of the first cinemas to join Bird's Eye View in their Reclaim the Frame scheme, a programme designed to grow audiences for films created by women. The scheme recognises the gender imbalance in the film industry and seeks to promote films that are made by and centred on women.

Plymouth Arts Cinema has continually encouraged the shift towards a position of gender equality; in 2016 the F-Rating was introduced. Presented by the Bath Film Festival in 2014, the rating seeks to encourage and advocate the representation of female filmmakers and highlights their absence from mainstream cinema. However, the end of the decade did see an improvement of gender representation from major studios. In 2019, 19 of the 125 wide studio releases were directed by women. Whilst it may still be a small percentage it's a huge increase from 2018, where there were only 4 women among the directors of the 125 major studio films.

One of the biggest achievements for female directors this decade was Wonder Woman. In 2017, Patty Jenkins achieved a huge milestone when she became the second woman to command a budget of more than $100 million for Wonder Woman. The film took $821 million at the worldwide box-office and its overwhelming success has set a landmark for female directors, as Jenkins proved that women can direct mainstream action films once they are given the same opportunities and budgets as men.

Jenkins' upcoming sequel, Wonder Woman 1984 has also become the first film to implement the Producers Guild of America (PGA) anti-sexual harassment policies on set. In January 2018, the PGA installed new Anti-Sexual Harassment Guidelines, following the reveal of the sexual harassment allegations against Harvey Weinstein in October 2017. The #MeToo phenomenon across the internet, has not only shown the scale of the problem, but the proportions of inappropriate behaviour and mistreatment (particularly towards women) in the industry. The movement allowed for an increased awareness of the embedded misogyny in the industry and exposed the shocking truth about how female filmmakers are treated.

Across the film industry, new measures have been introduced to combat the gender imbalance. From founding Times Up in 2018 (a group that strives to end sexual discrimination and misconduct for women) to the 50/50 by 2020 Gender Parity Pledge, the film industry has seen a number of initiatives that have been introduced in response to the Weinstein effect and the #MeToo Movement. #MeToo has acted as a watershed moment; eighty-two actresses, female directors and producers walked the Palais de Festival's steps on May 12 th 2018. The protest highlighted that only 82 films directed by women have been selected for the Palme d'Or competition, compared with 1,645 directed by men. Cannes is seen as one of the most significant film festivals, yet they have continually excluded female directors. However soon after the protest, it became the first festival to sign the Gender Parity Pledge, committing itself to inclusion and equality. Yet, with the recent award nominations, it is clear that there has been little impact on the film industry's structures, as the struggle to get the female gaze recognised is still a major issue.
Isla Sinclair
The backlash from the recent award nominations highlights that there is a call for women film makers to get the same recognition as the men. The responsibility of the awards such as the BAFTAS and the Oscars is to make films more visible, but every year it seems we end up disappointed by the overwhelming absence of female nominations. Whilst there is still a long way to go, films over the last decade such as Winters Bones, We Need to Talk About Kevin, Zero Dark Thirty, The Falling, Girlhood, A Girl Walks Home Alone at Night, The Babadook, Toni Erdman, American Honey, Raw and The Souvenir are increasing the visibility of the female gaze in the film industry and adhering to the f-rating system. And through the range of initiatives that have emerged over the last decade, there is an optimism that the film industry is progressing, with the effects and discussion of the #MeToo movement being carried into this decade and gradually shifting the industry towards a gender balance.

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A Decade of Women in Film: How gender equality in film has changed from 2010 - 2020 | Plymouth Arts Cinema | Independent Cinema for Everyone | Plymouth College of Art.

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Now that we are in a new decade, it is hard not to look back on the last ten years and reflect on the changes and developments within the film industry, particularly in terms of female filmmakers. The beginning of the decade kicked off with Kathryn Bigelow being the first woman to win an Academy Award...

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Same-sex marriage was made legal on June 26, 2015. Before the legalization, same-sex couples were not allowed to marry and were not provided the same rights as heterosexual couples. The article shares that The Supreme Court stated that "the right to marry is fundamental". Prior to the ruling, 13 states had not legalized same-sex marriage, with the other 37 allowing for it by either state action or previous lower federal court rulings.

