The expression 'popular culture' was issued in the mid-19th century and is interjected into the cultural traditions of the people, in opposition to the 'official culture' of the state or governing powers. In general use today, it is represented in qualitative expressions—pop culture is frequently analyzed as a further superficial or minor type of creative expression. In today's society, We have seen an emergence in the portrayal of sexism in film, television, and music in various forms. Pop culture is the set of beliefs, practices, and objects that represent the various broadly shared purposes of a social system. It includes media objects, entertainment and recreation, fashion and trends, and scientific organizations, amongst other things. Academic sociologists approached regularly to the concept of culture and culture’s role in forming human social life, but without distinguishing the particular form of popular culture.
How is Feminism Portrayed in Pop Culture and how it negatively influences the youth? Does pop culture change young kids' perspective on gender and gender roles? For years, pop culture and its impact on youth and society have been questioned because of the overexposure of media. It has created an impact of negative trends that have appeared to gain a charge of modern youth and society. In 1985, Alison Bechdel published a portion of her comic strip labeled “The Rule.” It showed two women discussing going to a movie and one demonstrating that she will only see a film if it meets the following requirements: that the film includes at least two female characters who have a conversation, that is not about a man. This label is called 'The Bechdel Test” This test has become recognized as a measure of a film’s gender portrayal, and just how many films fail it.
The importance of the Bechdel Test is about noticing a problem with the way women are portrayed in art and popular media, This problem can create wrongful messages to kids and as well as downgrade a woman's real worth as well as young girls. In a lot of films those that had failed the Bechdel Test, it creates this persona that women only care for men and that men are more dominant. Children from a young age are taught about gender roles, pop culture has created many movies for children where for each woman every ending is the same as a woman requiring to be saved and a man rescues her. Most common movies for children are superhero movies and the way women are treated in superhero movies is generally sexist The fridging of wives and girlfriends in movies like The Dark Knight, Deadpool 2, The Crow, and the X-Men franchise, where women are treated as motivation rather than actual characters, and their pain is used to develop the male characters.
Notwithstanding collecting a positive response from supporters, through its first week of release, “Captain Marvel” was being massively trashed and trolled online, to have it made to look bad and discourage filmmakers from further “unsuitable” use of female characters. To take more important measures for equality and balance, we need to make changes and put inequality to an end.
Many movies we can consider sexist one movie, in particular, I want to talk about is legally blonde. An American actress Maris McCulley, who plays Elle, dream future is thrown into jeopardy when her college sweetheart Warner dumps her for somebody 'more serious.” To win him back she decided to get into law school, the process for her to get into the school shows sexism like when “Elle” created a video for acceptance to the administrators. The video takes place in a pool in a bikini. Clearly, the video doesn't show her qualities but instead, it shows her body, the movie then shows a group of men who are in charge of the school watching the video and accepting her only because of her looks instead of grades. They then later in the movie sexually harassed her because they believed from her video it was something she wanted and told her it was the only reason she was accepted. I choose to talk about this movie because it connects to my question from earlier and I believe this quote can answer it “We are unwittingly influenced by the messages that underlie the popular entertainment and which form the basis of synth culture,” author Jim Taylor.
Another movie I want to talk about is “The Kissing Booth” In this movie every part is essentially about boys. In The Guy, one of the main characters, Noah, tells every guy in school that they can't date his little brother's best friend, Elle. He suddenly advances to bossing her around and tells her how to live her life. He's a total constantly disrespects her and she just takes it and falls for him anyway. Many have pointed out that Noah's jealous behavior throughout the film presents as dangerously controlling. Elle is needlessly materialized in scenes where she's revealed in her underwear, short skirts, and tight crop tops, for no purpose. The Kissing Booth appears to conflate possessiveness with romance, Even when Elle politely begs Noah to stop fighting any man that may look at her the wrong approach, he replies, 'You know, you're cute when you're bossy.' and continues to do so.
Pop Culture has been negatively influencing the youth with sexist movies the previous movies I discussed are an example of negative influence on the youth those movies and many like them for recommended to teenagers and younger kids, which influence young girls to only think about men and young boys to treat females. Not only does this teach kids to build on the wrong ideas of 'gender roles' but it gives them the wrong message about women's worth in society today.
Pop culture has had some positive influences such as the rage in music against patriarchy According to the article “Beyoncé Is Fighting the Patriarchy Through Pop Culture” by Tamara Winfrey Harris, it says “I see a part of Beyoncé that is, in fact, anti-feminist, that is assaulting, that is a terrorist… especially in terms of the impact on young girls. I feel like the major assault on feminism in our society has come from visual media and television and videos.” this quote is referring to what Bell Hooks said about Beyoncé Lemon's music, many would consider pop music to be very sexist which several are but this particular song represents the very real, authentic, and powerful ways that women fight patriarchy. Beyoncé can use her privilege to employ women as dancers, musicians, and photographers, and she can use her ability to elevate the creative production of women artists and authors.
“Lemonade” is a celebration of black feminism, others were uncomfortable with such passionate support resonated with the pieces by reaching a common nerve in a woman's feelings of disloyalty. This is important because women are taking a stand on the way they were treated and it's important for those who listen to do the same. In conclusion, I believe that we get to choose what we put out into the world for young kids to watch we should be able to create change. To be able to put positive on media about women that way when young people view these contexts they won't discriminant or judge but would rather support women option and give women more opportunities in acting music and other pop culture.