Introduction
This essay critically examines how personally consumed media influences gender beliefs, identity, and socialisation, drawing from a psychological perspective. As a psychology undergraduate, I selected three media sources from my own consumption: the childhood TV show Victorious (2010–2013), the web series Killing Eve (2018–2022), and the film Chitrangada: The Crowning Wish (2012). These choices reflect diverse formats and eras, allowing for an analysis of gender representation, stereotypes, youth influence, and ideological messaging. The analysis links to psychological theories such as Bandura’s social learning theory (Bandura, 1977) and Bem’s gender schema theory (Bem, 1981), which explain how media shapes gender attitudes through observation and cognitive schemas. The essay culminates in a reflection on personal gender understanding, supported by theory, before concluding with broader implications. This approach highlights media’s role in gender socialisation, often reinforcing norms while occasionally challenging them.
Victorious: Gender Dynamics in a Childhood TV Show
Victorious, a Nickelodeon series centred on teenagers at a performing arts school, portrays gender through stereotypical lenses, with women often visible but men holding subtle power. Female characters like Tori Vega (protagonist) and Jade West are depicted as talented and assertive, yet their narratives frequently revolve around relationships or rivalries, aligning with traditional femininity (Duffy and Hund, 2015). Tori is kind and relatable, embodying the ‘girl next door’, while Jade is aggressive and goth-like, representing a ‘rebellious’ archetype. Male characters, such as Beck Oliver, hold visibility through romantic storylines and are portrayed as calm leaders. Gender-diverse identities are absent, reflecting a binary framework common in early 2010s children’s media.
Explicit stereotypes include the hyper-feminine Cat Valentine, whose childish demeanour and pink aesthetics reinforce notions of women as emotional and dependent. Implicit sexism emerges in humour, such as jokes about girls’ appearances or rivalries, which subtly endorse competitive femininity. Visuals, like colourful costumes for females versus casual attire for males, and narratives where boys resolve conflicts, perpetuate gender norms (Coyne et al., 2016).
For youth influence, Victorious could shape attitudes via social learning theory, where children imitate observed behaviours (Bandura, 1977). Young viewers might aspire to Tori’s confidence but internalise stereotypes, potentially limiting identity development. Gender schema theory suggests this media reinforces cognitive frameworks associating femininity with emotionality (Bem, 1981), socialising children to conform.
Ideologically, the show promotes consumerist femininity tied to performance and beauty, aligning with neoliberal ideologies that empower women superficially while maintaining patriarchal structures (Gill, 2007). It reinforces norms like heteronormativity but challenges them slightly through female friendships, though overall, it upholds traditional gender roles.
Killing Eve: Subverting Gender in a Thriller Series
Killing Eve, a BBC series featuring female leads in espionage, offers complex gender portrayals, with women holding significant power and visibility. Protagonist Eve Polastri, an MI6 agent, is intelligent and driven, while antagonist Villanelle is a charismatic assassin, defying traditional femininity (Steenberg, 2019). Men, like Eve’s husband Niko, are secondary and often emasculated, subverting male dominance. Gender-diverse identities are minimally represented, though Villanelle’s fluid sexuality introduces queer elements, challenging binary norms.
Stereotypes are both reinforced and subverted; Villanelle’s glamorous outfits and psychopathy could imply subtle sexism linking female power to instability, yet her agency counters this. Humour arises from Villanelle’s flamboyant kills, using language and visuals (e.g., stylish violence) to mock gender expectations. Narratives explore female desire and rivalry, avoiding reductive tropes like the ‘damsel in distress’ (Tasker, 2015).
In terms of youth socialisation, the series might influence aspirations by modelling strong female identities, per social learning theory (Bandura, 1977). Adolescents could learn resilience from Eve, but the glamorised violence risks normalising aggression in gender contexts. Linking to gender development, it may expand schemas by presenting non-traditional roles, fostering inclusive attitudes (Bem, 1981). However, for impressionable viewers, the ideological mix could confuse identity formation.
Persuasion occurs through feminist ideologies, challenging patriarchal norms via queer representation and female empowerment (Steenberg, 2019). Consumer aspects, like fashion tie-ins, promote individualism, but the series critiques heteronormativity, reinforcing progressive gender norms while occasionally falling into exoticising queer women.
Chitrangada: The Crowning Wish – Exploring Gender Identity in Film
Chitrangada, a 2012 Bengali film directed by Rituparno Ghosh, deeply engages with gender-diverse identities, portraying the protagonist (based on Ghosh himself) as a gay choreographer considering gender reassignment. Women are multifaceted, with the protagonist’s partner representing supportive femininity, while men embody societal pressures. Power lies with the gender-diverse lead, whose internal struggle for visibility challenges cisnormative structures (Banerji, 2014). This contrasts with mainstream media by centring transgender narratives.
