Promoted Gender Roles in Heterosexual Teenage Dating 1950s and 2000s

Date of Award

2010

Document Type

Thesis

Degree Name

Bachelors

Department

Social Sciences

First Advisor

Brain, David

Keywords

Dating, Teenagers, Seventeen Magazine, 1950s, Advice, Gender Roles

Area of Concentration

Social Sciences

Abstract

This thesis explores the gendered advice that dating guides and Seventeen Magazine give teenagers regarding heterosexual dating. Data, the points of advice, from four dating guides published between 1950 and 1959, as well as articles from Seventeen Magazine's �Love Life� section from 2007 to 2010, were coded for adherence to heteronormative standards, or the privileging of heterosexuality, a gender binary, and distinct gendered roles. It was found that the 1950s sample adhered strictly to these standards of traditional gender roles. Males were instructed to be active and assertive, while females were the passive receptors of this male action. Over fifty years later, Seventeen Magazine includes both heteronormative and non-heteronormative advice, which at some points contradicts itself. This discrepancy reveals the tension between historically-valued traditional gender roles exhibited in the 1950s documents, and a movement toward gender equality, which reflects some changes in social values as illustrated by the policy successes of women's movements.

Rights

This bibliographic record is available under the Creative Commons CC0 public domain dedication. The New College of Florida, as creator of this bibliographic record, has waived all rights to it worldwide under copyright law, including all related and neighboring rights, to the extent allowed by law.

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