Gender, sex, and sexuality are often viewed as identical but they are quite distinct. Their differences and how they are used in different situations help to develop awareness about the social functioning of gender. Sex refers to a biological state that correlates with what we might call a ‘man’ or a ‘woman’. Although sex is often regarded as biological, fixed, and immutable, it is socially constructed. Gender, on the other hand, is the social understanding of the way sex should be i.e. male and female sex. It is considered to be concerned with social and cultural differences rather than biological ones. Sexuality, on the other hand, is the way people express and understand their, thoughts, attractions, and behaviors towards other people (Alice,2015). It is a personal and diverse aspect that defines who we are it is often categorized as homosexual or heterosexual.
Concerns about the aspect and the ways of depicting male and female sexuality and the genders in media are often convoluted and sophisticated. Sexuality and gender have been sensitive. Issues about the manner and the means of portraying male and female sexuality and the genders in media are often complex and intricate and are commonly important topics that have been discussed widely through media. Social media spaces such as Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and WhatsApp are not only important tools in connecting with family and friends, arranging meetups, working, and connecting with individuals from different gender and sexual minority groups but also play a crucial role in producing, constructing and representation of sexuality. In this article, we shall shed light on social media’s contribution to the extent to which male and female sexuality and gender norms display have differing effects on individuals and society as a whole.
Gender representation in social media tends to be biased as it nurtures variation in gender roles leading to negative perspectives about the assigned roles. Gender roles refer to the behavior that a person learns as appropriate to their gender and are determined by existing cultural norms. These roles and traits are fostered through advertisements where women’s roles vary from taking care of children to workplace duties displaying their dependence. On the other hand, men are often displayed as being more independent and less likely to express their emotions. In the workplace setup, men are often seen as taking the leadership roles while women take the subordinate roles which creates inequalities (Kladia,2021). Although the digital world has offered people social media platforms to express themselves, people tend to move along with social norms especially men since they perceive the expression of emotions as weakness and prefer to follow the social norms instead.
In addition to that, most young people tend to build their perception about gender roles from the various social media platforms. Most of the young generation considers social media spaces as their sole source of information. They understand gender and gender roles based on what is portrayed on these platforms which in turn leads to fostering toxic masculinity or encouraging transphobia.
Social media often leads to the promotion of gendered stereotypes. Men stereotypically portrayed on social media platforms are over the top, and they usually focus on physical strength, aggression, and conquest of women. Action flicks tend to have male leads who embody these masculine archetypes (Grau, S. L., & Zotos, Y. C,2018). These runaway guys are portrayed as fearless and rutting warriors, treated as gods. Therefore, the tough guy images frequently used to sell products are being used by social media to promote ideals of muscularity and confidence, the discontent of which will be lived by the audiences and become a ground for toxic masculinity.
Then as time has gone by, the representations of men’s sexuality in social media have shown an upward trend from generalizations towards meticulous depiction. These show the promotion of softness, compassion, and deep feelings (Grau, S. L., & Zotos, Y. C,2018). With such portrayals the notion that manhood can be equated with highness and being violent is challenged, prompting the viewer to have a more comprehensive and accommodative view of gender.
Women do not have the freedom of female sexuality and gender in media sometimes they are portrayed as objects, sexuality that fits the male gaze. In content creation, female images normally conform to very narrow prejudices, for instance, the femme fatale, the to-be-rescued, or the caring mother prototypes (Grau, S. L., & Zotos, Y. C,2018). The show’s characters exhibit these notions and prove them, thus, reducing the importance of women’s thoughts and opinions. Influencers and content creators add to the matter by creating content based on gender roles that conform to traditional culture.
Extreme gender stereotypes are harmful and should be neutralized. Gender stereotypes can cause malicious damage to a person’s identity and their ability to express their feelings and emotions. This for example, is a case where you want to express your feelings and emotions such as in the case of the loss of a loved one and you want to cry but due to masculinity, you are not allowed to. It is also harmful to feminine individuals when they feel like they are not allowed to be assertive, smart, or independent.
This therefore creates a necessity to combat gender stereotypes which can be achieved through the creation of awareness encouraging people to evaluate and challenge traditional roles that harbor stereotypes, and advocating for a present approach is likely to reduce gender stereotypes (Collins-Dogrul., et al,2018). The other means is by supporting the creation of content that challenges stereotypes. Social media platforms should also be on the frontline in making policies that promote gender equality and reduce harmful stereotypes. People should also be encouraged to speak up against sexist jokes whether in person or online spaces (Collins-Dogrul., et al,2018). We can also reduce stereotypes by being active role models by supporting those individuals who defy social norms and by encouraging empathy and respect in all our relationships. We should work together towards combating gender stereotypes to enhance gender equality and promote sexuality in social media and society at large.
Finally, social media has made a great stride in enhancing connection with family and friends, arranging meetups, working, and connecting with individuals from different genders and sexual minorities. Social media platforms have a great influence on the construction and representation of sexuality. Even though social media spaces are seen as empowering tools, they can greatly affect an individual’s ability to be assertive. Gender bias prevents only certain negative things and disrupts many features of behavior, from the expression of emotions to the formation of the personality of all persons, both men and women. During that period of history, women did not even have the chance to aspire to any high-ranking roles in professional or familiar life. Ladies could be a good way to propagate the idea of contemporary alternatives to gender and sexual equality. Social media content creators and regulators should engage in productive conversations to come up with more meaningful ways of depicting and constructing sexuality in social media. More research is needed to come up with a better depiction of sexuality and gender in social media. This is crucial in promoting a more respectful and informed culture.
References
(n.d.). Transforming Cultures and Technologies: Gender, Race, and Digital Media – Women’s Studies 498P • University of Maryland College Park • Fall 2015. https://498digital.queergeektheory.org/wp-content/uploads/2015/08/Marwick-Gender-Sexuality-and-Social-Media.pdf
Kladia, D. (2021, September 22). Social media and gender: A tricky combination. EAVI. https://eavi.eu/social-media-and-gender-a-tricky-combination/
Grau, S. L., & Zotos, Y. C. (2018). Gender stereotypes in advertising: a review of current research. Current Research on Gender Issues in Advertising, 3-12.
Collins-Dogrul, J., & Ulrich, J. R. (2018). Fighting stereotypes: Public discourse about women in combat. Armed Forces & Society, 44(3), 436-459.
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