Gender 2010
This playlist was created
on
Friday, January 15, 2010.
Playlist Notes:
Sugar and Spice: The Facts Behind Sex Differences (51:00)
Even during the first moments of life, baby girls and boys already behave differently. Combining case histories and scientific analysis, this program argues that the mixture of hormones in the womb “hardwires” the brain with a sex-aligned signature before birth, causing it to become distinctly female or male—or a mixture of both. (51 minutes)
Divide of the Sexes: Gender Roles in Childhood (60:00)
Why do boys underachieve? How does celebrity culture influence the self-esteem of young girls? In an atmosphere dominated by sex and consumerism, are children growing up too quickly? This program addresses those issues, reporting on a group of 25 eight-year-olds as they adjust to gender roles and expectations. Nathan’s parents have gone all out to make sure he grows up without stereotypes—but real life isn’t that simple. Rhianna’s mother is the breadwinner and childcare provider in the family, while her father spends most of his time drinking. Meanwhile, tomboy Megan has taken an interest in the opposite sex, Helena has embraced her femininity, and Tyrese is displaying male aggression. A BBC/Open University Co-production. Original broadcast title: Divide of the Sexes. Part of the series Child of Our Time 2008. (60 minutes)
Body Image for Boys (19:00)
As the idealized male physique continues to be hyped in movies, on TV, in magazines, and on billboards, a rapidly growing number of men are becoming obsessed with appearance. Each year alone, they spend billions on gym memberships and home exercise equipment—and women are no longer alone in battling anorexia and body dysmorphic disorder. This topical program explores some of the issues facing young men today as they struggle to define themselves amidst the flood of media-generated images of male physical perfection. Experts including Divya Kakaiya, the visionary founder and clinical director of the Healthy Within treatment center; Leigh Cohn, co-author of the seminal Making Weight: Men’s Conflicts with Food, Weight, Shape, and Appearance; and UCLA Healthcare sports medicine physician Gary Green as well as a number of young patients grapple with problems such as steroid abuse, eating disorders, exercise addiction, and phony food supplements. A viewable/printable instructor’s guide is available online. A Cambridge Educational Production. (18 minutes)
All about Girls (22:00)
This video explores conflicting definitions of femininity and what it means to be a girl, and discusses how parents can help their daughters grow into healthy and well-adjusted adults. (22 minutes)
Boy or Girl? When Doctors Choose a Child’s Sex (15:00)
What is to be done when chromosomal abnormalities or an accident leave a baby with what is known as "ambiguous genitalia"? In this program, ABC News correspondent Dr. Nancy Snyderman investigates the once-accepted belief that surgical sex assignment would determine gender in such cases. The studies of Johns Hopkins child psychiatrist William Reiner and pioneering medical researcher Milton Diamond—plus testimony from the man known to medical literature as John/Joan—argue that gender comes from the brain, not the body, and that no operation can alter that basic fact. Some content may be objectionable. (15 minutes)
All about Boys (22:00)
This video analyzes the links between biological and cultural development in boys, and addresses problems—such as Attention Deficit Disorder and behavioral difficulties in schools—that tend to involve boys. (22 minutes)
Gender Biology: Men and Women Really Are Different (22:00)
Apart from the reproductive system, how else are women anatomically different from men? And how do physiological differences influence how the female body reacts to diseases and medications? Enhanced by 3-D graphics, this program explores the emerging field of gender-based biology. Officers of the Society for the Advancement of Women’s Health Research and the Partnership for Women’s Health at Columbia discuss the possibility of gender-specific medications, new studies being done on heart disease and osteoporosis, and other topics. The Women’s Health Initiative, a pathophysiological study of postmenopausal women, is also featured. (22 minutes)
The Sexes (53:00)
From childhood on, biological and social factors combine to shape an individual’s sexual identity. In this program, Ruben Gur, Professor of Neuropsychology at the University of Pennsylvania; sociologist Rhoda Reddock, of the University of the West Indies; philosopher Elisabeth Badinter; historians Arlette Farge and Jennifer Stoddart; and others evaluate gender-related behavioral models from a variety of times and places, ranging from ancient Babylon to the contemporary U.S. Other topics include the shifts in female status that have accompanied society’s evolution from hunter/gatherers, to farmers, to industrialists. (53 minutes)
The Difference Between Men and Women (37:00)
Men don’t listen. Women can’t read maps. Men snore more. Women are less likely to have affairs. Should those statements be dismissed as stereotypes, or can we point to tangible discrepancies—behaviorally and neurologically speaking—along gender lines? This ABC News program explores sex differences and the brain circuitry behind them. Presenting an interview with Dr. Louann Brizendine, author of the controversial book The Female Brain, the program covers such provocative topics as teen brain chemistry and development, the ways that sex is discussed in “mixed company,” and the powerful hormones brought on by motherhood. Renowned transgender neurobiologist Ben Barres is also featured. (37 minutes)
