GENDER STEREOTYPES AND ADVERTISEMENTS
By: Christopher Colson

The overall objective of this lesson is to focus on the subtle messages, and not so subtle messages that contain stereotypes and bias toward either females and/or males in magazine advertisements.

STANDARD: All students will be able to explain the effects of gender bias in relationships and behavior.

GRADE LEVEL: 4-6, Social Studies, Language Arts

OBJECTIVES:

1. The student will identify gender stereotypes and bias.
2. The student wIl identify the problems of gender bias in advertising.
3. The student will develop an understanding of the way advertisements work

TIME: 1-2 hours.

MATERIALS: Magazines that are stereotypically male or female.

PROCEDURES:

Introduction: The children will review the definition of stereotype and discuss stereotypes in general through examples given by the teacher, and then through examples they provide.

Discussion: Discuss the types of ads in the gender stereotyped magazines. Examine the advertisements that appear in both types of magazines (male and female). Discuss the idea of a target audience. Why would a Revlon makeup ad not do too well in Sports Illustrated? Why would a Norelco Razor ad not do well in a women’s magazine? Where are sports men prominent in advertising? What types of events or products are advertised in the female magazines? In the male magazines? In the "gender neutral" magazines? What kinds of cars are advertised with men in the picture? With women in the picture? Who is pictured in technology-related ads? Who are the manufacturers trying to reach with their ads? Why do they advertise in those magazines?

Activity: Pass out the magazines to groups. Instruct the children to examine the advertisements as seen in men’s and women’s magazines. Children are to look for ads with people in them. They will then list what types of ads are in each type of magazine.

Activity: Have the children go back to the ads. Examine what the people in the magazine ads are doing. Are they happy or sad? Are the people just there to look beautiful or are they demonstrating the products use? I.E. Does the Caravan ad have a beautiful woman lying on the hood or is it a family going camping?

Discussion: Compare the people in the ads. Is there anything stereotypical in the ads? Are there any ads that show that the manufacturers may have became sensitive to gender bias and the effect of gender bias on sales to women?

Conclusion: Discuss what changes can be made in advertising to make them non-stereotypical.

Extension: Have the children choose an advertisement they did not like. Have them develop a new ad for the product.