How movies teach manhood | Colin Stokes | Summary and Q&A

TL;DR

Movies today often emphasize violence and male heroes, leading to gender disparities and potentially harmful attitudes towards women.

Key Insights

• 🥶 Older movies like "The Wizard of Oz" had less violence and more female representation, offering different narratives and gender roles.
• 🕵️‍♂️ Modern movies often prioritize violence and male heroes, perpetuating harmful gender stereotypes.
• 👨‍👩‍👧‍👦 The lack of diverse female representation in movies can impact the self-perception and aspirations of both girls and boys.
• 💨 The Bechdel test provides a simple way to evaluate gender representation in movies, highlighting the need for better representation of women.
• 💀 Parents, particularly fathers, have the ability to shape their sons' understanding of gender roles by exposing them to movies with strong, diverse female characters.
• 🙇‍♀️ A new definition of manhood is needed, one that values trust, respect, and teamwork with women rather than asserting dominance and aggression.
• 🛝 Encouraging movies that promote friendship, leadership, and nonviolent problem-solving can help shape well-rounded individuals.

Transcript

you know my favorite part of being a dad is the movies I get to watch I love sharing my favorite movies with my kids and when my daughter was four we got to watch The Wizard of Oz together totally dominated Her Imagination for months her favorite character was Glinda of course gave a great excuse to wear a sparkly dress and carry a wand but you kno... Read More

Questions & Answers

Q: What are the main differences between "The Wizard of Oz" and modern movies?

"The Wizard of Oz" has very little violence and features predominantly female characters, emphasizing friendship and leadership as opposed to physical heroism.

Q: How do movies impact children's attitudes towards gender roles?

Movies often shape children's understanding of gender and power dynamics. Boys may absorb the message that violence and defeating villains are essential to gain the reward of a passive woman, while girls may not see themselves as the target audience and lack diverse female role models.

Q: What is the Bechdel test, and why is it important?

The Bechdel test assesses whether movies have at least two female characters with lines who talk to each other about something other than a male love interest. Passing this test is crucial in achieving gender equality and promoting diverse storylines.

Q: How can parents influence their sons' understanding of gender roles?

Parents, particularly fathers, can play an important role in teaching their sons about respectful and nonviolent manhood. By showing movies that pass the Bechdel test and promoting female leaders, fathers can nudge their sons to identify with and support strong female characters.

Summary

In this thought-provoking talk, speaker Colin Stokes discusses the portrayal of gender in children's movies. He compares the classic film "The Wizard of Oz" with modern movies and highlights the lack of violence and strong female characters in the former. Stokes also questions the impact these movies have on boys, emphasizing the need to show them a new definition of manhood and encourage them to respect and stand up for women. He suggests that parents can influence this change by selecting movies that pass the Bechdel Test, which measures the representation of women in films.

Questions & Answers

Q: What are some differences between "The Wizard of Oz" and modern children's movies?

One major difference is the level of violence. While "The Wizard of Oz" has only minimal violence, modern movies often feature intense battles. Additionally, the majority of heroic and wise characters in "The Wizard of Oz" are female, whereas male characters are more prominent in modern films.

Q: How does the speaker believe children's movies influence boys' understanding of relationships?

The speaker believes that movies predominantly focus on defeating villains and achieving rewards, leaving little room for exploring other relationships and personal journeys. This may lead boys to believe that they need to be aggressive or even "dopey" to succeed. As a result, they may lack models for healthy relationships and ways to defend against patriarchy.

Q: What is the Bechdel Test?

The Bechdel Test is a simple assessment created by comic book artist Alison Bechdel in the mid-'80s. It consists of three questions for evaluating movies: 1) Are there multiple female characters with lines in the movie? 2) Do these women have a conversation with each other? 3) Is the conversation not primarily focused on a male character? The test aims to highlight the representation of women in films.

Q: How many of the 100 most popular movies in 2011 had female protagonists?

Only eleven of the 100 most popular movies in 2011 had female protagonists.

Q: What did a study published by The New York Times reveal about sexual assault in America?

The study indicated that one out of every five women in America states that they have experienced sexual assault at some point in their lives. The speaker acknowledges that this is not directly caused by popular entertainment but suggests that something is going wrong in the way boys are being raised and the messages they absorb from movies.

Q: How does the speaker propose that fathers can redefine manhood for their sons?

The speaker suggests that fathers should show their sons a new definition of manhood that involves trusting and respecting women. By selecting movies that pass the Bechdel Test and featuring heroic female characters, fathers can encourage their sons to identify with and support women. This shift in perspective allows boys to work together with women to fight against those who want to abuse them.

Takeaways

The speaker highlights the need for more representation of strong female characters in children's movies and encourages parents, particularly fathers, to be conscious of the messages these movies convey. By selecting films that pass the Bechdel Test, fathers can help redefine manhood for their sons and promote a more inclusive and respectful society. It is important to challenge the notion that boys should fight alone and instead teach them to join teams, led by women, to help others and become better people.

Summary & Key Takeaways

• The speaker reflects on the differences between movies like "The Wizard of Oz" and modern-day films, noting the lack of violence and the predominantly female cast of the former.

• The impact of movies on children is explored, with the speaker noting the lack of male role models who promote nonviolent problem-solving and healthy relationships.

• The Bechdel test is introduced as a measure of female representation in movies, and the speaker discusses the importance of showing diverse definitions of manhood in films.