Gender Stratification In Movies

Gender stratification is a phenomenon in which the unequal aspects of social, and economic life are highlighted and explored between genders. When looking at gender stratification we are aiming to get an understanding as to how and why society has placed us in these roles, and how over time we are going beyond, and breaking the seams of these societal expectations, redefining the gender roles. Gender stratification is important to understand because when we are self-aware of this issue, change can then come about. The idea of equality among the genders has long been talked about, and much has progress has been made however, there is still work to be done. There are an array of topics you can research when looking at gender stratification, and
However the problem has not always been the over secularization of women, at the beginnings of film history the issue was ironically the containment of women. Megan Stem Wade states in her research paper on gender in postwar class room films that from 1946 through the 1970’s there were films called social hygiene films in which mini movies were watched in educational settings serving as the base example of how men, and women should act in societal settings. The films had titles such as “What to do on a date”, which served to encourage abstinence, and waiting ‘til marriage, while titles such as “You and Your Family” shows how the “normal” family should act on a day to day basis, women were to stay home, and take care of the kids while men were to go out and support the
However in the years to come many in the film industry would begin to challenge these guidelines starting with films such as 1960’s Mary Poppins. Anne Mcleer in her essay makes clear that although not radical ,”Mary Poppins” would begin to have us question our traditional roles. Films like such challenged the idea of the stay at home mother, and the father being the bread winner, even questioning the role of the father in their children’s lives, encouraging men to be more involved. Yet even as we began to progress, giving women larger roles in film with films such as Julie Andrews in “Victoria, Victor Victoria”, and Tracy Turnlab in “Hairspray” many in the film industry still encouraged traditional ideals. This was espeacially prevalent in the 1980’s, in Elaine Berland , and Marilyn Wetcher’s research they give us the example of the film “Fatal Attraction” this film shows us an stay at home mother with a husband who is cheating on her with a career driven women, and all of the problems that come with this