Chappell, Bill. “Supreme Court Declares Same-Sex Marriage Legal in All 50 States.” NPR.org, NPR, 26 June 2015, www.npr.org/sections/thetwo-way/2015/06/26/417717613/supreme-court-rules-all-states-must-allow-same-sex-marriages.

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States cannot keep same-sex couples from marrying and must recognize their unions, the Supreme Court says in a ruling that for months has been the focus of speculation. The decision was 5-4.

Justice Anthony Kennedy, seen as a pivotal swing vote in the case, wrote the majority opinion. All four justices who voted against the ruling wrote their own dissenting opinions: Chief Justice John Roberts and Justices Antonin Scalia, Clarence Thomas and Samuel Alito.

"They ask for equal dignity in the eyes of the law," Kennedy wrote of same-sex couples in the case. "The Constitution grants them that right."

Comparing the ruling to other landmark decisions, NPR's Nina Totenberg says, "This is probably right up there with Brown v. Board of Education, and Roe v. Wade - if you like it or hate it - and today, Obergefell v. Hodges. This was a historic moment."

The opinion includes more than 100 pages; we've embedded it near the bottom of this post.
Update at 11:30 a.m. ET: 'Our Love Is Equal,' Obergefell Says
Friday's ruling "affirms what millions across this country already know to be true in their hearts: our love is equal," says lead plaintiff Jim Obergefell, who challenged Ohio's ban on same-sex marriage.

Obergefell continued, "the four words etched onto the front of the Supreme Court - 'equal justice under law' - apply to us, too."

He filed suit because he wasn't allowed to put his name on his late husband John Arthur's death certificate after Arthur died from ALS. Holding a photograph of Arthur as he spoke Friday, Obergefell said, "No American should have to suffer that indignity."

Obergefell has been traveling from Cincinnati to Washington every week, to be sure he would be in the court when a decision was announced in his case.
Update at 11:15 a.m. ET: 'Like A Thunderbolt,' Obama Says
Speaking at the White House, President Obama praised the Supreme Court's ruling, saying it arrived "like a thunderbolt" after a series of back-and-forth battles over same-sex marriage.

Obama says the ruling "will strengthen all of our communities" by offering dignity and equal status to all same-sex couples and their families.

The president calls the ruling "a victory for America."
Update at 10:37 a.m. ET: More On The Ruling, And Obama's Reaction
"The ancient origins of marriage confirm its centrality, but it has not stood in isolation from developments in law and society," Kennedy wrote. His opinion sketches a history of how ideas of marriage have evolved along with the changing roles and legal status of women.

Comparing that evolution to society's views of gays and lesbians, Kennedy noted that for years, "a truthful declaration by same-sex couples of what was in their hearts had to remain unspoken."

"The nature of injustice is that we may not always see it in our own times," Kennedy wrote after recounting the legal struggles faced by same-sex partners.

The Supreme Court said that the right to marry is fundamental - and Kennedy wrote that under the 14th Amendment's protections, "couples of the same-sex may not be deprived of that right and that liberty."

In his dissent, Roberts wrote that the court had taken an "extraordinary step" in deciding not to allow states to decide the issue for themselves, saying that the Constitution does not define marriage.

Calling the ruling "deeply disheartening," Roberts said that those on the winning side of the issue should celebrate a victory - "But do not celebrate the Constitution," he wrote. "It had nothing to do with it."

Justice Scalia said the Supreme Court's "highly unrepresentative panel of nine" had violated "a principle even more fundamental than no taxation without representation."

We've covered those dissents in a separate post.

Welcoming the news on Twitter, President Obama wrote, "Today is a big step in our march toward equality. Gay and lesbian couples now have the right to marry, just like anyone else. #LoveWins."
Our original post continues:
The justices ruled in Obergefell v. Hodges, which is linked to three other same-sex marriage cases that rose up through the court system. Together, they involve a dozen couples who challenged same-sex marriage bans in Ohio, Michigan, Kentucky and Tennessee - the only states with bans on marriage between gay and lesbian couples that had been sustained by a federal appeals court.

