Mackenzie

Willis
500507771
Alex Bal, Henry Warwick
RTA 101/ Section 111
Transmedia Project: Feminism in Male Gender Roles
December 1, 2014

Project Synopsis:
For my final transmedia project, my group did a coorelation of Podcasts, Daddy
Blogs, and an ARG. Such platforms for chosen in order to connect father to fathers
whilst having the opportunity to share experiences with their own children. The
Podcasts and Daddy Blogs are made to create a community between fathers where
fathers can pool together ideas to educate their children and other youth, and the
ARG is an opportunity for the adults to educate and build an experience with the
youth. Together, these platforms flow naturally in a transmedia-based format.

The White Ribbon Campaign is a one of many widely known public organizations by
men, for men against the mistreatment and abuse of women. Ryerson Universitys
Radio and Television schools first year Creative Processes classes were given various
age and gender demographics and multiple media-based assignments on the subject
of the White Ribbon Campaign. The final transmedia assignment was a pitch for
three interactive media-based platforms that would both have to relate to one
another in a story-based format and relate to the age and gender of their given
demographic. This essay will review the final transmedia project through a feminist
perspective of the demographic of males ages 35-54 in relation to the White Ribbon
Campaign by discussing gender norms, gender stereotypes, leadership and
parenting roles. The importance to view gender-roles when discussing men in
feminism and men in domestic abuse is critical in order to break away from the
regular culture norm of myth of manhood which has forced males into a set of
stereotypes and expectations that hinder both their roles as figures in society and as
figures in the home setting (Carpenter, 201).

Feminism regarding the male gender is a topic seldom discussed, but in a
2010 study taken from a Phycology of Male Roles class at California State University
the idea of male stereotypes is examined: In this study 18 male and 20 female
undergraduate students were separated into 5 groups of equal distributions of the
sexes, where then each participant were told to complete the phrase A man (or
Woman) is____(Feibert, Meyer 408). Students were told that they were to vocalize
various cultural stereotypes that could be either positive or negative. Results of this

study indicated that out of 79 responses retained for females, only 16 of these
responses were negative, as opposed to the 84 responses males received, where 48
of those were negative (Feibert, Meyer 408). The study that influenced this was a
similar study was presented on a grander scale throughout 30 countries where
5000 college students partook; here also, the overall results revealed to stereotype
men more negatively (Feibert, Meyer 408 In relation to studies resulting with males
in negative stereotypes; one 1997 survey was taken, where hundreds of television
commercials participated, where negative stereotypes were relayed through media
which negatively effected males: 1% percent of males were portrayed grooming and
primping themselves as opposed to 17% of females; and in a related poll 22% of
boys said they would change something about their appearance in order to look and
be more like the men advertised on television (Wall Street Journal 1997). These
studies are important examples of why society should focus more on men in the
feminist movement, and pay more attention to the stereotypes reflected in the
depiction of males. When men are depicted in media they are sought out to be
planners, physically dominant and more aggressive than their female counterpart
who is constantly depicted as a well-groomed housewife or some sort of a
temptress; there is no grey area (Shamni, Subramanian 2010) There is no room to
test gender norms when the role models society latch on to from modern day
culture happen to be such an unrealistic expectation of what a man or woman
should be. If one embed traits such as hyper-masculinity, and express that white
heterosexual males dominate society, then young men and older men will believe
this to be true (Goodall 162). To quote a paper on advertising through a feminist

lens Characters are only stereotypical constructions, sums of the common features
on the consumers, identified by advertisers (Safia 398). This states that men and
women are essentially forced into an ideology that influences media and cultures
alike. It is no wonder that a similar organization to White Ribbon Campaign, based
in India, MASVAW (Mens Action For Stopping Violence Against Women), found it
initially hard to persuade men to join their group, when the most significant loss
found for the members of the program was a lessen in social status and position
within their own/natal families, where some found they were losing the support of
their parents for not attaining such an ancient and degrading depiction of manhood
when being a part of the organization, meant being a part of the feminist movement
(Das, Satish 71). Feminism is gender equality; meaning that all both lenses must be
in use for either to function, and this is where society lacks.