Explicit stereotypes are critiqued; the film exposes sexism in the arts, where femininity is performative. Implicit elements include visuals of dance sequences blending genders, and narratives using poetic language to deconstruct norms. Humour is subtle, often ironic, highlighting societal absurdities around gender (Dutta, 2013).
For young audiences, it could shape identity through observational learning, encouraging empathy for diverse genders (Bandura, 1977). Psychologically, it links to gender schema theory by challenging rigid categories, potentially aiding fluid identity development (Bem, 1981). However, its mature themes might overwhelm youth, risking misunderstanding.
Ideologically, the film promotes cultural shifts towards inclusivity, drawing from Indian queer politics and challenging colonial gender binaries (Banerji, 2014). It reinforces progressive norms by questioning heteropatriarchy, though consumer elements are minimal, focusing on artistic persuasion.
Reflection: How Has This Media Shaped My Understanding of Gender?
Analytically, my media diet has profoundly influenced my gender perceptions, often reinforcing binary norms while occasionally prompting critical reevaluation. From a psychological standpoint, Victorious socialised me during childhood through social learning, where I observed and internalised stereotypes like female emotionality (Bandura, 1977), shaping early aspirations towards performative femininity. This aligned with gender schema theory, embedding cognitive frameworks that initially limited my view of gender to heteronormative roles (Bem, 1981). However, exposure to Killing Eve challenged these, modelling empowered women and queer fluidity, which expanded my schemas and fostered a more inclusive identity. The subversion of power dynamics in the series encouraged me to question patriarchal ideologies, linking to cultivation theory’s idea that repeated media exposure cultivates beliefs (Gerbner et al., 1986).
Furthermore, Chitrangada deepened this by introducing transgender narratives, prompting reflection on gender as a spectrum rather than fixed. Theoretically, this media disrupted subtle sexism in my thinking, per cognitive dissonance principles, where conflicting portrayals forced reconciliation (Festinger, 1957). Overall, while early media like Victorious reinforced norms, later diverse content has shaped a critical, fluid understanding, highlighting media’s dual role in socialisation. This analytical lens, informed by psychology, reveals how my gender beliefs evolved from conformity to advocacy for diversity.
Conclusion
In summary, analysing Victorious, Killing Eve, and Chitrangada reveals media’s potent role in shaping gender through representation, stereotypes, and ideologies, often linked to psychological theories like social learning and gender schemas. While Victorious largely reinforces norms, the others challenge them, influencing youth socialisation variably. Implications include the need for diverse media to foster inclusive identities, particularly in psychology, where understanding these dynamics can inform interventions against sexism. Ultimately, this personal analysis underscores media’s enduring impact on gender beliefs, urging critical consumption.
References
- Bandura, A. (1977) Social Learning Theory. Prentice-Hall.
- Banerji, R. (2014) ‘Rituparno Ghosh’s Chitrangada: Negotiating Queer Cinema in India’, South Asian Popular Culture, 12(3), pp. 195-207.
- Bem, S. L. (1981) ‘Gender Schema Theory: A Cognitive Account of Sex Typing’, Psychological Review, 88(4), pp. 354-364.
- Coyne, S. M., Linder, J. R., Rasmussen, E. E., Nelson, D. A. and Collier, K. M. (2016) ‘It’s a Bird! It’s a Plane! It’s a Gender Stereotype!: Longitudinal Associations Between Superhero Viewing and Gender Stereotyped Play’, Sex Roles, 74(9-10), pp. 416-430.
- Duffy, B. E. and Hund, E. (2015) ‘”Having It All” on Social Media: Entrepreneurial Femininity and Self-Branding Among Fashion Bloggers’, Social Media + Society, 1(2), pp. 1-11.
- Dutta, A. (2013) ‘An Epistemology of Collusion: Hijras, Kotis and the Historical (Dis)continuity of Gender/Sexual Identities in Eastern India’, in Queer Landscapes: Mapping Space(s) of Praxis and Pedagogy. Cham: Palgrave Macmillan, pp. 135-157.
- Festinger, L. (1957) A Theory of Cognitive Dissonance. Stanford University Press.
- Gerbner, G., Gross, L., Morgan, M. and Signorielli, N. (1986) ‘Living with Television: The Dynamics of the Cultivation Process’, in Perspectives on Media Effects. Hillsdale, NJ: Lawrence Erlbaum Associates, pp. 17-40.
- Gill, R. (2007) ‘Postfeminist Media Culture: Elements of a Sensibility’, European Journal of Cultural Studies, 10(2), pp. 147-166.
- Steenberg, L. (2019) ‘Killing Eve: Spies, Motherhood and Multilayered Femininity’, in The Scandinavian Invasion: Nordic Noir and Beyond. Edinburgh: Edinburgh University Press, pp. 145-160.
- Tasker, Y. (2015) ‘The Action Heroine and Contemporary Media Culture’, in Spectacular Bodies: Gender, Genre and the Action Cinema. London: Routledge, pp. 1-25.
