Binary Gender and Media Representation - written by Veronica and Jill

Binary gender system is the overarching perspective on sex and gender. Sex and gender, in terms of the binary gender system, are stated as being socially and inherently interwoven to notions of masculinity and femininity. If you are male, then you must be masculine. If you are female, then you must be feminine. In response to this patriarchal perspective of sex and gender, the media has hyper-sexualized men and women with masculinity and femininity, respectively. By definition, men and masculinity, women and femininity, are synonymous with one another; thus, creating a dichotomy between the two. Within the binary gender system, there is only male and female; there is no in between. Embedded in this system is the heteronormative realm. If there is only male and female, masculine and feminine, then man is for woman and woman is for man. By creating this dichotomy and this binary, it invalidates all those that do not fit snugly into this hyper-masculine, hyper-feminine, heterosexual ideal.

The moment that a person is born, the socializing begins. There is always the prenatal question, “Is it a boy or girl?”, so one could also say that this socializing around gender can begin before birth. Following the clarification on the child's gender, the process begins by the appropriated colors of blue and pink. From here it is established that boys play with cars, GI Joes, or violent video games; girls play with dolls, play-kitchens, and read fairytales. According to Hubbard (1990), “This society, on the whole accepts Freud’s assumption that children are sexual beings from birth and that society channels their polymorphously perverse childhood sexuality into the accepted forms.” The key phrase is accepted forms. If a boy does not fit the socialized norm of masculinity, he is considered a sissy. Same with girls, if they do not meet the feminine ideal, they are considered a tomboy. There is a magnitude of socialized differences between the two genders, and a double-standard in terms of what is acceptable for boys is not for girls, and vice versa. For example, males become aware that their penis is a source of pleasure and procreation; whereas, females learn the function of sex and procreation, pleasure does not enter the frame until later (Hubbard 1990). This socialization creates the paradigm that men can indulge in sexual pleasure and women are responsible to give men this pleasure then produce offspring. Although procreation as the reason for sex does not hold the same way it has previously, women’s sexual desires and pleasures are still subordinate to that of men. This dynamic affects the way that men and women are socialized to interact with one another. Intermittently, the expectations for sex differs between males and females, "While sex is presented to women as something to be and something to do, for men it becomes somewhere to go and something to have" (Attwood 2005) in this sense, women are expected to perform sex and to do it, whereas men are required to achieve sex as if it were a trophy in a competition, or as if acquiring a material good.

The biggest influence on the binary gender system is the media in terms of establishing and perpetuating the ideals of femininity and masculinity. From here, the concept of agenda setting is derived, tying media to these expectations. Brown notes: “Agenda Setting/Framing Theories propose that the media tell people both what is important in the world around them, and how to think about the events and people who inhabit that world” (Brown 2002). This is to say that the images and stereotypes in media are constantly shown and reiterated. Women are shown as the “gatekeepers” of sex and men are shown as the sexual aggressors. “Topics and images that are frequent and prominent in the media become topics that audiences think are important” (Brown 2002). If audiences see these stereotypes as important, they begin or continue to emulate these ideas; which perpetuates the cycle of these notions. When the media portrays certain ideas, it gives the audience feedback as to what may be considered appropriate and inappropriate behavior. This parallels with the Cultivation Theory in that repetition of images, stereotypes, and ideologies reaffirms the binary gender system.

The media exhibits scripts for each gender to follow. “ …[Adrienne Rich outlines that] the Heterosexual Script entitles boys/men to prioritize their own sexual desire, to act on their sexual needs, to perceive their hormones to be 'out of control,' and to promise power and status to women in return for sex. …Thus, the Heterosexual Script compels girls/women to deny or devalue their own sexual desire, to seek to please boys/men, to ‘wish and wait’ to be chosen, and to trade their own sexuality as a commodity” (Kim 2007). As female sexual desire is denied, female sexuality has become commodified. For example, the notorious Rabbit vibrator has made sexual pleasure more safe, accessible, and mainstream. According to Attwood (2005), "... this moment is typical of a contemporary cultural trend towards representing women's sexual pleasure as fashionable, safe, aesthetically pleasing and feminine." The sex industry reconstructed the marketing strategy to appeal to wider consumer base through creating friendly and fashionable toys. Toys and accessories are now apart of the feminine realm. Attwood asserts, "It is striking that in this repackaging of sex across the range of brands, there is a very clear perception that sex must be made over as nice, bright, and accessible. This is achieved by clearly signifying sexual representations, products and practices as stylish, classy, and fashionable." By commodifying sex for women, it continues the consumption and commodification of gender. Being a women is to be hyper-feminine which requires beauty products, fashion, and the notion of "being made-up."