Friday's ruling overturned that decision by the 6th Circuit Court of Appeals. As the Supreme Court's summary states, "The history of marriage is one of both continuity and change."

The justices had been asked to decide whether the 14th Amendment requires states to a) license same-sex marriages and b) recognize such unions that were made in other states.

The 14th Amendment, we'll remind you, was ratified shortly after the Civil War. It has to do with U.S. citizenship - and with providing equal protection for all citizens.

Before Friday's ruling, gay marriage had already been made legal in 37 states and the District of Columbia - by either legislative or voter action or by federal courts that overturned state' bans.

As NPR's Nina Totenberg reported when the Supreme Court heard the current case back in April, conservative justices had pointed questions for the attorneys:

"Justice Scalia asked whether ministers would be able to refuse to marry two gay men. The answer was that it has to be worked out under state laws. He said, but that could happen - it could happen that a minister would be forced to marry two gay men, in violation of his beliefs.

"Justice Alito asked, well then why not marry four gay men together? Why just two?"

The ruling announced Friday adds new definition to an issue that has remained controversial even as an increasing number of Americans say they support equal marriage rights for same-sex couples. A recent Gallup poll found that 60 percent of Americans - an all-time high - support extending the same rights and privileges to same-sex marriages as traditional ones.

That figure included "37 percent of Republicans, 64 percent of independents, and 76 percent of Democrats," as we reported last month. And it included all age groups except for one: those 65 and over.

The court noted the change in thinking, stating:

"Well into the 20th century, many States condemned same-sex intimacy as immoral, and homosexuality was treated as an illness. Later in the century, cultural and political developments allowed same-sex couples to lead more open and public lives. Extensive public and private dialogue followed, along with shifts in public attitudes. Questions about the legal treatment of gays and lesbians soon reached the courts, where they could be discussed in the formal discourse of the law."

For supporters of same-sex marriage, Friday's ruling comes as a long-awaited bookend to the Supreme Court's 2013 ruling that struck down the federal Defense of Marriage Act and required the U.S. government to provide the same benefits to both gay and heterosexual couples.

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Supreme Court Declares Same-Sex Marriage Legal In All 50 States

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States cannot keep same-sex couples from marrying and must recognize their unions, the Supreme Court says in a ruling that for months has been the focus of speculation. The decision was 5-4. Justice Anthony Kennedy, seen as a pivotal swing vote in the case, wrote the majority opinion.

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The study in the article examines the rates of violent hate crimes faced by LGBT individuals in the United States. It discusses how LGBT people are five times more likely to experience violent crime and nine times more likely to face violent hate crimes than non-LGBTQ individuals. Race also was a key topic in this study where it was found that the victimization rights of Black LGBT people were amongst the highest compared to Hispanic and White LGBT people.

thisisloyal.com, Loyal . “Anti-LGBT Victimization in the United States.” Williams Institute, 19 Feb. 2025, williamsinstitute.law.ucla.edu/publications/anti-lgbt-victimization-us/.

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Anti-LGBT Victimization in the United States

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A think tank at UCLA Law dedicated to conducting rigorous, independent research on sexual orientation and gender identity law and public policyWilliams Institute | A think tank at UCLA Law dedicated to conducting rigorous, independent research on sexual orientation and gender identity law and public policy

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Transgender people face unique health risks, often influenced by discrimination. Stressors such as social stigma, internalized negative beliefs, and gender minority stress can lead to individuals being reluctant to seek preventative healthcare and screenings. Additionally, transgender people may be more vulnerable to mental health issues and STDs. In order to promote better health, it is important for transgender individuals to seek healthcare providers with expertise in transgender care and maintain open communication with them.

Mayo Clinic. “Taking Charge of Transgender Health.” Mayo Clinic, 31 Aug. 2017, www.mayoclinic.org/healthy-lifestyle/adult-health/in-depth/transgender-health/art-20154721.

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Health concerns for transgender people

Know the important health issues transgender people face, and get tips for taking charge of your health.
By Mayo Clinic Staff
Transgender people can have unique health care needs. Here's help understanding these concerns and how to address them.

