Gendered Social Learning

Your second thought paper will be on the power of “normalcy”. How do we come to know what is normal? More specifically, how do our gendered experiences shape and mold our understanding of acceptable (“normal”) thoughts, feelings, behaviors and self-evaluations?
This week we will watch and discuss a few videos regarding gender socialization. Killing Us Softly by Jean Kilbourne critically analyzes mass media advertising images and how they create an unattainable social beauty standard, while Tough Guise by Jackson Katz describes how cultural messages about manhood/masculinity impact boys and men, particularly regarding aggression and violence. Both serve as examples of how “normalcy” is established and upheld, which should be the focus of your paper: how do gendered experiences teach us about what is considered normal?
Reflect on these videos and class discussions with personal experience and academic research:
1. Why is “normalcy” a powerful agent of gendered social learning? Analyze how the media (movies, music, news outlets, etc) creates values and serves as the main agents of “normalcy.”
2. How does society create gendered expectations? Reflect on “traditional gender roles” and how society has changed (or stayed the same); how has this affected you?
3. How has beauty evolved and how does it affect you? Why does beauty evolve and who benefits from these changes?
4. How are gender and violence/aggression related?
5. What is your story? Reflect on the stress (or lack-thereof) you experience related to your gender.
Your paper should be a mix of personal reflection and academic writing. I want to know that you understand the terminology and are critically examining the ideas presented in the chapter and the material presented in class, but I also want to know how you personally feel about it.
Reflect on the material presented by Katz, Kilbourne, McKelley, Adichie and others throughout the paper. A-papers will directly discuss the ideas presented by ALL the speakers/authors in conjunction with personal values and experiences.
Be sure to use terms we’ve covered from chapter 6 in your reflection of the above questions. Please put key terms in bold
Integrate recent academic research into your paper.
To search for peer-reviewed academic journal articles, use the online library database:
SCC: http://www.library.losrios.edu/resources/databases/ Delta: https://libguides.deltacollege.edu/az.php?a=p
From here, you can choose to use any of the databases to search for your article, but I recommend Psychology and Behavioral Science Collection. Remember to verify that the article you’ve chosen has a clearly identifiable DOI # because this is the best way to ensure you’ve found a proper peer review journal article. I’ve uploaded a short step-by-step instruction guide that shows you screenshots of how to use Google Scholar (if you prefer this method) to search for your topic, locate an article, and find a citation to the article.
You are only required to find one academic peer reviewed journal article for this paper, but additional articles can help your content score. You must attach the .pdf file of the article(s) to your assignment box. Upload your paper + the article(s).

Deliverables: ^1200 word / 3+ pages
^1″ margins; 1.5 inch spacing ^Times News Roman 12pt font
^Uploaded here to Edmodo as a .pdf
^APA Formatting, including headings, in-text citations, and Reference Page
Rubric: /60pts Content/Writing /20pts APA Formatting /10pts Academic Journal Article /10pts Deliverables /100pts Total
Content to review:
The Mask You Live In trailer https://goo.gl/n6ahNw Jackson Katz, Tough Guise 2 Extended Trailer https://goo.gl/ou6DjQ Jackson Katz, TED Talk: Violence Against Women https://goo.gl/j344b9
Ryon McKelley, Unmasking Masculinity, TEDTalks https://goo.gl/bxGlyw
Jean Kilbourne, Killing Us Softly 4 Trailer https://goo.gl/lWjfXi Jean Kilbourne, TEDTalk https://goo.gl/NgRKWs MissRepresentation Trailer https://goo.gl/uAd8T5 We Should All Be Feminists, Chimamanda Ngozi, TED, https://goo.gl/txE3zQ Plastic Surgery for the Perfect Selfie, AJ+