Sixteen Candles is a film made in the 80s which reinforces traditional gender norms and gender roles. In this film, we see a noticeable lack of respect for girls. One example is when a boy is said to have had sex with a girl who was passed out from how drunk she was. Another scene shows how the boys in the film actually pay to see Sam's underwear, which reinforces the lack of respect and the idea that women are treated as objects. The idea that women are objects has been a stereotype for a very long time, and it was shown to be somewhat 'normalised' by the scenes in this film. It shows the main character, Sam, being fixated on her crush throughout the movie. This even hints towards the stereotype that women can't be independent and need a man at their side.
An example of a media product which challenges the traditional expectations of gender and present alternative ideologies is the series Ru Paul's Drag Race. This series represents the drag queen community and how they are not afraid to be themselves in front of a large audience. It represents a number of other communities alongside drag, including the LGBTQ+ and transgender communities, which have been misrepresented in the past (or not represented enough). Their large audience looks up to the contestants on this show, as they are full of confidence and talent. It gives those who are within these communities to feel pride about who they are and to not feel alone.
These are both great examples, It’s incredible just how some of those John Hughes films from the 80s reinforce some incredibly archaic gender stereotypes! I also think it’s odd that whilst some modern younger audiences will reject 90s sitcoms did being out of step with today’s values, those old 80s movies seem to continue to win new fans!?
As for The Drag Race, initially the representations appear to conform to stereotypes, however I think the loyal audience have been responsible for moving the representation of drag from something consumed for the ‘spectacle’ into something where the artists are portrayed in a more fair, balanced & complex way.