Deepest Desires (49:00)
What conditions of physical attraction tend to subtly speak out to members of the opposite sex? Why is there typically a fundamental difference in attitudes between men and women toward sexual relations? What physiological factors can influence men and women to stray from their partners? This program seeks to answer those and other questions as it sheds light on the mystery of sexual attraction. The relationships between pheromones and an attractive immune system, status symbols and marital appeal, and ovulation and facial feature preference are also explored. Contains clinically explicit language. A BBCW Production. (49 minutes)
Understanding Healthy Relationships and Sexuality (29:00)
This program furnishes background on the issues of sexual expression, preference, and choice and sensitively identifies the characteristics of the sexually healthy adult. Topics under discussion include different types of relationships, factors that influence the formation and maintenance of relationships, and social and psychological perspectives on people as sexual beings. (29 minutes)
War of the Sexes: Emotion (46:00)
When asked to describe birth from a baby’s perspective, a group of women talk about fear, elation, and other feelings—while their male counterparts summon only physical sensations. What causes such a contrast? This program explores the divergent emotional tendencies of men and women, throwing gender differences into bold relief through spontaneous theatrical exercises and expert commentary. While confirming that expression of and reaction to emotion varies according to sex, the program also demonstrates that the male psyche values emotion no less than the female—as suggested by a collaborative storytelling session in which men craft the more evocative tale. (45 minutes)
Violence Against Women (46:00)
The secrecy surrounding domestic violence is the focus of this program. Hosted by a policewoman and a television news anchor, it contains stories of hope for women who are currently in violent relationships, and provides valuable information on how to leave an abusive partner. Specific information is included on speaking out, having a plan, when to leave, where to go, the legal aspects, getting help for abusers, and how to protect and counsel children who live in violent homes. (46 minutes)
Sexual Stereotypes (19:00)
More than ever before, Americans are being bombarded—and acculturated—by the media, and only discerning individuals will recognize the sexual biases that all too often are a part of each day’s worth of information and entertainment. This program focuses on identifying and looking beyond categorical stereotypes of women, men, gays, and lesbians. A Cambridge Educational Production. (25 minutes)
Sexual Stereotypes in the Media (38:00)
Categorizing others is a part of human nature, and even as infants we divide the world into two groups—male and female—to help organize our reality. But when these stereotypes are used to make assumptions about a person’s character and value, they become gender bias or outright sexism. This program illustrates some of the commercial, cultural, psychological, and sociological forces that have shaped sexual stereotypes in the media, such as demographic segmentation and the selling of gender, the myths of alluring femininity and rugged masculinity, Jungian personality archetypes, consensus reality, stereotype threat, the hegemonic forces of agenda-setting and mainstreaming, body image dysfunctions, and the theory of the male gaze. A Films for the Humanities & Sciences Production. (38 minutes)
Is Feminism Dead? (29:00)
Years after the women’s movement burst open doors of opportunity that had long been barred, a new generation of women seems to be questioning the meaning and the value of the battles fought by their mothers and grandmothers. Has feminism somehow gone out of style? In this program, Patricia Ireland, of NOW; Phyllis Schlafly, of the Eagle Forum; Ellen Goodman, of The Boston Globe; Dr. bell hooks, of CUNY’s English department; Dr. Tessie Liu, of Northwestern University’s history and gender identity departments; and Dr. Martha Wharton, of The Ohio State University’s departments of African-American studies and women’s studies, appraise the women’s movement as it currently exists and discuss its relevance in today’s cultural climate. (29 minutes)
Rocking the Cradle: Gay Parenting (38:00)
Prior to the 1960s, the idea of same-sex parenting had yet to reach the consciousness of most Americans. The majority of gays and lesbians did not even consider parenting, fearing the stigma their children might face. By 2000, however, the U.S. Census Bureau indicates that a full one-third of lesbian couples and roughly a quarter of gay male couples had opted to become parents. This program captures six gay/lesbian families in their day-to-day lives. Two of these families are families by adoption, two are co-parenting families, and two are lesbian families by insemination. Man-on-the-street interviews as well as emotional testimonials from the 15 adults and 11 children featured in this film provide a range of perspectives on gay parenting. A viewable/printable instructor’s guide is available online. (38 minutes)
Children Are Bombarded with Sexy Images (01:34)
Children in the 8 to 12 age group are a hot target for companies who use sex to sell products. Clothing companies, toy manufacturers, and the media are bombarding children with sexy images.
