http://bitchmagazine.org/tag/gender-roles The taxonomy view with a depth of 0. en http://bitchmagazine.org/article/mad-science <p>British scientists have uncovered the truth behind one of modern culture’s greatest mysteries: why little girls play with pink toys. Is it because toy companies flood whole store aisles with the color? Or because well-meaning relatives shower girl babies with pink blankets and clothing? Nope. According to the men in lab coats, it’s purely biological.</p> <p><a href="http://bitchmagazine.org/article/mad-science">read more</a></p> http://bitchmagazine.org/article/mad-science#comments biological determinism Feature gender gender roles mainstream media media media critique media sexism science Social commentary stereotypes Wed, 12 Mar 2008 01:22:47 -0400 Kyla 301 at http://bitchmagazine.org http://bitchmagazine.org/article/hog <p>You’ll recognize the female silhouette that leans against the title on the cover of Ariel Levy’s new book, <i>Female Chauvinist Pigs</i>. She’s the girl who in recent years has made the move from the mud flaps of big rigs right into pop culture, gracing trucker caps, baby tees, and gold necklaces as an emblem of sexy, empowered ­womanhood. Or at least that’s what she’d like you to believe.</p> <p><a href="http://bitchmagazine.org/article/hog">read more</a></p> http://bitchmagazine.org/article/hog#comments Ariel Levy beauty standards body image Books chauvinism Feature gender roles objectification porn post feminism sex sex industry sex objects sexuality stereotypes Wed, 31 Aug 2005 20:00:00 -0400 Kyla 197 at http://bitchmagazine.org http://bitchmagazine.org/article/out-bounds <p>See that blonde weaving through the strip on Roller­blades?” writes <i>Details</i> magazine in a March 2005 article. “Please puff up her denim miniskirt just enough for us to drink in the full length of her long, bronze legs.” </p> <p>No, this isn’t a fluff piece on the latest centerfold hottie. It’s <i>Details</i>’ self-proclaimed “extraordinary” article on professional golfer Mianne Bagger, whose biggest challenge this year was winning the right to step onto the green with other women. In her quest to find acceptance in professional competition, Bagger has overcome the resistance of both golf’s governing agencies and other female pros who worried that Bagger would have an inherent physiol­ogical advan­tage. That’s because, although Bagger has played golf since she was 8 years old, she only turned pro in 2003—10 years after what she calls “a transsexual past.”</p> <p><a href="http://bitchmagazine.org/article/out-bounds">read more</a></p> http://bitchmagazine.org/article/out-bounds#comments biological determinism competition gender gender roles Olympics On The Field Social commentary sports transgender transsexual Wed, 31 Aug 2005 20:00:00 -0400 Kyla 205 at http://bitchmagazine.org http://bitchmagazine.org/article/nan-show <p>In this era of social conservatism, the so-called mommy wars, and renewed cultural clashes about gender, work, and “family values,” it’s hardly surprising that nanny narratives are making a comeback. Faster than you can say “supercalifragilisticexpialidocious,” nannies have popped up in movies (<i>Uptown Girls</i>) and bestselling novels (<i>The Nanny Diaries</i>, <i>I Don’t Know How She Does It</i>), as characters on tv shows (<i>Friends</i>, <i>Kevin Hill</i>, <i>Desperate Housewives</i>), and even as a subgenre of reality tv (<i>Nanny 911</i>, <i>Supernanny</i>).</p> <p><a href="http://bitchmagazine.org/article/nan-show">read more</a></p> http://bitchmagazine.org/article/nan-show#comments Broadcast childcare children class Feature gender roles mannies motherhood nannies parenting race stereotypes Wed, 31 Aug 2005 20:00:00 -0400 Kyla 218 at http://bitchmagazine.org http://bitchmagazine.org/article/outside-neverland <p>When the curtain rose at the London premiere of the play Peter Pan in 1904, it unveiled a drama of flying children, fairies, and pirates that would soon become a classic—and inspire countless spin-offs, adaptations, and reinterpretations. On the cinematic side, these began with the 1924 silent-film version of the play, starring Anna May Wong as Tiger Lily. Disney’s animated <em>Peter Pan</em> (1953) has been described as “ageless” (though one wonders if critics took note of the decidedly dated, stereotypical depiction of Native Americans), while Steven Spielberg’s <em>Hook</em> (1991) told the story of a grown-up Peter’s transformation into a mature father.</p> <p><a href="http://bitchmagazine.org/article/outside-neverland">read more</a></p> http://bitchmagazine.org/article/outside-neverland#comments Books childhood children fairy tales fantasy Feature gender roles psychology race romance stereotypes Wed, 31 Aug 2005 20:00:00 -0400 Kyla 222 at http://bitchmagazine.org http://bitchmagazine.org/article/laughing-all-way-polls <p>Once upon a time, politics was serious business. These days, however, presidential merit is measured as much by frat-house standards as by traditional approval ratings (apparently, American ­voters would rather have a beer with Bush than with Kerry), and a well-timed joke can sometimes sway public opinion more effectively than a reasoned argument.