Gender Stereotypes: The Reign of the Blue Collar Male
Plumley, Dylan
Ms. Thomas
ENG100
Word Count:
The Reign of the Blue Collar Male
From the moment we are born, the world is imprinting on us. Everyone and everything affecting us in ways we will never know. Whether it be music, movies, our peers, we are being molded into a “man/woman” the way that society sees fit. The major source of this socialization is media. Media creates and displays so many stereotypes and social norms through films, music, TV ads, magazines/newspapers, and novels. Also a key factor, is the time which we live in. The time era affects what is socially acceptable and what the media can/cannot get away with. Therefore, limiting and setting guidelines for the different stereotypes and norms to be created with. This essay is going to focus on and depict the different stereotypes/norms that have been created and used about men in terms of the labor force, and how they have changed over time. Firstly, the moment a baby is brought home in a blue blanket, his parents have already purchased toys and clothes that have cars, tool boxes, and action heroes on them. The baby, not knowing what any of these things are, is already being conformed into a stereotypical male that we all know. Parents buy their little boys play sets with hammers, wrenches, and screwdrivers so that they feel the desire to work on things. The children see their fathers working on things and want to help with their play tools. Implying to the children when given toys like these, that they are supposed to work in construction or to be a mechanic of some sort. They do not take their kid to the toy store and let him pick his own toy, and see what he shows interest in. In today’s society the variety of toys that children have to choose from is far more diverse than earlier times. With a bigger selection of toys, it leaves more room for individuality, and to help slowly break away from these norms and stereotypes. Never are American advertisements of girls playing with action figures
Ms. Thomas
ENG100
Word Count:
The Reign of the Blue Collar Male
From the moment we are born, the world is imprinting on us. Everyone and everything affecting us in ways we will never know. Whether it be music, movies, our peers, we are being molded into a “man/woman” the way that society sees fit. The major source of this socialization is media. Media creates and displays so many stereotypes and social norms through films, music, TV ads, magazines/newspapers, and novels. Also a key factor, is the time which we live in. The time era affects what is socially acceptable and what the media can/cannot get away with. Therefore, limiting and setting guidelines for the different stereotypes and norms to be created with. This essay is going to focus on and depict the different stereotypes/norms that have been created and used about men in terms of the labor force, and how they have changed over time. Firstly, the moment a baby is brought home in a blue blanket, his parents have already purchased toys and clothes that have cars, tool boxes, and action heroes on them. The baby, not knowing what any of these things are, is already being conformed into a stereotypical male that we all know. Parents buy their little boys play sets with hammers, wrenches, and screwdrivers so that they feel the desire to work on things. The children see their fathers working on things and want to help with their play tools. Implying to the children when given toys like these, that they are supposed to work in construction or to be a mechanic of some sort. They do not take their kid to the toy store and let him pick his own toy, and see what he shows interest in. In today’s society the variety of toys that children have to choose from is far more diverse than earlier times. With a bigger selection of toys, it leaves more room for individuality, and to help slowly break away from these norms and stereotypes. Never are American advertisements of girls playing with action figures
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