How gender inequality gets transmitted from movies to reality. Analyzing the movie "Wall Street" (1987) (PDF)

Seminar paper from the year 2016 in the subject Sociology - Gender Studies, grade: 3, University of Innsbruck (Amerikanistik), course: American Cultures: Films that Make a Difference: American Ideals and Ideal Americans in Hollywood Cinema, language: English, abstract: The aim of this research paper is to prove that movies have a great influence on how women and men see themselves in real life and that they reinforce gender difference by stereotyping the characters. It will be further suggested that these seemingly superficial differences do indeed make damages in real life.

Humankind has always tried to improve in every possible sector. That is how ideals and standards came into being and are still held up today. These ideals reflect our collective thoughts and capture the Zeitgeist of the era and place we live in. Because of that, being American, as for being Italian or Chinese, has a certain connotation to it. A certain architype of man and a certain one of woman has also been transmitted from one generation to the other. This is best displayed in movies, as it is one of the propagandistic tools which shows to the world the face of the own nation. Therefore, the essence of what it means to be manly or womanly in America was transmitted through the actors/actresses from the early stages of Hollywood filmmaking.
Not only do movies "seemingly" represent our reality, our desires and thoughts but it, first and foremost, creates those desires. Humans are of an imitative nature and will copy whatever they see and take, for example, films as an unchangeable reality. Furthermore, as we are talking about short film sequences and not everyday life, it is difficult to reach the standards which are displayed in movies, as for clothing, money, looks and behavior. This will lead to people getting really influenced by movies and consequently frustrated when they realize that the ideals cannot be easily reached.

First, a definition of gender in general and the different nuances of manliness and womanliness will be given, following a chapter about how we underestimate the power which movies exert over our lives. In a brief section it will be explained how gender differences were portrayed in movies, from the beginning of Hollywood cinema till the making of "Wall Street" (1987). To round out the topic with a good example, the film "Wall Street" of the year 1987 will be analyzed, looking at the gender stereotypes that leak out. Last but not least, a light will be shed on the real life situation in Wall Street around that time and nowadays, focusing on the gender inequality that reign in this working space.