Bisciardi 1

Azzurra Bisciardi

Professor Jonson

EN103-2

10 February 2021

Influences on Concepts of Femininity and Masculinity

The concepts of femininity and masculinity have always been controversial and have

also been strongly influenced by stereotypes and prejudices. Throughout history the role and

permitted behavior of women have been determined and restricted by religious and cultural

authorities. Indeed, for ages femininity has been a synonym for weakness and even now is

often still regarded as such. In recent decades, the concepts of femininity and masculinity

have started to change thanks to the influence of social networks, television and social

movements.

Social networks have brought about a major revolution in society’s understanding of

gender because they give everyone the same power and opportunities of expression. Social

networks have changed society’s attitudes toward certain behaviors and have thus challenged

certain stereotypes. As The Guardian puts it, “The media is powerful. It can reach millions of

people, challenge rigid gender roles and empower both men and women” (Casserly). On

social networks people can express themselves freely, share ideas and feelings, and make

others reflect about the inequality between men and women. Furthermore, social networks

have opened a debate not only about the purported weakness of women but also about the

portrayal of men as being without vulnerabilities or emotions. Thanks to social networks,

people are at last beginning to understand concepts such as gender fluidity and transgender

identity, which is conducive to a free and more inclusive society.

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Secondly, television has the power to shape concepts of masculinity and femininity.

However, it often perpetuates discriminatory and backward concepts of beauty and gender.

Many television shows are still presenting outdated concepts of men and women that are very

similar to those that were criticized by Mary Wollstonecraft in the “A Vindication of the

Rights of Women”, in which she laments how women are objectified or less powerful and

men are deemed to be authoritative and focused only on work. The ideas represented on

television sometimes reflect the opinion of older viewers who are still convinced of

stereotypical concepts of femininity and masculinity. However, despite this lack of

progressivism television could be a useful means of propagating a more inclusive attitude for

this theme.

Then, a third big component capable of influencing these concepts are social

movements which deal with these themes. Throughout the twentieth century many women

started to fight for their rights establishing demonstrations to rebel against their condition of

disparity. One of them is Simone de Beauvoir who thinks that “It is perfectly natural for the

future woman to feel indignant at the limitations posed upon her by her sex. The real question

is not why she should reject them: the problem is rather to understand why she accepts them.”

Thanks to the huge effort of these people woman condition started slowly to change, but

protests are still necessary because of many inequities that women suffer. As the great

progressive judge Ruth Ginsburg observes "Real change, enduring change, happens one step

at a time.” Thanks to people involved in these initiatives every of us can hope in a better

world.

In conclusion, contemporary concepts of femininity and masculinity are influenced by

several different factors. Hopefully, a lot of people are committed in a more free and equal
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development of these concepts especially between young people. Even if a lot of time is still

necessary the signals are positive and encouraging.

Works Cited

Beauvoir, S. D. (1974). The second sex / Simone de Beauvoir. New York: Vintage Books.

doi:https://libquotes.com/simone-de-beauvoir/quote/lbh7w0s

Carmon, I., Knizhnik, S., & Krull, K. (2015). Notorious RBG: The life and times of Ruth

Bader Ginsburg. New York, NY: Harper, an imprint of HarperCollins.

doi:https://www.today.com/news/ruth-bader-ginsburg-quotes-20-inspiring-ideas-rbg-

t192057

Casserly, J., & Governance and rights adviser at BBC Media Action. (2016, October 26).

How the media can promote gender equality. Retrieved February 06, 2021, from

https://www.theguardian.com/global-development-professionals

network/2016/oct/26/more-hillary-less-donald-how-the-media-can-promote-gender-

equality
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First Draft

The concepts of femininity and masculinity have always been controversial and

strongly influenced by stereotypes and prejudices. All over the history the role and the

behavior of women has been undermined from religion and cultural stigmas which brought

women to a lack of opportunities in every situation; indeed, for ages femininity has been a

synonym of weakness and often it is still the same. In the recent decades the feminine and

masculine concepts have started to change thanks to the influence of social networks

,television and organizations.

Social networks represent one of the biggest revolution of modern times because of

their rapidity and accessibility. Therefore, they have a strong influence among the standards

of behaviors , physical appearance, and destruction of stereotypes. On social networks

everyone can express themselves freely and share their own ideas and feelings making others

reflect about the inequality between men and women. Furthermore not only the weakness of

women but also the portrait of men without vulnerabilities and emotions is starting to be

debated presented for example in the movie "Thelma and Louise". Thanks to social networks

several different genders such as genderfluidness, agenderness or transgenderness are starting

to be accepted giving the opportunity for a free and more inclusive society.

Secondly television is an important means of communication to shape masculinity

and femininity concepts. However sometimes it shares discriminatory and backward concepts

of beauty and gender. A lot of television shows are still presenting a really old concept of man
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and woman very similar to the idea of femininity introduced by Mary Wollstonecraft in the

“A Vindication of the Rights of Women” where women are objectified or less powerful while

men are supposed to be authoritative and focused only on work. These ideas represented on

television sometimes reflect the opinion of older viewers that are still convinced about

stereotypical concepts of femininity and masculinity. However, despite this lack of

progressivism television could be a fundamental means of communication for this theme.

Then, a third big component capable of influencing these concepts are organizations

and movements which deal with these themes. Since the beginning of the twentieth century a

lot of women started to fight for their rights creating big events and campaign to change their

situation and rebel against their condition of disparities. Thanks to their huge effort the

woman condition started slowly to change but even nowadays protests are still necessary

because of a lot of inequities of which women are victims. Not only movements entirely

dedicated to the woman condition but also initiatives that are important for the expression and

the freedom of every "gender declination". Thanks to people involved in these initiatives

every of us can hope in a better world.

In conclusion, contemporary concepts of femininity and masculinity are influenced

by several different factors. Hopefully, a lot of people are committed in a more free and equal

development of these concepts especially between young people. Even if a lot of time is still

necessary the signals are positive and encouraging.

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EN 103 Professor Jones

Peer Review

Name of Student whose work is being critiqued _____________Azzurra Bisciardi____________

Name of Peer Critic   ____Noemi Lancellotta___________

Circle/Highlight 2-4 errors in the writing, but don’t tell your partner what they are. Have them
identify for themselves and correct.

Is the essay written in the rhetorical mode of classification? How can you tell?

Yes, it is.

Does the opening paragraph contain a clear thesis statement?  YES     NO

If you answered yes copy it here.

In the recent decades the feminine and masculine concepts have started to change thanks to the
influence of social networks, television and organizations. 

Does each body paragraph develop a central claim stated in the topic sentence?   YES     
        NO

Are the writer’s claims backed up and illustrated well?   YES     NO

Give an example of backing you especially like.

Thanks to social network…

Check the essay for coherence. What key nouns are repeated? Write them down. What transition
signals can you find? Write them down. Is the summary written in the present simple active?
Does it use consistent tone and diction? YES

Indeed/ however/ furthermore/ therefore/ secondly/ while/ then/ in conclusion/ even if 
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Is the language concrete and specific? Are the verbs well chosen to reflect what the author of the
essay is saying? Yes, they are.

Are appropriate transition signals evident? Give examples. Where would you suggest other
transition signals might be needed or changed if necessary to demonstrate a logical order of
ideas? Yes. (Furthermore not only…)

 Where would suggest to make editorial changes in terms of structure and organization?

It is well written, I would change anything. 

What is the strongest feature of the essay and why?

Fluidity because I can read it very well.