Film Studies: Gender Representation, Stereotypes, and Power Dynamics

This essay delves into the multifaceted representation of gender in film, examining how movies reflect and shape societal norms and stereotypes. It explores the disparities in the portrayal of men and women, highlighting issues such as the male gaze, limited female agency, and the reinforcement of traditional gender roles. The essay analyzes how films influence perceptions and explores specific examples like 'Boys Don't Cry' and 'Paris is Burning' to illustrate the complexities of gender identity, transgender representation, and the impact of cultural gazes. The discussion encompasses the evolution of gender portrayals, the critique of patriarchal structures, and the role of media in perpetuating or challenging gender inequality, emphasizing the power of visual images and the importance of critical analysis in understanding the messages conveyed through cinema.

Running head: FILM STUDIES
Film Studies
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Author Note

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The roles and characteristics which are acceptable or are considered to be standardized
often take shape of stereotypes. These stereotypes, most of the time, are biases or judgments
concerning people or groups which are to be placed in a simplified manner which do not tend to
be accurate always (Wolf 2013). Stereotyped characteristics of trades often lead to miss
representation of gender which are laid on the basis of unfair treatment of a person's gender
(Erigha 2015). This also happens in case of cinematic representation or in case of movies. One of
the very significant reflections which are to be found in movies is how gender is represented. It is
quite different how women and men are treated in society which is quite the same as what is
scene in movies. Movies help in the process of understanding of the social norms and power
structures which exist in the society and builds perception and stereotypes among people.
Though it is broadly talked about and critiqued in the modern society of how the distribution of
power happens among men and women (Alberti 2013). If there is an analysis on the same, it
would reveal that there is a disparity between the two. The same is to be found in movies as
representation of men and women get subjected to this disparity which exists in the society.
Scholars have underline how gender roles are defined by social mores and tend to define
what are expected from the genders. The societal picture is not quite different from what is seen
in movies. There is limited control or access of women as compared to men when it comes to
economy, politics or what lies outside the domain of ‘home'. It is here that the rules are pre-
determined by the societal norms, traditions and expectations. Based on the gender roles, girls
and women are often expected to act and dress typically in feminine ways which are
characterized as being accommodating, polite and nurturing (Guha et al. 2015). While, on the
other hand men are associated with being bold, strong and less emotional. Similar

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representations are to be found in numerous movies and can be critiqued for being best
representing in nature of genders.
Media and popular culture provides framework and foundation for the contemporary
society. They bear messages which are interpreted by the audience and are greatly influenced by
them. They play a very important role to promote a sometimes hinder in the process of initiating
or enduring gender equality (Conor, Gill and Taylor 2015). This is not only restricted to the
working environment, where women had limited access to, earlier. Those times have evolved to
be quite different and thus, the equality is not restricted to the rights and access which women
have in their place of work. It also concerns how men and women are represented and treated in
the society. Media is often accused for being biased and misrepresenting men and women.
The stereotypes which are condemned and despised off in the modern society are
represented in movies and popular culture which sends out a very inappropriate message and
strengthens unfair and unequal perceptions which have long stayed in the societal framework
(Lehman 2013). Women are often seen as being represented with the help of female characters
who are caught up in underprivileged circumstances while it is different in case of men. The
females are projected in compromising, submissive roles who are passive and do not have
significant roles to play other than being passive and secondary to the males or the superior
gender who are expected to be subordinates to. The men are more suitable for the world as they
are stronger as compared to the women and are most likely to thrive through the most difficult of
circumstances as compared to the women.
In many movies and cinemas, the power which is possessed by women are private and
are exercised or can only be exercised the domestic spheres where they get to play the roles of
mothers, wives and partners to men. These roles which are associated with women have been in

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the societal framework traditionally for which the relations of power have been part of collective
consciousness. This has been a limiting force from progress and attainment of equality of society
as women at still not expected to play roles out of what have been established as stereotypes.
Human personalities have, thus also not lead towards progress.
Visual images are quite strong which stays with people and tend to make effect which are
far more influential as compared to what is read and learnt about. They bear more significance
than just being mere visual images. When images arranged in order to deliver some meaning
they bear great power and potential to be more than just medium of entertainment. Visual images
stir emotions in the audience or the viewers who witness or experience them. The emotional
responses influence the state of mind in which they are experienced or witnessed. These images
thus shape how things are understood and perceived by people which shakes the worldview and
gender roles and themselves.
A dominant and significant derivative of visual images are the medium of films and
movies. They are based on the idea of arrangement of images in order which gives rise to a story
and deliver a meaning or ideas. These ideas may pertain to a certain ideology or school of
thought which may affect or influence people and their lives. There are very few mediums and
forms of culture which are as influential and impactful as movies in the modern world. The ideas
behind movies and its portrayal, shapes perception of how men and women are viewed. It is
often said that Hollywood films have been very much associated to the portrayal of patriarchal
structures and frameworks of society in which the roles of women were shackled in. However,
later, along with the propagation of the agendas of equality and rise of feminism in different
spheres, the messages become there which river hidden under the façade of Independence and
empowerment of women (Smelik 2016). Even though the portraiture women have changed over

