How media works to reinforce patriarchal ideals
Gender representation in the media is an ongoing issue that interplays with a serious problem among all genders: the representation of a distorted body image. Among women, and rightfully so, this issue has presented itself through various studies, articles, and essays connecting the media’s portrayal of the female body with body dysmorphic disorder, bulimia, anorexia, and low self-esteem amongst women.
This is a serious issue, and one that should continue to be talked about. However, what we neglect to shed more light on is the way male stereotypes are reinforced within our culture, in addition to how this has detrimental effects on male body image. Male anorexia and bulimia are real and ongoing issues, and deserve just as much attention as that of females’. After all, we are all human and are all capable of forming unhealthy perceptions of our own bodies.
According to an article published by ANAD (National Association of Anorexia Nervosa and Associated Disorders), an estimated 10 – 15 per cent of people that suffer from bulimia and anorexia are male. An even more disturbing statistic is that about 14 per cent of homosexual men seem to suffer from bulimia, while over 20 per cent appear to be anorexic – a large chunk of the male population.
The sexual objectification of women is a real issue in advertisements, film, and videogames, and is a commonly discussed topic. If we look at the same mediums from a male perspective, the results are just as disturbing. On the surface, everyday media clearly reinforces male stereotypes, while less blatantly reinstating societal patriarchal, and even misogynistic, values.
Take video games, for instance. In a male-dominated industry, female avatars work to reduce women to sex objects, even objects of sexual violence and rape. At the same time, many male gaming avatars reinforce a specific body image: that of muscles, strength, certain facial features, and a domineering persona. Sometimes these stereotypes are depicted to an extreme, such as in Grand Theft Auto, which glorifies a certain image, sexual violence, and misogynistic values.
Some of the most offensive advertisements are perfume and cologne commercials, which portray fit, slim, and “ripped” males, typically with blue eyes and light skin. These men portray a dominant persona, and usually feature a male and a female – which reinforces the patriarchal stereotype of the ideal heteronormative couple: the submissive female and dominant male. The females are also usually swooning for the stereotypical male, which administers the idea that, if you’re a male who wants to attract women, you must be domineering, physically fit, and typically fair in features. These same stereotypes are reinforced in popular television shows, such as Suits and Mad Men.
More extreme examples of idealizing a male body type are portrayed in superhero films, such as Marvel’s The Avengers, Thor, and Captain America. These films, particularly the characters portrayed by Chris Hemsworth (Thor) and Chris Evans (Captain America), idealize perfectly cut muscles, super strength, fair hair, blue eyes, and fair skin.
In gender studies, Renaissance art is commonly studied to learn how female stereotypes have been reinforced over time within art and media. These images, such as Poussin’s Rape of the Sabines, or even paintings inspired by Greek mythology, not only glorify rape against women, but also idealize a stereotypical male image – that of a dominant, overpowering, sexually-crazed, and physically superior male.
In recent Hollywood events, Justin Bieber underwent a Calvin Klein photo shoot that portrayed images of him with “perfect” muscle definition, as well as images of him on top of a female model. Obviously, critics quickly took to Twitter and compared his images to photo shoots done by Nick Jonas and Mark Wahlberg. Full articles were actually written about whether or not Bieber’s “bulge” was real, and Bieber clearly felt the pressure enough to post an unfiltered Instagram photo of him in his underwear to prove critics wrong. The fact that he even felt the need to do so is upsetting, and shows what the media can do to a male’s self-image.
Given the media’s propensities, it’s no surprise that we are constantly struggling to break free from patriarchal systematic values, and it’s no wonder that male body dysmorphia is a growing issue. As human beings, we are constantly bombarded by images depicting how we should be. We are fed feminine and masculine stereotypes in every film and advertisement we watch. We are force-fed unhealthy and unrealistic body images that we are pressured to aspire to – images that objectify both women and men. The only way we, as a society, can really combat this ongoing issue is by educating ourselves and being able to identify when the media is working to reinforce any given stereotype – sometimes it’s obvious, and sometimes you have to dig for it, but it’s almost always there.