Gender roles refer to a whole set and framework of expectations and behaviors socially constructed throughout history that are assigned to individuals based on their gender identity. These roles dictate the cultural norms and behaviors considered appropriate for men and women, influencing the way people behave, dress, and relate to each other.
These roles reflect, in most cases, deep-rooted stereotypes that have evolved and been maintained over time, although they vary significantly depending on the culture. Historically, gender roles have been binary, assigning specific and differential characteristics to men and women.
To give an example, a masculine gender role may assume strength and independence for men, while a feminine one relates delicacy and empathy to women. Taking a more contemporary and critical point of view helps us foster societies that break away from the binary, recognizing that all of these previous social constructions are limited and do not capture the diversity of gender experience and expressions.
Gender roles are also manifested in job expectations, family roles, and perceptions of power. These can contribute to gender inequality, restricting opportunities and perpetuating stigmas. The fight for gender equality involves challenging and changing these roles, promoting a more inclusive and fair society.
Throughout this article, we will understand the importance of challenging and questioning gender roles, using different threads as a common thread. films whose protagonists and main stories represent different gender roles and combative with the norm.
Challenging gender roles is essential to building a more just, inclusive and equitable society. These historically entrenched roles have limited opportunities and perpetuated gender-based inequalities. The importance of challenging them lies in paving the way towards gender equality and the recognition of the diversity of identities.
In a practical sense, Questioning gender roles allows us to break down labor and educational barriers Traditional expectations have often restricted women in certain professional fields and prescribed specific roles in the domestic sphere. Challenging these norms enables all individuals, regardless of gender, to pursue their aspirations and talents without preconceived restrictions.
Furthermore, challenging gender roles is crucial to addressing gender violence and discrimination. By challenging expectations that perpetuate harmful stereotypes, you can combat gender-based discrimination and foster an environment where all individuals feel valued and respected.
Culturally, challenging these roles contributes to the evolution of a more progressive and empathetic collective consciousness. It facilitates the understanding that gender identity is not a rigid spectrum and that diversity in gender expressions enriches society. Challenging gender roles is ultimately a crucial step towards building a society that embraces equality, diversity and mutual respect.
6 films that question gender roles
Next, we are going to describe six films that question and challenge gender roles and thus encourage, through a more diverse representation on screens, the inclusion of these realities in our collective imagination. Don’t hesitate to look for more information about the movies that interest you the most and check if you can enjoy them on your platforms.
1. The Boys Are Fine (2010), Lisa Cholodenko
The Kids Are All Right is a 2010 American film starring Annette Bening and Julianne Moore. Both embody a married lesbian couple with two children
Each one conceived one of the children at the time using sperm from the same anonymous donor. The main plot of this film revolves around Laser, the youngest son, who begins to be curious about meeting his biological father. Since his older sister is already over 18 years old, they manage to get in touch with him and a complex dynamic with him is installed in the family nucleus.
Mainly, the film focuses on representing a non-normative family far from nuclear and heterosexual normativity. Therefore, we can say that it challenges gender roles by representing women far from the female gender role who raise two children without the need for a man or a heterosexually linked family.
2. Tomboy (2011), Céline Sciamma
Tomboy is a French film by Céline Sciamma, an openly lesbian director acclaimed for her representation of LGTBIQ+ realities on screen. The plot of Tomboy revolves around Laure, a girl who has just moved to a new neighborhood and decides to introduce herself, to all the new people she meets, as a boy named Mikael. The film explores how gender identity is also influenced and shaped by social expectations and the way this can affect family and social relationships.
Tomboy questions gender roles by exploring how social constructs and preconceived norms impact the authenticity of a person’s identity. By challenging binary gender conventions, the film highlights the complexity of identity and the importance of accepting and understanding the diverse ways in which people experience and express their gender.
3. A Fantastic Woman (2017), Sebastan Lelio
A Fantastic Woman is a Chilean film released in 2017 directed by Sebastián Lelio. The story follows Marina, a transgender woman, after the sudden death of her partner through her daily life and her grieving process. Furthermore, the film highlights Marina’s struggle for recognition and acceptance in a society that confronts her with discrimination and prejudice.
It questions gender roles by addressing Marina’s identity authentically, challenging conventional expectations. Through Daniela Vega’s powerful performance, the film illustrates the courage of living a personal truth and highlights the need for empathy and respect towards the diversity of gender experiences, thus contributing to the conversation about equality and inclusion.
4. Laurence Anyways (2012), Xavier Dolan
Laurence Anyways is a film written and directed by Xavier Dolan, who is openly gay and whose films generally represent people from the LGTBIQ+ collective. The plot follows the life of Laurence, a professor who reveals his desire to live as a woman, thus directing the story towards the complicated process of accepting gender identity and beginning the transition, with the personal specificities that this process entails.
The film explores the complexities and challenges that Laurence faces, as well as the repercussions on his relationship with his girlfriend Fred. Addressing gender identity in a profound and emotional way, Laurence Anyways questions traditional gender roles and challenges social expectations. The film highlights the struggle for personal and social acceptance in the context of a passionate relationship, offering a unique perspective on the transgender experience and challenging established norms around gender identity and expression.
5. Poor Creatures (2023), Yorgos Lanthimos
The recently released and still in theaters Poor Creatures is the new film by Yorgos Lanthimos, a director recognized for the strange, mysterious and even disturbing atmosphere that surrounds his films. In this new film, he develops a fantasy with touches of comedy that is presented as an adaptation of Frankenstein and the myth of Pygmalion.
In it, a doctor obsessed with his work and experimentation, finds the lifeless body of a young pregnant woman, and decides to insert the still-living brain of his baby into her. So, The film is presented as a curious and fanciful reflection of different stages of life development
Mainly marked by curiosity and sexual development, the protagonist embarks on different adventures accompanied by different characters that will help her, little by little, become a curious adult. In this film, themes related to the infantilization and sexualization of the female body appear from a critical perspective, which makes clear the negative impact of the male gender role and toxic and possessive masculinity.
6. Tangerine (2015), Sean Baker
Tangerine was a critically acclaimed film in 2015 mainly for being filmed entirely using three iPhone 5S phones. With an approach reminiscent of John Waters’ trash, the film follows a transsexual prostitute who has just been released from prison and has just learned of her boyfriend’s infidelity. Thus, the entire film centers around this protagonist’s search for her boyfriend and her lover to carry out her revenge.
The inclusion on the big screen of female roles far from normativity, heterosexual and delicacy normatively associated with femininity It is a direct way to challenge gender roles. Furthermore, it is important to promote and make visible films that represent racialized transsexual women.
To conclude, the main objective of this article is to offer some films that encourage the representation of people and stories that break with traditional and normative gender roles. It is important for self-esteem to seek references and feel represented in the media, so we hope that this article helps deconstruct stigmas and break with this type of attitudes anchored in the past.
I’m Emily Williams Jones, a psychologist specializing in mental health with a focus on cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT) and mindfulness. With a Ph.D. in psychology, my career has spanned research, clinical practice and private counseling. I’m dedicated to helping individuals overcome anxiety, depression and trauma by offering a personalized, evidence-based approach that combines the latest research with compassionate care.