</p> <p><a href="http://bitchmagazine.org/article/laughing-all-way-polls">read more</a></p> http://bitchmagazine.org/article/laughing-all-way-polls#comments Feature female politicians funny gender roles Hillary Clinton humor jokes politics power presidents Social commentary voters Wed, 31 Aug 2005 20:00:00 -0400 Kyla 223 at http://bitchmagazine.org http://bitchmagazine.org/article/gender-gaming <p>“When I started out, gaming was a geek thing,” says Sean (not his real name), a 38-year-old senior director of product development for a major electronic game publisher. “Now, it’s totally mainstream. It’s clear there’s money to be made.” </p> <p>It’s not like there’s any nostalgia in his voice. With a six-figure salary and a generous bonus, Sean is one of those making the money. Electronic games—which encompass both computer games and console-based games—generated nearly $10 billion in revenue last year, thanks in part to top-selling titles like <i>Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas, Madden NFL 2005, ESPN NFL 2K5</i>, and <i>NBA Live 2005</i>. </p><p>Given the fact that electronic games have their roots in geekdom, the sheer jock/thug appeal of the above-listed games is striking. You’d think that geek boys, having been a) persecuted by jocks and bullies and b) heavily involved in the production of electronic games, might take advantage of the latter to redress the former. But somewhere between <i>Pong</i> and <i>Madden</i>, those geeks began spending their days and nights creating universes in which testosterone rules, in the process reinforcing the gender roles that made their young lives hell. </p><p>What happened? </p><p><a href="http://bitchmagazine.org/article/gender-gaming">read more</a></p> http://bitchmagazine.org/article/gender-gaming#comments cognitive development computers Consumer culture Feature games gaming geeks gender roles jocks math play science sims stereotypes tech video games Wed, 31 Aug 2005 20:00:00 -0400 Kyla 228 at http://bitchmagazine.org http://bitchmagazine.org/article/womens-academy <p>There are some contests in which women are truly at a disadvantage when competing with men. Football. Presidential nominations. Snow-writing. But acting is not one of them. Streep vs. Nicholson, Dame Judi vs. Sir Ian, Maggie Gyllenhaal vs. Jake Gyllenhaal - the Vegas odds would be close ones indeed if these actors were pitted against each other for top honors.</p> <p><a href="http://bitchmagazine.org/article/womens-academy">read more</a></p> http://bitchmagazine.org/article/womens-academy#comments award ceremonies Feature Film gender roles Hollywood movies Oscars Sat, 01 Mar 2003 00:00:00 -0500 Kyla 83 at http://bitchmagazine.org http://bitchmagazine.org/article/women-and-children <p>“At least 19 victims, mostly men and children, were taken for treatment to the hospital in Kandahar.” “The Israeli missile...took the lives of at least 14 other people—including three men and nine children.” “Tens of thousands, including men, children and the elderly, were victims of chemical weapons attacks.” </p> <p>These quotes from recent news articles may read a bit strangely, but they’re all accurate (from the <i>New York Times</i>, the <i>New Yorker</i>, and the <i>Los Angeles Times</i>, respectively), with only one change: Each story documented the number of female victims, not male. The gender swap clarifies one writer’s point: “It’s bad enough that innocent people died, but they were among society’s most vulnerable.” </p> <p><a href="http://bitchmagazine.org/article/women-and-children">read more</a></p> http://bitchmagazine.org/article/women-and-children#comments chivalry gender roles media On Language Social commentary war weaker sex Sun, 01 Dec 2002 02:00:00 -0500 Kyla 181 at http://bitchmagazine.org http://bitchmagazine.org/article/queens-iron-age <p>When i was 8, my father organized a present for my sisters and me to give my mom for Mother’s Day: a pressure cooker, wrapped up with other fun kitchen items like tea towels, pop-up sponges, spatulas, and an apron. It seemed like a good idea—Mom was the one who was always in the kitchen, and this was the day to celebrate her. But the minute she opened her present, even I knew we had the wrong idea.</p> <p><a href="http://bitchmagazine.org/article/queens-iron-age">read more</a></p> http://bitchmagazine.org/article/queens-iron-age#comments consumer culture crafting domesticity Feature gender roles housewives misogyny post feminism second wave Social commentary third wave Sat, 30 Nov 2002 19:00:00 -0500 Kyla 182 at http://bitchmagazine.org