Gender roles

Jockstraps and Muscles are for the Girls Now, Actually

Archie Wagner, University of Iowa

“Love Lies Bleeding” promotional materials subvert gender expectations with female stars performing masculinity.…

March 7, 2024

Plath vs. Steinbeck: Gender in Classic Literature

Julia Ray, Northern Arizona University

John Steinbeck and Sylvia Plath construct their women characters quite differently.…

December 6, 2023

How K-Pop Redefined Masculinity (But There’s Still a Long Way To Go)

Lauren Sung, University of Georgia

Korean bands like H.O.T. and BTS have done a lot to normalize 'soft masculinity,' but South Korean culture as a whole remains patriarchal and heteronormative.…

September 16, 2021

Image of main characters in "The Princess Switch" in an article about gender roles. (Illustration by Eri Iguchi, Minneapolis College of Art and Design)

‘The Princess Switch’ Reflects on Gender Roles and Relationships

Benjamin Chen, Columbia University

These royal romances are more than meets the eye when it comes to lessons in commitment and love.…

January 17, 2021

Illustration of a hand wrapped in thorns that are being placed by other hands, to represent the negative stereotypes of the Bachelorette series.

Does ‘The Bachelorette’ Empower Women or Does It Reinforce Stereotypes?

Anna Wurm, Texas A&M University

Is the popular dating show uplifting its female contestants? Or is it promoting toxicity and codependency?…

November 18, 2020

Illustration of the flip challenge redefining masculinity

The Flip Challenge Exposed Hip-Hop’s Hypermasculine Culture

Alyssa Alexander, SUNY Buffalo State

Society is redefining what it means to be masculine and feminine. What does that mean for a culture rooted in gender roles?…

April 22, 2020

How College Taught Me That Gender Means Nothing

Caleb Dukes, Rice University

The art of unlearning gender roles and restrictions by way of glittery eyeshadow and living with your friends.…

August 9, 2019

Although it's a middle-grade novel, "The Witch Boy" appeals to teen and adult readers alike. (Illustration via Jaila Desper, University of Maryland)

Gender Roles and Individuality in Middle-Grade Novel ‘The Witch Boy’

Dorielys Cruz, University of Texas at San Antonio

Who says graphic novels are teen-exclusive?…

February 22, 2019

Jordan Peterson Will Not Save Us

Shashank Rao, University of Michigan

The famed Canadian psychologist is a veritable academic rock star, but does he really have any idea what he’s talking about?…

May 1, 2018

To Combat Hypermasculinity, We Need to Change the Way We Speak

Alli Guaman, Marymount Manhattan College

The University of Regina created a 'masculinity confession booth' to give men a safe space to share candidly. Are they going too far?…

April 5, 2017

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Gender roles