1960s

This film which was made in the 1960s (1962) shows that despite the fact that the 1960s was the era of sexual revoloutions, women are stilled represented as the second sex and playing the passive role. They are still less assertive and intelligent than men even after their moving up the ranks in gender equality.

1950s

High Moon is a film that was released during the 1950s and it portrays men as the dominant and confident sex as they play the main lead roles where as the women are just there to be rescued

Representation of women today

Between 1992-93 men took over speaking roles in television as the statistics show that 61% of speaking roles were dominated by men where as women only had 37% of speaking roles. Instead of reversing, in 1995-1996 the statistics increase for the men as they had 63% of speaking roles.

In the 1970s, women's main occupation was seen to be housewives however, in 1992-1993 only 3 percent of women were represented as housewives which shows the difference in society and how it changed over the years. This could also link to the fact that womens priorities have changed from the past as they are more into their careers andeducation.

Maggie humm talk about films and how they either have women represented as 'good mothers' or 'bad hystorical careerists' which links to the fact that women can either be 'moddonas' or 'whores', they can't be both. These stereotypes degrade women as they cannot be modest yet sexual but men can which shows inequalities in gender.

Summary of the representation of gender in the past!

Gunter and Elasmer et al both talk about the prevelance of women and men in significant speaking roles in tv shows. In the 1950s, 60s and 70s only 20 to 53 per cent of characters were females wich highlights the segregation in the media and how patriarchal society use to be. However, by the 1080s, much more women were in tv but the majority were still men which underlines the glass ceiling wich indicates the fact that no matter how much women achieve, they will never be equal to men even if they can see what they can achieve.

Miles found that even though in the 1970s men and womens roles were nearly the equal in comedies, the potrayal of the women were very traditionaly sexist. Nonetheless in 1987, women were found to be the most common sex in comedies however men took over dramas as the statistics show women being outnumbered two to one. Gunter emphasises that in the 1970s shows about parenthood, marriage and domesticity are more important to women more than men.

Women and mens roles in movies were very similar to the roles they had in tv shows where men make most of the descisions, this is shown in the 1950s in the 'high noon' where men were asertive, confident and dominant. Women were most likely to be shown as frightened in films and the male charachters are the ones protecting them, offering love and support.