Same Old Story, New Packaging
Gender Stereotypes and Objectification in Media
Despite decades of social progress, legal battles, and a whole lot of inspirational TED Talks, media still insists on serving us the same tired gender stereotypes—just with a fresh Instagram filter.
Whether it’s the damsel in distress, the macho hero, or the mysterious woman who removes her glasses and suddenly becomes hot, these portrayals have been around longer than the dinosaurs (or at least, since the dawn of Hollywood).
Stereotypes: The GIF That Keeps on Looping
Media has a habit of placing people into neat little gender boxes.
Women? Oh, they’re nurturing, emotional, and mostly just there for aesthetic purposes. Men? Strong, assertive, and allergic to emotions (unless those emotions are rage or brooding while looking out a rainy window).
Scientific research backs up what many of us already suspect: these portrayals don’t just reflect societal norms—they help create and reinforce them.
For instance, the Global Media Monitoring Project (GMMP) found that, as of 2015, women made up only 24% of the persons heard, read about, or seen in newspaper, television, and radio news. This underrepresentation reinforces traditional gender roles and limits perceptions of women’s capabilities.
Objectification: More Than Just a Camera Angle
Ah, the classic media formula: put a woman in a role, then reduce her value to her appearance. Bonus points if the camera spends more time zooming in on her body than on the plot.
The GMMP’s 2015 report also highlighted that only 4% of news stories clearly challenged gender stereotypes, indicating a persistent trend of objectification and limited representation.
This lack of challenging content contributes to the normalisation of objectification in media.
Gender stereotypes: The Ripple Effect
Spoiler Alert—It’s Not Great…
When media constantly portrays women as objects and men as dominant figures, it shapes public perceptions in ways we can’t always see. These portrayals fuel gender biases, reinforce workplace inequalities, and even influence attitudes towards harassment. (Reminder: no, catcalling isn’t a compliment.)
Studies found that reviews for movies with female-led casts contained 149% more hostile sexism and 44% more benevolent sexism compared to male-dominated films.
Researchers suggest this gendered criticism may be hindering women’s progress in the film industry.
Source: Scimex, 2025
Final Scene: Can We Rewrite This Script?
Despite these challenges, progress is happening. More diverse, nuanced portrayals are making their way into mainstream media—though sometimes at a glacial pace.
The key? Demand better representation, support creators who break the mold, and never underestimate the power of a well-placed sarcastic tweet.
Statistics to remember:
- The proportion of women represented in traditional news media in 2015, as found by the GMMP in 2015 was 24%
- According to that same report, the percentage of new stories that challenged gender stereotypes was 4%
You can access the full study HERE
- 149% more hostile sexism: The increase in hostile sexism found in reviews of films with female-dominated casts compared to those with male-dominated casts.
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