Transgender health concerns

"Transgender" is an umbrella term used to capture the spectrum of gender identity and gender-expression diversity. Gender identity is the internal sense of being male, female, neither or both. Gender expression - often an extension of gender identity - involves the expression of a person's gender identity through social roles, appearance and behaviors.

Many health concerns that transgender people face are due to minority stress, which is characterized by:

Negative social attitudes and disapproval (social stigma) toward transgender people

Abuse, harassment, neglect, rejection or unfair treatment (discrimination) of transgender people

Internalization of social stigma, turning it into negative attitudes and thoughts toward one's self (internalized stigma)

For example, minority stress is linked to transgender people seeking out less preventive care and screenings than that of cisgender people of similar ages, whose gender identity and expression match the sex they were assigned at birth. This might be due to a lack of gender-related insurance coverage, being refused care, difficulty finding a doctor with expertise in transgender care or fear of discrimination in a health care setting.

In addition, because of minority stress, transgender people are at risk of:

Emotional and psychological abuse

Physical and sexual violence

Sexually transmitted infections, viral hepatitis and HIV

Substance misuse

Mental health problems, such as depression, anxiety and suicidal thoughts

What you can do

See a doctor

If you're a transgender person, don't avoid seeing a doctor out of fear of a negative encounter. Instead, look for a doctor who is empathetic and respectful of your specific needs. By doing so, your doctor can help identify ways to reduce your risk of health concerns, as well as identify medical conditions and refer you to specialists when necessary.

To find a doctor with transgender expertise, check the website for the World Professional Association for Transgender Health (WPATH) or GLMA.

Once you're talking to your doctor, be honest. Share your gender identity. Tell your doctor about any medicines you take or have taken, any surgeries or procedures you've had, and any associated complications or concerns. Talk about any stress, discrimination, anxiety or depression you're experiencing and how you cope. Also, tell your doctor if you're sexually active. The more your doctor knows about your health history, the better the doctor will be able to help you.

Get screened

Experts recommend that you take steps to protect your health based on your anatomy, regardless of your gender identity or expression. This might include:

Age-appropriate screening for cervical and breast cancers

Age-appropriate screening for prostate cancer

Age-appropriate screening for colon cancer

Age-appropriate vaccinations

Screening for mental health conditions

Screening for substance abuse

Screening for HIV

Screening for hepatitis

Additional issues might need to be considered if you have had feminizing or masculinizing hormone therapy or surgery.

Your health is important - regardless of your gender identity or gender expression. If you're due for a screening or you have health concerns, don't put off seeing a doctor. Early diagnosis and treatment help promote long-term health.

Show references

See more In-depth

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Know the important health issues transgender people face, and get tips for taking charge of your health. By Mayo Clinic Staff Transgender people can have unique health care needs. Here's help understanding these concerns and how to address them. "Transgender" is an umbrella term used to capture the spectrum of gender identity and gender-expression diversity.

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For LGBTQ+ people of color, intersectionality means their experiences of discrimination and violence can differ from those of other community members, requiring an inclusive and intersectional approach to advocacy. It is crucial to address privilege within the LGBTQ+ community to foster equality. Additionally, it is important for others to listen and amplify the voices of those with more marginalized identities.

Olsen, Billie. “How Intersectionality Affects the LGBTQ+ Community.” LGBTQ and ALL, 3 July 2021, www.lgbtqandall.com/how-intersectionality-affects-the-lgbtq-community/.

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How Intersectionality Affects the LGBTQ+ Community

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In this article, we will be discussing intersectionality. Intersectionality is a term used in the LGBTQ+ and feminist communities.

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LGBTQ+ representation in film and television has grown significantly, with many positive portrayals, such as Heartstopper and Will&Grace. These films helped to normalize LGBTQ+ characters in the media. Additionally, shows like Schitt's Creek and Booksmart offer indirect representations by focusing on characters' identities and not just their sexualities. However, films like Riverdale failed in their execution by resorting to stereotypes and using LGBTQ+ characters for shock value. Proper representation of LGBTQ+ people is essential, but when done poorly, it can be harmful to the entire community.

