Podcast + Discussion Questions

http://www.bbc.co.uk/podcasts/series/analysis

Podcast title : Who decides if I'm a woman? 

Questions for listening comprehension
1.      What does gender mean to you personally, is it the biological difference, the mental difference or something you cannot explain to the other sex? Discuss and express your own opinions on what gender means for you. How is this used in advertisements? How does gender impact the social perspective of advertisements?
2.      Advertisement has been deeply affected by gender roles and how society thinks upon women and men. Why is gender portrayed differently in the media? What are your own thoughts and ideas of this phenomenon? Discuss and analyze.
3.       “Masculinity and Femininity should not matter” said by the researcher Ruth, preferring gender neutrality, is this the solution? What do you think? Discuss and reflect upon gender roles and gender neutrality. Do you think that advertisement would benefit of gender neutrality? Yes or no, argue with your classmates.
4.      Gender as social constructions, that we are predisposed to become who we are because of what society is, molds, creates, anticipates and expresses roles that are already made up. Discuss if this sounds plausible, try to argue for and against this key concept. Discuss the different gender rules and societies impact. Could you imagine advertisements breaking away from this pattern? Discuss and argue for or against.
 
 
Questions for writing assignment
Use the podcast as an example and the lessons we have had until now as sources of information
1.      Write down five words that describes and characterize “gender” for you.
2.      Explain with your own words and own preconception of gender roles how you see history of gender play forth. How has history changed man and female, how has gender changed over time? Do you think that advertisements have played a big role in the history of gender bias or not? Analyze.
3.      Do you, personally, think that advertisement has had any impact on gender roles? Try to argue for or against this statement, use the terminology we have had in previous lessons.
4.      Lastly, you are going to become the opposite of your sex for a whole day (24h), do you think that this experience would make you feel more sympathetic towards the opposite gender or do you think that what you already think of the other gender is correct in your mind? Reflect and motivate your reasons on what you perceive as right and wrong in gender/sexuality.  How would you react upon advertisements and social media as the opposite sex?