Media depicts men as hyper-masculine beings that are in the aggressive pursuit of sex. According to Brooks’ Centerfold Syndrome (1995), men are just as victimized by the media as women. In media images, a man’s masculinity is not only defined by his muscles but is also defined by his status and the objects and women around him. The Centerfold Syndrome consists of five factors: voyeurism, objectification, the need for validation, trophyism, and the fear of true intimacy (Brooks 1995). The Centerfold Syndrome acknowledges that women are objectified by men, but it also posits that men are required to fill the role of being the objectifiers. Through cultural expectations, this power dynamic explores further the socialized relationship between men and women. Brooks also notes that the idea of masculinity is vague therefore creating the need for men to constantly validate their masculinity. This notion can be seen in advertisements where men are positioned as power figures surrounded by material objects and/or objectified women. As women are objectified, men's bodies become invisible, invincible, and detachment machines. Moye notes that when it can be glimpsed, the male porn body is mechanized as a piece of equipment; there is an obsession with size, quantity, technique and drive” (Attwood 2005). The pleasure is only seen through the facial expression of the female; whereas the male remains invisible. The male must be validated through the female who is meanwhile being objectified by the male. The binary gender system continues to cycle through the media out into society only to perpetuate an insecure, unhealthy depiction of gender and sexuality for both men and women.

Sexualized Minorities, "Otherness" and Heterosexism.

Non-hetero sex is portrayed in the media along with a buffer. The line is rarely crossed, and heterosexual beings are portrayed in a much stronger light. If any of the same lines of heterosex are brought on non-hetero sex, then it leads to more confinement and often times monitoring occurs.

The first image is an advertisement for being an organ donor. In this ad, a woman in just her bra and underwear is shown along with the line “Becoming a donor is probably your only chance to get inside her.” The explicitness of the ad is that the woman is a sexualized being, but an unattainable sexual being. Being an organ donor would assure that your body parts can get inside sexy women like the one seen in the ad. Under the surface, this advertisement perpetuates the notion that women in their bras and underwear are to be looked at and objectified, and that men are expected to have hetero sex.
The second image depicts a homosexual relationship, by connotation versus actually showing the two in any physical relationship. The two men are pictured in bed together, with their shirts off, but most of the advertisement is a white sheet, showing somewhat of a buffer between what is acceptable and what might be considered “lewd”

The third image is from a pepsi commercial found on Youtube. This advertisement was shown in the UK but then banned for its subject matter. In the ad, two men are urging their friend to go up to the bar. When the guy stands up he passes a series of women and finally goes up to a man to hit on him. The two men sitting down are shocked that their friend is hitting in a man, and it is then they find out that their friend is gay. The fact that this ad was banned shows that society as a whole is not entirely ready to view same-sex relationships and that there is indeed a double standard when it comes to heterosexual relationships and homosexual relationships.

The fourth image is a condom commercial showing balloon animals. In the ad, the animals are having a variety of sexual positions and activity, and the whole notion of the ad is that it is “fun” and “uplifting” the fact that the animals are used in place of real people is striking to consider, and that it is acceptable when sex is shown as playful, but if people were to replace the animals, a different response would have been heard.

The fifth image shows heterosexual relations in a different light. In this ad, the notions of condom use are shown, however the undertone of the ad is still somewhat playful in context. The overarching theme here is that it is acceptable for heterosexual people to have sex, but they must do it safely.

