The legitimate outrage that followed the unveiling of Weinstein’s behavior naturally re-opens the conversation on gender bias. On my journey of discovering my own masculinity, two gender stereotypes documentaries really affected my perspective and opened my eyes. Here are two gender stereotypes documentaries I believe all fathers should watch.
Miss Representation
This documentary is really eye-opening on the patriarchal nature of society. If you ever had a doubt about the under representation of women in positions of power, Miss Representation will give you insights, facts and testimonials. The role played by the media in the hyper-sexualization of our girls is perfectly displayed in this movie. You can read in the documentary website: “The media is selling young people the idea that girls’ and women’s value lies in their youth, beauty, and sexuality and not in their capacity as leaders.” There is nothing else to add.
The Mask You Live In
If you are a man, this will probably be the most revealing of these two gender stereotypes documentaries. I can honestly say that The Mask You Live In changed my life. Not only did I find a lot of my younger self in this documentary but it made me acknowledge the catastrophic state of masculinity. While I wish the documentary to be more solution oriented, it will give you a clear vision of what the man-box looks like. It also shows very well the link between violence, media and culture all three strengthened by destructive gender bias.
If you have not already done so, watch these two gender stereotypes documentaries today and make sure to share them with men around you. At the time of this article, both documentaries are available on Netflix. If you are not on Netflix, know that The Representation Project and AXE are partnering up to broadcast The Mask You live In live on Facebook on November 7th. Make sure to follow the amazing work of the Representation Project. You can get involved by using your voice, making a donation, or hosting a screening in your community.