Now You See ‘Em, Now You Don’t
“Now You See ‘Em, Now You Don’t: Gender & Racial Disparity in TV for Children” analyzes the ratio of male and female characters in television shows created for young children and how frequently these characters occupy narrowly prescribed gender roles. The research shows that live-action children’s television programs have gone far in reducing gender and racial imbalance while they remain stubbornly entrenched in the rest of children’s entertainment, including
G-rated films and animated TV shows.The data also revealed that:
• Three quarters of all the single, speaking characters on children’s television were White, giving young television viewers a distorted ethnic worldview.
• Male characters are less likely than female characters to be portrayed as parents or in a long-term relationship.
• These gender and ethnic portrayals continue to influence what our youngest, most impressionable children expect from themselves and others.
The research was commissioned by See Jane, a program founded by Academy Awardwinner Geena Davis at the national nonprofit Dads & Daughters ®.
See Jane engages professionals and parents to dramatically increase the percentages of female characters and to reduce gender stereotyping in media made for children 11 and under.
Posted on April 13th, 2007 by animatingwomen
Filed under: Geena Davis Research
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In August, Ms. Davis founded The Geena Davis Institute on Gender at Community Partners in Los Angeles. With our new home in LA, we are thrilled to announce the Geena Davis Institute on Gender in Media Conference 2008: Children and Gender in Film and Television on January 30 and 31.
The first day will be the GDIGM Executives and Producers Luncheon & Forum to introduce 130 of the top executives and producers in the entertainment industry to our research and work. The second day will be the GDIGM Open Forum to introduce the public to our work with panels and discussion. New research will be unveiled!
Please check our website for more information on the Conference and our work!