Powers, Stella. “The Good and the Ugly of LGBTQ+ Representation in Film and Television.” The Miami Student, 30 Nov. 2023, www.miamistudent.net/article/2023/11/lgbtq-representation-film-tv-movies.

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The good and the ugly of LGBTQ+ representation in film and television - The Miami Student

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Stella Powers | Assistant Campus & Community and Assistant Culture Editor

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The good and the ugly of LGBTQ+ representation in film and television

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LGBTQ+ representation in TV and film is incredibly important. For the most part, this representation is a great thing, but it can be seriously upsetting when it isn’t done well.

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The "male gaze" and "female gaze" describe the the way gender influences how we see, interpret, and represent visual media. The female gaze seeks to portray women in a more empathetic and complex perspective, focusing on their inner lives and experiences. The male gaze refers to objectification of women, where they are often reduced to objects of male pleasure and desire. Media created from a female perspective, such as "The Piano or Lady Bird" offers alternative and more authentic representations of women compared to the male gaze.

Aleyna Nur Çankaya. “The Sistine Chapel Ceiling: A Masterpiece of Renaissance Art.” Typelish.com, 2018, typelish.com/b/the-sistine-chapel-ceiling-a-masterpiece-of-renaissance-art-112724, https://doi.org/1006360780/CZB1CM7Z4KcDEMyx798D. Accessed 20 Nov. 2024.

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The way we look at things changes vastly, is gender a factor?

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This article, the role of Disney movies in gender socialization is explored. Gender serves as a mechanism for children to understand societal norms and expectations, but they can also limit opportunities, especially for females. Examples of these barriers include he "glass ceiling" in professional environments. This article specifically talks about "Cinderella" and "Snow White" and how they historically reinforced traditional passive female roles and assertive male traits. More recently, films like "Brave" have presented females who challenge these gender norms and offer alternative representations of women. Additionally, films like "Barbie" are breaking down gender stereotypes, by challenging real-word gender disparities.

Garg, Shriya. “Understanding Disney Movies: The Role of Media in Gender Socialization | the Classic Journal.” Theclassicjournal.uga.edu, 18 Apr. 2024, theclassicjournal.uga.edu/index.php/2024/04/18/understanding-disney-movies-the-role-of-media-in-gender-socialization/.

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Understanding Disney Movies: The Role of Media in Gender Socialization | The Classic Journal

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This article emphasizes the importance of intersectionality, which examines how multiple identity markers, like gender, race, and sexuality intersect to create unique experiences of oppression. The article criticizes the "additional problem" approach to intersectionality, arguing that is oversimplifies the interaction between different systems of oppression. There is a need for intersectionality in both advocacy movements and media representations, and ignoring it can result in media that fails to address the real issues faced by marginalized people.

Baten, Jasmine. “How to Authentically Represent Intersectionality in Media.” Center for Scholars & Storytellers, 27 Sept. 2023, www.scholarsandstorytellers.com/blog/diversity-in-hollywood-the-importance-of-representing-intersectional-identities.

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In college, I was briefly part of an organization that advocated for gender-oppressed people's rights on campus. The group had themed weeks, like Sex Education Week and Period Awareness Week. The last theme of the semester was Intersectionality Week.

As a woman of color, I laughed. Intersectionality is not something I could wait weeks to live out. It's my daily life. But too often, I find that advocacy groups and well-meaning people who are trying to support movements do the same thing. Intersectionality consistently shows up as an afterthought when it really should be a part of their mindset from the beginning, given that most movements have been started by the most marginalized people.

Intersectionality refers to the way that different identity markers, such as race, gender, sexuality, and class, interact and affect each other. These "intersections" produce experiences that are distinct to those who have the intersectional identity. Kimberle Crenshaw, the legal scholar who coined the term, wrote about Black women's experiences in the workplace, saying that "the intersectional experience is greater than the sum of racism and sexism." Crenshaw analyzed the way that the legal system separated Black women's identities into "Black" and "woman," but refused to account for how those two characteristics would overlap in a way that is unique to Black women.