Appropriate Sex

Socially constructed "appropriate" sex is commonly found in advertising and main media. First and foremost, heterosexual encounters are what are depicted as being the "norm" next: we have the biggest brand of condoms out there Trojan Condoms. Trojan always advertises the use of "safe" sex and often times depicts it as being safe heterosexual sex.

The second advertisement is a toilet paper company, that has chosen to display their toilet paper as also being pleasurable. Visually, we see a nude man and a woman wearing only a towel. They are facing one another in a way that suggests that they are sexually interested in one another. The appropriate sex here is one where the man is the aggressor. His nudity shows that he is ready-and-willing, while the woman is still wearing her towel, but is in a stance that suggests that the towel may soon come off.

Again we have a heterosexual relationship in which the woman is taking off the man's pants. They both look like they are in the middle of their activities and are "appropriately" enjoying themselves.
With this advertisement we have a man and a woman skimpily dressed with their legs interlocking one another. It appears as though the man has taken off the girl's hat, and they are caught mid-foreplay.
Here we have a man and a woman's feet shot in a way that suggests that they are having sex. The woman's panties are down around their ankles and the advertisement states "The first thing she notices...are your shoes" Here we have the ideal that not only are women interested in shoes, but once we get down to it, all woman are interested in shoes and then the men that are attached to them, and are ready-and-willing to have sex.
Last we have a man and a woman making out for a jeans advertisement. They are both seen wearing only the jeans are are shot in a way that depicts sexual activity.

Specifically Sexualized Masculinity

Masculine sexuality is seen in the media as being assertive, dominating and forceful. There is a “no-holds barred” to the way the male is seen in the sexual light, and while boundaries are set for what can and cannot be shown, there is an air of “no excuses” when it comes to how men are sexually portrayed.

As with feminine sexuality, masculine nudity is prohibited in the public, however more of the female body is shown in advertisements sans full breasts and crotch-area, whereas in masculinity it is common for guys to just be seen with their shirts off. Anything showing their whole body is deemed lewd and unacceptable.

For the first advertisement, there is a guy’s torso shown, the man with his shirt off and in the moment of taking off his pants. This is a still-frame shot that gives way to what would happen next, however the frame is just showing pre-nudity rather than just showing the guy in his boxers or stripping.

The second advertisement uses a tongue-in-cheek approach, showing a sexual act while at the same time objectifying the woman and reaffirming male dominance. His sexual drive is shown as being a picture of a BMW car in place of the woman’s face, and that his desires are not only sex, but cars as well; this reestablishes the male interest and pleasure over the woman’s pleasure.

The third advertisement shows an Abercrombie and Fitch model taking his shirt off. He is not-so-much modeling the clothing as he is showing off his physique. The interesting notion here is that several times Abercrombie has received flack for their ads and showing barely-clothed male models, whereas a brand like Victoria’s Secret is able to adhere to social boundaries and guidelines with their bra and panty show.

The forth picture is a composite of various advertisements and magazine covers featuring men. In particular, the area of interest is the Dolce & Gabanna advertisement seen on the left. The man is seen wearing only his boxers and a watch, and the lighting is subdued so as not to give too much away. You also don’t get any full-on glances of the male’s body or anything that would give way to being socially unacceptable to show.

This last advertisement shows male sexuality with humorous undertones. The guy is seen in a passive pose in front of a fireplace, which is a very common stance for a woman. The humor of the advertisement explicitly shows that while women would be taken seriously and shown as sexual, the man here is just a mere parody of the idea of sexuality. This affirms the notion that while women are expected to be sex figures, males are not to be seen as sexual because it may then lead way to them being even the least big submissive.

Feminine Sexuality

The media’s portrayal of femininity and its inherent link to the woman as being a sexual being is prevalent and found in most often advertisements, but not excluding role models and other such media artifacts outside print media and photography.

The first advertisement shown is a perfume advertisement for Calvin Klein’s Escape. Perfume in and of itself can be seen as a necessity higher than the basics of toothpaste and shampoo, but something that can be used as a tool for smelling good and feeling one’s best. In this case, the advertisement is showing perfume as having an erotic power, and the name of the perfume clearly ties into the notion that being a woman and wearing this scent will allow you to escape and go outside of your comfort zone and boundaries. The woman in the ad is seen as an aggressor, and an object that wants sex at all costs. She is driven to literally be on top of the man and to act accordingly.