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centuries, the façade stays. Main critiques are of the opinion that the central idea behind a
patriarchal society and construct is the idea of power. Patriarchy can be defined as a system
which comprises of power relation where men get to dominate the women while the interest of
women are considered to be subordinated to those of the men. This is how the men are
considered to be superior to women.
The portraiture of women can be viewed very differently in different movies. Having said
that, portraiture of men are also problematic as characteristics of men are also foregrounded on
stereotypes. Often many films are constructed in a manner where the main characters get to play
the more important roles why the females add value and charm to the movie with their
ornamental presence. The male characters in the movie are often ascribed with traits and
functions which are active and are characterized with power, both physically as well as mentally.
The men are often representative of the patriarchal figures such as father and husband who
control the actions and lives of the females (Rodowick 2014). Alongside paying the roles of
dominant guardians in the lives of women, they also enjoy privilege of gazing at women because
they are considered to be subordinates and subjects. It is, as if, women are dependent and seek
comfort and support from the man and thus they are considered to have a passive presence in a
movie. Laura Mulvey, thus presented the concept of male gaze which are often established
through the portraiture of women in movies in which he claims that the camera is in the control
of a man who employs his vision to present a women pink submissive to the male gaze as
exhibited by a man.
In the modern society representation of women are often related to you being tough, bold
and aggressive. This has also been established as an identity for feminists and empowered
women in the consumer society (Traube 2019). Movies have also evolve to be a very strong and

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significant medium to present in front of the world how power relationships and gender
stereotypes are to be shattered in the world. Gender stereotypes have not only hurt women
identity, roles and their attempt to gain equality but also the men. In the award winning biopic,
Boys Don’t Cry, directed by Kimberly Pierce, tragically brings out the darker side of the picture
where men also get trapped by the stereotypes of the society. It narrate the story of Brandon
Teena who is raped and murdered in Nebraska. It is an extremely well researched screenplay
which has been written by Kimberly and presented in a very gloomy manner which denote
isolation and suffering which happens in silence. it is a moving piece of entertainment which
strikes a balance between power knowledge and violence. The movie was not only intended for
the purpose of entertainment and public awareness which also to highlight the Trans phobia
which exist within society and among people. It has taken the shape of oppressive power and
restricts sexuality and gender. The director had intend to to make the audience critically evaluate
the things which are known and assess the knowledge which was shared through the movie about
resistance and social influences. It has been a sorted to the movie that, only with the help of new
knowledge that societal power can be brought to a changed.
There are very powerful scenes in the movie, of which the opening scene is considered to
be the Orient for the viewers as Brandon’s eyes are shown while he looks at the audience
through a rear view mirror. He makes direct eye contact with the weavers as he invites them to
join along in his journey. As the audience join in, they are constantly faced with questions to
evaluate the established social norms and motors which give rise to assumptions about gender
identity and roles. Boys Don’t Cry is exemplary movie which allows the view was to take part in
a different journey and understand Brandon from his perspective solely which is quite in contrast
with the societal expectations (Grozelle 2014). The character shines through the movie e rather

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than giving rise to mainstream arguments about his perception and identity. Pierce has been
successful to create a portrait of the character which is dictated on the basis of his own choices.
Brandon is seen from the very start to assert himself as a male. His cousins assert to him
that is not a boy and that is his identity but he reinstates that he is not so. The audience must
realize that he is a male and that should be how he is to be seen and perceived throughout the
film. Pierce thus, presents the very idea of transgender subjectivity to society which is often left
out by dominant media coverage. Thus, the voices are often unheard and lost while they become
subject for discussion and objectification. Viewers get passed with several questions about
representation, visibility and the influence which is created through ideas and knowledge painted
about Trans people. Therefore the cultural gaze plays a very important role to determine how
Trans genders are perceived and subjected to gaze. The coverage of Brandon’s rape and murder
colored with cultural gaze in the subsequent media coverage. Apartment can be traced which
have the foundation of the dominant ideology of patriarchy, narrow versions and perpetration of
Trans phobia.
On the other hand Paris is Burning is a valuable please which is often referred to and read
in cultural studies as it highlights important issues such as gender, otherness, race, culture and so
on. The movie highlights the lives of blacks who live in New York whose orientations are
different from the dominant culture in a specific society as they are gays and transsexuals. This
people constitutes of a different subculture who are of Latin or African American origin and do
not have privileges in life. This is exactly where the idea of drugs come into play where
masculinity or femininity are lived and played by the opposite sexes. There often a different form
of community possess a new sense of inclusiveness for them who are considered to be
marginalized by the society as they do not conform to the heterosexist expectation of the society

