Images - Using TV or video clips and magazine or newspaper pictures, chart similarities and differences in appearance and body size for the good and bad characters. Look again at the clips and make note of the type of camera shots used for the good and bad guys or gals. Compare the characters with self and peers and family members.
Working women - List the jobs that TV mothers have such as teacher, doctor. Do we ever see them working at their jobs? Does your mother have a job? If she works outside the home do you ever visit her there?
I'd rather be me - Form two groups - one of boys, the other of girls. From various media have the boys list female traits and interests that are most commonly featured, while the girls do the same for male characteristics and concerns. Form new mixed groupings and discuss how boys and girls feel about the stereotypes by which their gender has come to be represented. What is artificial about these stereotypes? An appropriate video resource available from TVO is Behind the Scenes.
Jobs - Examine the media to determine how certain occupations are portrayed, and then interview people in those occupations to ascertain how realistic portrayals are. Count the number of women or men portrayed in jobs. List the types of jobs for women and men portrayed. How do these findings compare to the jobs held by the parents of students? Stereotypes limit our views of ourselves and others and of the reality of the world. They limit our perceptions from infancy to old age.
Posed vs. natural - Select pictures from newspapers and magazines that show the difference between posed and natural photographs of girls and boys, and men and women. Describe what is emphasized in each.
What's wrong with this picture? - This video is available from MediaWatch and has accompanying educational materials. It can be used to discuss gender issues and concepts such as nonverbal messages. Does body language differ by gender? Make your own collection of pictures or TV clips for each gender and explain the message perceived.
A Real Princess - Introduce stereotyping by brainstorming words to describe a princess. Read the book by R. Munsch, A Paper Bag Princess. Discuss and compare with the image we have of Princess Anne or Princess Diana.
Witches - Make a series of slides of witches, using illustrations from children's books. Use these to encourage discussions about stereotyping of women and witches and the male equivalent.
Twisted tales - Rewrite fairly tales from the point of view of the opposite gender.
Visual novels - View literature-based films. Compare the films with the books for the handling of gender roles. Does one media form rely more on stereotypes? Why? Generate more examples.
Video games - Design a video game for girls and boys that is not stereotypical or violent.
Recommended resource - Video and workbook, Minding the Set - Making Television Work for You. From the Alliance for Children and Television, 344 Dupont St. Suite 205, Toronto, M5R 1V9.
Shari Graydon and Elizabeth Verrall
Shari Graydon and Elizabeth Verrall
For MediaWatch’s guide to taking acation on media violence, go to: http://www.mediawatch.ca/involved/voice/
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