A Day of Sexy Images for a 12 Year Old Girl (02:45)
Companies bombard kids with sexy images designed to sell clothing and a variety of other products. Cameras follow a 12 year old girl throughout her day to get an idea of how many sexy images she is exposed to.
Why Young Girls Like Sexy Clothes (02:00)
The author of a book about how advertisers target kids is shocked at the sexy products, including bras, available for children today. A group of young girls describes why they like to wear sexy clothes.
Parents Struggle with Kid's Sexy Clothes (03:35)
The parents of pre-teen girls describe how they feel about the sexy clothes their daughters want to wear. Parents sometimes do not agree with each other about appropriate fashion, and the girls work to resist limits on what they can wear.
Sexy Fashion Dolls for Kids (02:04)
A new generation of fashion dolls encourages young girls to value a sexy appearance. A spokesman for Bratz dolls defends his company's product.
Sex Bracelets and Sexual Awareness of Tweens (01:45)
Various factors have led to an explosion of products and marketing techniques which bombard children with sexy images. A 12 year old girl names the sexual acts represented by various "sex bracelets" she wears.
Candie's Sells Shoes with Sex (02:29)
The CEO of Candie's Shoes defends his company's sexually suggestive ads featuring celebrity Ashlee Simpson. Simpson's audience is largely young girls; young girls, and their parents, offer their opinions about one of the Simpson ads.
Effects of Sexually Charged Media Images on Boys (06:13)
Media ads, professional wrestling, video games, and more openly sexualize women. A popular skateboarder defends strip club scenes in his video game, and a group of young men worries about the effects of such images on boys' attitudes.
Wage Gap: Sexism Argument (04:17)
Many studies show that women are paid 25 percent less than men and activists believe that this is due to sexism. Warren Farrell's book, "Why Men Earn More," suggests that wage gaps exist because more men are willing to do certain kinds of jobs.
Wage Gap: Supply and Demand Argument (02:54)
Warren Farrell states that because higher paid jobs require sacrifices that women are typically not willing to make, the wage gap correlates with supply and demand, not sexism. If this is true then the enactment of laws that aim to close the wage gap is futile.
Television Changes America's Habits (03:40)
As television gained ground in America, movie attendance plummeted--the Golden Age of Hollywood was over. Sex in films draws audiences back to movie houses. Marlon Brando is a new breed of Hollywood sex symbol.
Film Censors Object to "Streetcar Named Desire" (04:29)
Despite its Pulitzer Prize status, Tennessee Williams' "Streetcar Named Desire" was considered "too hot" for Hollywood. Movie censors object to the script's underlying sexual repression, homosexuality, nymphomania, and rape.
Controversial Film Wins Oscars (01:49)
Archival film footage of the controversial "From Here to Eternity" shows scenes altered by the Production Code to be less offensive and "immoral." The film won 6 Oscars in 1953.
U.S. Constitution and Controversial Films (02:11)
Cardinal Spellman denounces Roberto Rossellini's "The Miracle," and Catholics picket the film upon its release in 1950. In 1952, the Supreme Court finds in favor of the film, and it is allowed to be re-released into art house theaters.
Magic of Marilyn Monroe (04:28)
In 1953, film censor Joe Breen steps down as the "enforcer." Marilyn Monroe personifies the image of sex symbol in the 1950s.
Rise and Fall of Marilyn Monroe (05:37)
Under the guidance of Billy Wilder, Monroe would make her most memorable performances. "The Seven Year Itch" elevates Marilyn to "impossible heights." Arthur Miller writes "The Misfits" for Marilyn, and it becomes her final film.
America in the 1950s: Tranquility and Nudity (03:05)
America in the late 1950s is a land of fads and fantasies. Television supported the notion that "we were all one, big, happy family." In 1954, the "Garden of Eden," a nudist colony documentary, "unlocks Hollywood's chastity belt."
Controversy Over "Suddenly Last Summer" (02:54)
Controversy rages over "Suddenly Last Summer" with Liz Taylor, a film about homosexuality. Producers argue that the main character is punished for his sins, thus supporting the value of the film.
European Renaissance: Pop Culture (02:34)
The Sixties in America ushered in John F. Kennedy, the space program, birth control pills, the sexual revolution, and the jet set. "Victim" is the first film to treat homosexuality seriously. Dirk Bogarde loses all his fans after this film.
"Lolita" Controversy (02:59)
In 1961, the Production Code is liberalized to allow for sexual aberrations, like "Lolita." Much of the public is outraged at the exploitation of actress Sue Lyon, age 14. With a few minor changes, the Production Code rates the film for showing.