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and patriarchal culture. There are different categories which exist within rags such a school girl
or boys who are assessed on the basis of realness on whether they appear to be a straight man or
a woman. This provides a very important clue on how the determine the realness for masculinity
of femininity within the community and categorize themselves on the basis of gender. Drugs are
often considered to be opposite to that of the hepatocytes is culture which is dominant in the
society. It can also be seen as being revolutionary as the transsexuals and gays in the movie used
as a conservative outlook towards gender. It is seen, that femininity is equaled with being a real
woman who is rich and white and have been dictated with the expectations of the patriarchal
society.
Paris is burning gives an impression to the audience that the life of Trans genders and gas
are quite challenging when it comes in contact with the dominant culture. The dominant culture
in the society can be regarded as the patriarchal culture or the heterosexist which are
foregrounded on strict norms and codes. These cultural constructs tense to exclude those which
do not confirm for a bite by the cultural norms within the society. Simply put, everything that is
different from the dominant culture is considered to be other. It is exactly because of this that
transsexuals and gays establish their own rules in a free environment in which tend to remain
dedicated to one another. In a drag society, community is performed within male bodies which
pose questions to the society on gender being a performance or something else. The people who
are shown in the film are born into male bodies but the impossible themselves to be women in
drags (Egbatan 2017). It is in this community where they get to behave and express their
aesthetic concerns and be free from the shackles of the society. Thus, Drags is a very important
element to understand how the dominant cultural trends and norms are defied. Judith Butler has
said that gender a form of learning process. It is the asserted in the movie/documentary that it is a

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loan performance which can be followed by a person the entire life. A person has to acquire
knowledge on how to act as a female or as a man. Drags display a very important role to
highlight the construction that is created by the idea of gender and categorization of the two,
female and male. Critics of said that drags have emerged a force to provide consideration of a
third category opposing the binary of male and female. The people who are born as male
biologically are not constrained into only embracing The Identity of a man was also to learn
about the ways of women and thus suggest that gender is nothing but performance (Levitt. and
Livingston’s 2013). It is exemplary how it has been able to serve verse the knowledge and
understanding of gender binary and that gender is representative of a potential performative act.
The characters who go beyond the illusion of appearance and embrace the essence of
what lies within is revolutionary. There is able to challenge the dominant norms and identity
which are associated with gender as well as subvert the definitions. The slice in stark contrast
with what the heterosexual norms of the society looks like. And you understanding and ID
perception of gender is brought in front of the audience while the characters are seen
impersonating what they felt they were from inside going against the heterosexual society. Apart
from the gender roles issues pertaining to race and richness are also highlighted through the
piece of art.
The movie of Jennie Livingston, Paris is Burning is a phenomenal piece of work which
depicts the challenging lives of transactions and black gays highlighting serious issues such as
race and gender. The drag Queens engagement performative acts by embracing femininity
despite living in male bodies buy dressing up like women and nothing short of acts of rebellion
by challenging the established norms of biology and society (Hilderbrand 2013). The act of
rebellion challenges the very idea of living as a male if a person is born into a body of a male.

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The characters are very important to understand that sex is not determined by a person's gender
but what is learnt and understood though life. The movie shutter speed existing traditional ideas
of gender roles which determined by biological sexes. The scores against the heterosexist and
patriarchal notions which look at femininity from a very conservative and conventional point of
view.
Movies are a very important medium of popular culture which contributed immensely to the
development of ideas and perspectives among its audience which is the larger section of the
society. Stereotypes are to be found all around while a person may see or experience sexism
themselves based on gender. The most important thing is to feel respected and equal. Movies
often tend to depict just the opposite. However there are movies who have contributed
immensely to the cause and elevated position of women in movies. Representation of women
was strictly founded on the patriarchal notions and ideas and as the characters were products of
the same ideology. The female characters are often treated as ornamental presence in movie
while the importance is laid over the character of the male who is superior because of his gender.
Misrepresentation of gender also happen in case of nail when they are associated with characters
are traits which have evolved and become stereotypes such as men should be strong and
aggressive. They are expected to have less emotions while women to be passive and polite.
These have undergone changes over the decades while movies like Boys Don’t Cry and Paris is
Burning have dismantled the conventional ideas of gender and identity.

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