TV Gender Images

Imagine a not so uncommon vignette: a 5 year old girl trying on one of mom's dresses, on her little feet a pair of mom's high heel shoes, on her lips and all over her face mom's burgundy-red lipstick, and around her pudgy neck mom's pearl necklace. Picture this little girl standing in front of her mom's vanity mirror, with this overgrown dress gathered and dragging behind her, her feet lost somewhere in the depths of …

…There is not much evidence yet for any strong impact of TV. Children are not passive recipients of TV images. Their existing attitudes to gender role play an important part in interpreting images of gender on TV. Thus, once again, the available evidence does not offer a simple picture of the role of TV in the development of gender roles. As always in social science, the picture is subtle, complex, and rich in research opportunities.