Intersectionality is often treated like an addition problem. Women of color experience oppression because they are women + because they are people of color. A queer woman of color would experience homophobia + misogyny + racism. However, this goes against the foundation of what intersectionality is.

While it may seem like the Addition Problem Approach is a sincere attempt at understanding oppression, it can actually center privileged people instead. This is because there cannot be a universal experience of homophobia added to a universal experience of misogyny added to a universal experience of racism. Each one of these forms of oppression is influenced by the other, and the result is not an overlap of different shades of discrimination, but its own entity.

Too often, when we think about sexism, what we're actually thinking about is the sexism that white, cis women face. When we talk about homophobia, we're actually referring to white queer people's struggles. When discussing racism, we generally think of the ways that it affects men of color. These associations are problematic because we believe that we can then understand intersectional identities and issues, but we're just adding variables that never fit the equation in the first place.

The Addition Problem Approach has been used to explain intersectionality to people who have never heard about it before, but it cannot be the tool that we use when trying to actively work towards inclusion. Rather, there needs to be a consistent and active focus on intersectionality.

Let's talk about what that might look like. In the context of gender, the starting point of a conversation cannot be an assumption that everyone understands femininity to be the same thing. A lot of conversation surrounding feminism and gender identity seems to push back against the idea of women being feminine. However, it's important to understand that our society's "default" ideas of gender are intertwined with whiteness, and so anyone who isn't white will have a different interaction with the construct.

For instance, Black women are often hypermasculinized, meaning that their femininity is not just doubted, but rejected. The way that non-Black people enforce gender on Black people has roots in slavery, where the destruction of people's identities was essential to their dehumanization and enslavement. Hortense Spillers, a Black feminist scholar, famously delves into the relationship between gender in Black communities and slavery in " Mama's Baby, Papa's Maybe: An American Grammar Book."

In media, there are patterns of Black women being portrayed as masculine. Consider the way that media outlets have talked about Serena Williams and Michelle Obama. In movies and television, similar patterns appear. This may manifest as casting a Black woman or girl in minor roles where she is only a prop for a white main character's development, she is never thought of as a love interest, or her romantic life is a joke to other characters and the audience. In Pitch Perfect, Cynthia-Rose's sexuality and romantic relationships are made fun of constantly, and the jokes about her make up nearly her entire character. In Sex and the City, Jennifer Hudson's character, Louise, is more of a pitied character than a fully realized one.

Given the context of Black history, how would shunning femininity be the solution to misogyny? Of course, there are many Black people who don't want to be feminine. But the point is that society's current approach to gender is steeped in anti-Blackness and racism, and mainstream feminism's idea of rejecting femininity as a form of freedom only works for a few people. If we don't think about the way people with intersectional identities experience gender, then it's just another case of supporting a kind of activism that doesn't actually help people who are being hurt.

Conversely, East Asian women are hyperfeminized, and consistently characterized as submissive and only useful for sexual gratification. Examples include characters in Miss Saigon or Memoirs of a Geisha. While femininity is something that East Asian women are given access to, the interaction between race and gender is something that is marred with force and harm.

As a South Asian woman, I know people who look like me are either fetishized and seen as some exotic, sexual toy, or are ridiculed and thought to be sexless. One example that is branded in my mind is an early scene in How I Met Your Mother, a show that dominated my early teenage years. The men of the main cast are sitting in a taxi with Ranjit, a driver who reappears multiple times throughout the series. They ask him where he's from, and he replies, "Bangladesh." When Ted, Marshall, and Barney follow up by asking, "Are the women in your country beautiful?", Ranjit shows them a picture of his wife. The protagonists respond by looking at each other and choking out, "He could have just said no." This one scene is the only time I have ever heard an American show mention the name of the country that half of my family is from. It made my stomach drop, and as a tween watching the show, immediately convinced me that I would always be laughed at, always thought of as ugly. These aren't just instances of racism; it is discrimination that works specifically because of intersectionality.

