Visual Culture of Gender Inequality in Hollywood Films

Research Article
Open access

Visual Culture of Gender Inequality in Hollywood Films

Yanlingxi He 1 , Shuyao Meng 2* , Yawen Tong 3
  • 1 School of Art, Pratt Institute, Brooklyn, New York, the United States.    
  • 2 Department of Sociological Studies, The University of Sheffield, Western Bank, Sheffield, United Kingdom    
  • 3 School of Journalism and Communication, Zhongyuan University of Technology, Zhengzhou, Henan, China    
  • *corresponding author smeng5@sheffield.ac.uk
LNEP Vol.5
ISSN (Print): 2753-7056
ISSN (Online): 2753-7048
ISBN (Print): 978-1-915371-35-5
ISBN (Online): 978-1-915371-36-2

Abstract

The main content of this paper is to explain how the visual culture of gender inequality is reflected in Hollywood films. This paper refers to current research and reports about Hollywood and analyzes some specific movies, including Ant-Man and the Wasp, Spider-Man, Iron Man, and Hulk. The paper concludes that the visual culture of gender inequality is mainly reflected in the differences between men and women in the distribution of time, work, and income. Specifically, compared to men, women get fewer chances to play in a film, have lower positions in the film industry, and earn less. Furthermore, it is found that most movies apply the perspective of men and repeat gender stereotypes. Therefore, this paper hopes that more people can pay attention to the interests and situation of women.

Keywords:

gender inequality, Hollywood film, visual culture

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References

[1]. Dowd, J, J., A sociologist goes to the movies. Routledge, 2020.

[2]. Stamp, S., “What Happened to Women in Histories of Hollywood”, Journal of Women's History 33(3) (2021) 162-172. DOI: https://muse.jhu.edu/article/805550

[3]. Hill, E., Never Done: A History of Women's Work in Media Production. Rutgers University Press, 2016.

[4]. Smyth, J.E., Nobody's Girl Friday: The Women Who Ran Hollywood. Oxford University Press, 2018.

[5]. Jingluejizhi, (2017) “About sexism in Hollywood, machine learning has something to say”. Retrieved on September 3, 2022. Retrieved from: https://zhuanlan.zhihu.com/p/31210872

[6]. Reed, P., director. Ant-Man and the Wasp. Walt Disney Pictures, 2018. 1 hr., 58 min. https://youtu.be/RQn-Pqvnzc8.

[7]. American drama concentration camp (2019) “The most female roles of Marvel: who has the longest total time? Who has the longest single episode?”. Retrieved on September 3, 2022. Retrieved from: https://baijiahao.baidu.com/s?id=1624192812107680900&wfr=spider&for=pc

[8]. China News Network (2014) “Fewer women in movies: In 2013, only 15 percent of Hollywood films were led by women”. Retrieved on September 3, 2022. Retrieved from: https://www.chinanews.com.cn/cul/2014/03-13/5947579.shtml

[9]. Raimi, S., director. Spider-Man. Columbia Pictures, 2002. 2hrs, 1min. https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0145487/?ref_=ext_shr_lnk

[10]. Favreau, J., director. Iron Man. Marvel Studios, 2008. 2hrs, 6mins. https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0371746/?ref_=ext_shr_lnk

[11]. Lee, A., director. Hulk. Universal Pictures, Marvel Entertainment, 2003. 2hrs, 16mins. https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0286716/?ref_=ext_shr_lnk

[12]. United Nations News (2019) “The portrayal of female characters in Hollywood films is not conducive to achieving gender equality in reality”. Retrieved on September 3, 2022. Retrieved from: https://news.un.org/zh/audio/2016/03/307772

[13]. The South Weekend, (2017) "It's a pity that our wish has never been realized". Retrieved on September 3, 2022. Retrieved from: https://page.om.qq.com/page/OhQay0WAXFbWbIXmK4pgjW6g0

[14]. Sidong and Siming, (2017) “In Hollywood, gender inequality is still shocking”. Retrieved on September 3, 2022. Retrieved from: https://news.12reads.cn/90749.html

[15]. Jessica, P., “How Hollywood keeps out Women”, Crazy English (12) (2015) 4-8.

[16]. Denzin, K, "Selling images of inequality: Hollywood cinema and the reproduction of racial and gender stereotypes", The Blackwell companion to social inequalities (2005) 469-501.

[17]. Das, M., "Gender role portrayals in Indian television ads." Sex Roles 64(3) (2011) 208-222.

[18]. Greenberg, S., "Portrayals of overweight and obese individuals on commercial television." American journal of public health 93 (8) (2003) 1342-1348.

[19]. History in Politics (2021). “10 Movies Showing the Evolution of Gender Equality in Hollywood” Retrieved on September 24,2022. Retrieved from: https://historyinpolitics.org/2021/06/06/10-movies-showing-the-evolution-of-gender-equality-in-hollywood/

[20]. Wartenberg, E., Unlikely couples: movie romance as social criticism. Routledge, 2019.