For the final Creative Processes project the class was given a task to connect
three media platforms together in a functional story format, which connect to both
the age and gender demographic given. A story telling of fatherhood was presented
through an ARG (Alternate Reality Game), Daddy Blog, and an interactive podcast.
Fatherhood was a motif created over the group males aged 35-54 demographic, so it
was only natural that it became the underlying theme of the final project. The
theories behind this project were ultimately feminism and gender; addressing how
fathers today are, and have the opportunity to, start to challenge male-stereotypes,
and challenge other men to do the same through peer-to-peer culture whilst
encouraging their children to do the same. The general motif of fatherhood in the

transmedia project promoted leadership by assessing that it was a fathers duty to

show the younger generation of males how to be a man(Meyer 488), and how they
were to construe what that means. Gender roles were challenged in the project
when Daddy Bloggers (a growing community of peer-to-peer bloggers where
fathers swap stories and share tips for raising children) were thrown into the mix;
completely contrasting the classic gender stereotype of an authoritarian,
impervious, and detached figure (Carpenter 196). It was thought important to
address these theories to state that men did not need to follow the guidelines
chosen for them at birth due to ones gender, and that there was a community of
people doing the same who are supported by a mass community like them, doing
good and making change.

The three-part based transmedia focusing on fatherhood and challenging
gender stereotypes addresses feminism because it creates a new realm of possibility
for gender equality and variability. When fathers work together to educate each
other and challenge a predisposed ideology of manhood, one stands up to ask the
question of what normality truly is? When a man can truly empathize to a
situation not previously disposed to ones own gender, such as being a stay at home
parent, it gives females/partners the opportunity to branch from the norm as well.
As of 2010, 11 percent of stay-at-home parents are fathers, and a number of case
studies have confirmed that a fathers engagement in a childs life is crucial for the
childs well being and the development of emotional balance, self-assurance and
compassion(Vancouver Sun 2010). Another example of breaking gender norms is

the subject of homosexual fathers, who due to the fact that they do not conform to
regular gender roles already, are able use this to ones advantage as homosexual
men tend to nurture their children more like a mother would, end up redefining a
negative predisposed male stereotype (Meyer 480, 485). In relation to the
transmedia project, men such as these endorse podcasts, Daddy Blogs and other
interactive activities and are able to create a gender neutral, educational, and safe
community. A community such as this brings the sexes together, where there is
support and communication working for the same community; a safe one for both of
the sexes, where one is free to be who they want to be whether it is encouraged by
the media or culture based gender norms or not. This transmedia project is a
reflective source of the White Ribbon Campaign as it supports fathers in educating
the very values the White Ribbon projects, by addressing such equality issues and
norms regarding gender.

The final transmedia project addressing mens gender roles in feminism addresses
the ideals of the White Ribbon Campaign and its ability to help men fight against
gender stereotypes and make a change for the better. Katherine Parker states
(s)ome argue that mothers can do most things fathers do[But] men and women
do things differently [A] Mother can play catch in the backyard, but shes still not a
guy playing ball with his son(Meyer 488). A arguable statement, with the
underlining message that men will influence a childs life as much as a mother can,
even if its not the typical idea of nurturing. By addressing the age demographic of
35-54 year-old males, an age by which a man has typically sired a child, the

opportunity to educate youth is given; such is White Ribbons ideals. As said earlier;
if a boy is to see another male in media acting in the negative and stereotypical
depiction of a man, he is likely to be influenced and embed that image within
himself. If instead it was a man who encouraged feminism, gender-equality, and a
general different outlook on what a stereotype is, the world would be a different
place. The world is becoming a different place. It is argued that families have
reached a liberation point, no longer conforming to social norms that are
contraining (Carpenter 196). A transmedia project such as this supports such a
statement. A feminist lense on male gender roles is the most effective lens to appeal
to the White Ribbon Campaign because it is completely relevant to todays needs and
wants when reflecting equality and change.

8





Citations

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B-2:5. ProQuest Newsstand. Web. 29 Nov. 2014.

Anonymous. "Stay-at-home Dads Shattering Stereotypes; Many Faces of Fatherhood
Reflect Changes in Traditional Gender Roles." Vancouver Sun 19 July 2010:
E.3. ProQuest Newsstand. Web. 29 Nov. 2014.

Carpenter, Barry. "Inside the Portrait of a Family: The Importance of
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Das, Abhijit, and Satish K. Singh. "Changing Men: Challenging Stereotypes.
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Goodall, Hannah. "Media's Influence on Gender Stereotypes." Media Asia39.3
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Meyer, Erin M. "Gay Fathers: Disrupting Sex Stereotyping and Challenging the
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Pande, Shamni, and Anusha Subramanian. "Beyond Stereotypes: Ads, Soaps and
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They - and Certainly Workplaces - Don't Want." Business Today [New Delhi] 17 Oct.
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Safta, Gabriela. "Beer Television Advertising - a World of Men. Gender
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