All of these examples demonstrate that the goal of blindly destroying masculinity and femininity as constructs is narrow-minded. The separate associations of femininity to domesticity and sexualization or masculinity with apathy, violence, and machismo undermine the layers of institutional oppression that people of color experience. To be clear, breaking down gender norms and the gender binary is key. However, doing so without actively centering histories of enslavement, genocide, and imperialism is not only irresponsible but harmful.

Problematic representation can also appear indirectly. Netflix's Moxie aims to tell a story about students engaging with feminism, but is ultimately a white feminist portrayal of social justice. Though historically, advocacy movements have consistently been started and led by Black women, Moxie places Black women and other characters of color to the side and characterizes white women as rebels. This not only ignores Black women's prominence in activism, but also paints over the suppression that intersectional people have faced in building advocacy groups.

I've given a few examples of the way race and gender intersect. There are thousands of layers within each category, and I haven't even talked about intersections that involve socioeconomic status, religion, sexuality, neurodivergence, or disability. Intersectionality is not simple. It cannot be something that content creators and writers think about at the end of a project.

Instead, intersectional identities and histories need to be the mission from the beginning. Privileged people need to work more on understanding their roles in creating and contributing to discriminatory systems rather than assuming they know how to talk about or even create content portraying progress. Intersectionality is deeply complex, but it merits prioritization and continuing efforts to educate oneself.

For example, Pose offers insight into the way that the lives of trans women of color are also completely shaped by gender and race in ways that are different from cis women of color. Again, trans women of color often have to fight for femininity. Pose starts with intersectionality, rather than tacking it onto the end. While the show had limited representation of dark-skinned Black trans women, it provides a look into what mindful content creation looks like. Other examples of works that have prioritized intersectionality include Grown-ish, One Day at a Time, Grey's Anatomy, Moonlight, and Girls' Trip. While these works vary wildly in genre and tone, all of them include plotlines that are influenced by characters' identities without identity markers making up the entirety of the characters.

This work extends beyond who's in front of the camera. In addition to content creators and writers needing to research and learn about their characters' identities, it is essential that there be diverse representation throughout a film or television show's development, production, and distribution. For instance, the iCarly reboot has not only cast multiple Black characters, but has also hired Black hairstylists like Cora Diggins. The result has been stunning hairstyles for the characters in the show, as well as an outpouring of praise and support for the show's decisions. Intersectionality was not just an afterthought here, but clearly something that was carefully considered throughout the process.

Ultimately, intersectionality is key. Without taking intersectionality into account, progressive ideas and movements lack substance. Progress doesn't begin until intersectionality shows up, so it is critical to consider where in the work the subject is brought in. Shows and movies that attempt to lift up marginalized communities without thinking about intersectionality are only perpetuating different systems of prejudice and oppression. While it may feel daunting or overwhelming to think about the countless identity markers that people and characters have, there is beauty in investigating. Intersectionality isn't an invisible or elusive concept: there are people with intersectional identities everywhere who live rich and deeply complex lives.

Actionable Insights

1. Prioritize telling stories with leading characters that have intersectional underrepresented identities.

2. When creating a character, list out the intersectional elements of their identity and consider how to work these into all aspects of their characterization on-screen.

3. Think about characters with multiple marginalized identities, and tell stories that do not consist solely of their struggles with those identities.

4. When telling stories of characters with intersectional identities, hire cast and crew members who can draw from their own intersectional identities to positively influence the authenticity of the overall storytelling.

5. When telling stories that aren't "part of the real world," like fantasy or science-fiction works, ensure that intersectional identities are represented without writing marginalization into their characters (i.e., make sure the characters are not just representations of their real-world oppression).

5 Content Creators to Listen To:
Jasmine Baten
Master's student in Media and Communications, American University

Disclaimer : The views, thoughts, and opinions expressed in this blog belong solely to the author, and do not necessarily reflect the views of the Center for Scholars & Storytellers.

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How to Authentically Represent Intersectionality in Media - Center for Scholars & Storytellers

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Intersectionality is a buzzword that is thrown around a lot these days, but it is often misused, misunderstood, or an afterthought. This author explains why content creators need to place intersectional identities at the forefront of their films and TV shows and how to do this in an authentically i