Gender and Networking

Media presence in today’s word is a dominant phenomenon that is inevitable.   To access information there are many canals one can reach out to, be it print, digital or audio media. This development means that the canals are used by heterogeneous users; different sexes, ethnic backgrounds, status etcetera . The aspect of anonymity also comes in, since in a virtual world one does not have to present their real self. All the same, there are typical associations in relation to the sex of web user e.g. technical objects are more likely to be associated to males as to females. These associations are partly conceived from the various canals of media. The media play an important role in reference to the information we get. This information in turns affects our way of thought and perception because what we perceive from media can ultimately become our ideal reality.
In the socialization process we acquire norms and values that represent the society in which we live in. Though this process is primarily acquired from the direct family, with time children are exposed to other agents and influences who play a role on building their perceptions. It is at this stage that the female and male identities are attained.   Media is one of the agents that play a role in the ideology of male and female. What is broadcasted or portrayed through the diverse canals could mold the context of gender. Images of women and men are constantly purported into our consciousness unknowingly. The chain of images starts from childhood and continuous to adulthood.
In order to know whether there is gender plays a role in gender engagement with various media, it is cardinal to define gender. In the sociological studies of media, the feminist approach has had its paramount in this topic. This approach can however be divided into various subcategories. There has been a development from classical view of a specific outlook on women only over to a dichotomy of women and men to today’s postfeminist outlook...