Media’s Play of Gender
Media’s Play of Gender

Summary/Abstract: Media discourse is patriarchal and it consequently abels gender roles. Women are taught how to behave as women and men are taught how to be “real men”! The popular concept of the sexes originating from different planets (men from Mars and women from Venus) emphasizes differentiations and distinctions between men and women. It also emphasizes misogynistic attitudes towards women (Bordo,1999). They are subordinated, soft and obedient, as opposed to the dominant, active man. Men are stimulated to adopt a violent mask, the “tough guise” as a tool for survival and to gain respect in socializing. This mask gradually becomes their identity. This attitude is supported by the numerous Hollywood movies, broadcast each night during peak-time. During the week: 13th-20th of May 2005, for example, on popular Romanian TV stations such as ProTV and Antena1 the movies starred: Steven Seagal, Jean Claude van Damme, Chuck Norris Dolph Lundgren, Kris Kristofferson, Bruce Willis, Sylvester Stallone, Sean Connery, Jackie Chan, Pierce Brosnan, Lorenzo Lamas, Don “The Dragon” Wilson, David Morse, Michael Dudnikoff, Richard Dreyfuss, Thomas Howell, Marcus Chong, Roy Scheider, Hulk Hogan and Jason Statham. Romanians also have their own male TV stars playing violent characters: Ciupanezu’, Boboc, Bălan in Băieţi Buni (ProTV) and Terente, Zeamă, Ţeapă, Ciupitu’, Sică Ciomag, Marco, Ricky in Numai Iubirea (AcasaTV). The same attitude is also supported by numerous popular video and PC games (Quake, Ghost Recon, Doom, Hitman, Special Operations, Last Bronx, America’s Army, Counter-Strike, Unreal Tournament, Return to Castle Wolfenstein, Medal of Honor) as well as wrestling and other popular sports.

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