[21]. Marshall, G. director. Pretty Woman.1990. 1 hr., 59 min. https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0100405/

[22]. Condon, B. director. Beauty and the Beast.2017.2 hr.,9min. https://www.imdb.com/title/tt2771200/

[23]. Wayne. W, director. Maid in Manhattan.2002.1hr,45min. https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0252076/

[24]. Cultural fabric (2017) “Hollywood favors boys over girls?”. Retrieved on September 08, 2015. Retrieved on September 3, 2022. Retrieved from: https://p.dw.com/p/1GBaL

Cite this article

He,Y.;Meng,S.;Tong,Y. (2023). Visual Culture of Gender Inequality in Hollywood Films. Lecture Notes in Education Psychology and Public Media,5,206-210.

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About volume

Volume title: Proceedings of the International Conference on Interdisciplinary Humanities and Communication Studies (ICIHCS 2022), Part 4

ISBN：978-1-915371-35-5(Print) / 978-1-915371-36-2(Online)
Editor：Matilde Lafuente-Lechuga, Muhammad Idrees
Conference website: https://www.icihcs.org/
Conference date: 18 December 2022
Series: Lecture Notes in Education Psychology and Public Media
Volume number: Vol.5
ISSN：2753-7048(Print) / 2753-7056(Online)

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References

[1]. Dowd, J, J., A sociologist goes to the movies. Routledge, 2020.

[2]. Stamp, S., “What Happened to Women in Histories of Hollywood”, Journal of Women's History 33(3) (2021) 162-172. DOI: https://muse.jhu.edu/article/805550

[3]. Hill, E., Never Done: A History of Women's Work in Media Production. Rutgers University Press, 2016.

[4]. Smyth, J.E., Nobody's Girl Friday: The Women Who Ran Hollywood. Oxford University Press, 2018.

[5]. Jingluejizhi, (2017) “About sexism in Hollywood, machine learning has something to say”. Retrieved on September 3, 2022. Retrieved from: https://zhuanlan.zhihu.com/p/31210872

[6]. Reed, P., director. Ant-Man and the Wasp. Walt Disney Pictures, 2018. 1 hr., 58 min. https://youtu.be/RQn-Pqvnzc8.

[7]. American drama concentration camp (2019) “The most female roles of Marvel: who has the longest total time? Who has the longest single episode?”. Retrieved on September 3, 2022. Retrieved from: https://baijiahao.baidu.com/s?id=1624192812107680900&wfr=spider&for=pc

[8]. China News Network (2014) “Fewer women in movies: In 2013, only 15 percent of Hollywood films were led by women”. Retrieved on September 3, 2022. Retrieved from: https://www.chinanews.com.cn/cul/2014/03-13/5947579.shtml

[9]. Raimi, S., director. Spider-Man. Columbia Pictures, 2002. 2hrs, 1min. https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0145487/?ref_=ext_shr_lnk

[10]. Favreau, J., director. Iron Man. Marvel Studios, 2008. 2hrs, 6mins. https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0371746/?ref_=ext_shr_lnk

[11]. Lee, A., director. Hulk. Universal Pictures, Marvel Entertainment, 2003. 2hrs, 16mins. https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0286716/?ref_=ext_shr_lnk

[12]. United Nations News (2019) “The portrayal of female characters in Hollywood films is not conducive to achieving gender equality in reality”. Retrieved on September 3, 2022. Retrieved from: https://news.un.org/zh/audio/2016/03/307772

[13]. The South Weekend, (2017) "It's a pity that our wish has never been realized". Retrieved on September 3, 2022. Retrieved from: https://page.om.qq.com/page/OhQay0WAXFbWbIXmK4pgjW6g0

[14]. Sidong and Siming, (2017) “In Hollywood, gender inequality is still shocking”. Retrieved on September 3, 2022. Retrieved from: https://news.12reads.cn/90749.html

[15]. Jessica, P., “How Hollywood keeps out Women”, Crazy English (12) (2015) 4-8.

[16]. Denzin, K, "Selling images of inequality: Hollywood cinema and the reproduction of racial and gender stereotypes", The Blackwell companion to social inequalities (2005) 469-501.

[17]. Das, M., "Gender role portrayals in Indian television ads." Sex Roles 64(3) (2011) 208-222.

[18]. Greenberg, S., "Portrayals of overweight and obese individuals on commercial television." American journal of public health 93 (8) (2003) 1342-1348.

[19]. History in Politics (2021). “10 Movies Showing the Evolution of Gender Equality in Hollywood” Retrieved on September 24,2022. Retrieved from: https://historyinpolitics.org/2021/06/06/10-movies-showing-the-evolution-of-gender-equality-in-hollywood/

[20]. Wartenberg, E., Unlikely couples: movie romance as social criticism. Routledge, 2019.

[21]. Marshall, G. director. Pretty Woman.1990. 1 hr., 59 min. https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0100405/

[22]. Condon, B. director. Beauty and the Beast.2017.2 hr.,9min. https://www.imdb.com/title/tt2771200/

[23]. Wayne. W, director. Maid in Manhattan.2002.1hr,45min. https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0252076/

[24]. Cultural fabric (2017) “Hollywood favors boys over girls?”. Retrieved on September 08, 2015. Retrieved on September 3, 2022. Retrieved from: https://p.dw.com/p/1GBaL

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