The next picture shows the cast from the MTV show The Hills. Arguably, these four young women can be seen as MTV’s mold, creation and above all billboards for fashion brands and boosting MTV’s ratings and sales. On another level, these girls are role models for the younger generation. Teenage girls look to the cast of The Hills as being “who they want to be” and how they want to dress and appear. The other level here is that these girls exude a type of sexuality, that of the “consumer lifestyle” mentioned in the Markle text; that consumerism is sexuality and sexuality is consumerism. These girls are attractive in the way that they present themselves, and are presented in a rich and luxurious style that girls look up to them while at the same time, guys are attracted to them.

This Bebe advertisement is interesting in that it is “selling” their product by the means of a scantily-clad woman, seen as being feminine only by the means of showing her body, wearing a bikini, and being surrounded by purses. The bikini adds an element of sexuality where by no means necessary are women going to feel compelled to buy the product by the attractiveness of the girl, but they also might envision themselves as being attractive and catching the eye of men if only by the means of purchasing Bebe products and accessories.

America’s Next Top Model is an interesting specimen to behold in that the whole show is centered around 1. Tyra Banks and 2. Tyra Banks’ desire to make girls’ dreams come true: that they are attractive, and that they are womanly enough to be hired on as a “Top Model”. In the context of this picture, there are two models from one of the cycles of the show, seen wearing very little clothing, and performing what appears to be a menage a trois with the man on the floor and the two of the women facing each other. Both women exude “femininity” in that they are wearing girl clothing and accessories (of what little they do have), but given the context of the photograph including their body language and facial expressions, sexuality is also a huge focus of the picture.

This last advertisement for Versace seems to show a “his” and “hers” cologne. While there is a man pictured to display the “ideal” masculinity” The ideal “femininity” of the woman is clearly displayed in that you see more of her body than you do of the man’s. Her curves and relaxed body position allude being held by the man suggest sexual undertones, all the while perpetuating the ideal that a woman is feminine by 1. her body parts and 2. her inherent desire to seek out sex and be nude.

Pornographic images are frequently found in mainstream media. That which objectifies women and puts them in the position to be lewd sex slaves and will stop at nothing to get sex. Below are some videos, discovered on YouTube that contain commercials, music videos, and television shows alluding to pornographic acts.

The first image is the Carl’s Jr. ad featuring Paris Hilton. This commercial only remained on the air for a short period of time due to its taboo subject matter. In the video a scantily clad Paris Hilton is seen rubbing all over a car, washing the car as well as shoving a hamburger in her mouth. The point here being that while Paris Hilton is not participating in sex acts, she is still alluding to them by her appearance as well as her body language. She is seen as nothing more than an object.

The second video is for an Axe body spray product. In the video a guy is seen as having “X-ray vision” where he sees a number of girls in just their bras and underwear. At the end of the commercial the man meets a girl after he sprays himself with the cologne and then she sees him in his underwear. The commercial again gives emphasis on sex acts, and is pornographic in a “foreplay” sense; this commercial was also seen on the mainstream circuit for a period of time.

This next advertisement is something that is completely mainstream, although has been out of public eye for a period of time. The ever-popular Herbal Essences commercial featuring a woman in the shower with her shampoo having an “Organic experience” while her partner is listening to her talk to the shampoo, he is perplexed and wondering who she is talking to.

The Pussycat Dolls can be viewed as burlesque dancers in the Pop Music circuit. They are always tightly dressed in very few articles of clothing, and are seen in this music video bumping and grinding on chairs. The pornographic material seen here is the objectification of women, their stance in the Pop music scene as being nothing more than bodies to look at, and the above all adherence to the norms of Pop music singers - you have to look good and not necessarily sound good.

Lastly, here is a clip from Gossip Girl. The tone of the show is young adults having sex, in this particular clip one character is seen as getting “Sex tips”, although the whole 52 seconds of the clip portrays nothing but pornographic material.