Gender Stereotypes In The Hunger Games

By Ariel Levy’s definition, “female chauvinism” and “raunch culture” describe women who believe men are inferior and women objectifying other women and themselves, respectively. While females, to a certain extent, have always and will always be objectified by the media, it has not become more pervasive in recent years. If anything, the sexualization and objectification of women has been mediated due to advancements in gender equality. There has been a gradual switch in cultural expectations of women from codependent lady who needs a strong man to take care of her to competent woman who can take care of herself. This role transformation, while seemingly so, is not a kick in the ribs to men. It is merely a female’s way of catering to her own

The trilogy’s popularity can be attributed to the protagonist, Katniss Everdeen, who is an emblem of the contemporary woman who defies gender stereotypes by filling a role that a man would typically fill. She is a strong and resourceful teenager who provides food for her mother and sister by hunting. She uses lethal skills and intelligence to beat out her competitors and survive the Hunger Games. Katniss is a unique protagonist in the sense that brave, heroic characters like herself are usually played by male actors. For example, less-recent high grossing films like the Harry Potter series feature a powerful male protagonist, which was to be expected at the time it made its debut in 2001. Some might say that because Katniss is such an ideal role model, she may become this generation’s Harry

It showcases raw independence and empowerment to women everywhere. In her song “Don’t Hurt Yourself,” she informs cheating husband, Jay-Z, “Keep your money, I got my own. Get a bigger smile on my face being alone.” This is a moving verse because she’s breaking stereotypes by telling her husband that she’s got more than enough money to support herself and that she is in fact, actually happier without him. Her song “6 inch” reeks independence with verses like, “She grinds day and night. She grinds from Monday to Friday. Works from Friday to Sunday,” which completely contrasts the traditional role of women staying home and men working. In her song “Formation,” Beyoncé sings “I dream it, I work hard, I grind ‘til I own it.” This verse is powerful because she is saying that she has dreams and aspirations that she works hard to achieve until they are accomplished. There is no other album out there in which a female artist is so unforgivingly ambitious in the pursuit to showcase women in an equal light.

Although gender equality has come far, it still has a ways to go. These woman and many others like them are aiding in this role reversal process. They are sparking change by eliminating the American media’s sexual portrayal of women and replacing it with a confident, driven image. Females are both viewed and portrayed as equal human beings rather than objects for pleasure now more than