Gender and Subversion

Gender roles have been an established truth in society since supposedly the Victorian Era (Selemin, 2022) as that was the time when gender was characterised by their roles in society.

During these times men were expected to partake in the public spheres such as politics and business, while women were often expected to partake in the private sphere taking care of their children and doing the housework (Selemin, 2022).

Back then if you were to diverge from these roles that society expects of you, society would see you in a bad light, so not only were gender roles the dominant way of life for most people it was also a way for society to judge individual people's reputation.

Following the Victorian Era, the early to mid-20th century saw significant shifts in gender roles due to factors such as industrialization, urbanization, and two world wars. Women's participation in the workforce increased during World War I and II, as they took on roles traditionally held by men who were away at war. This period marked a departure from the strictly defined gender roles of the Victorian Era, as women demonstrated their capabilities beyond the domestic sphere (Smith, 2018).

The feminist movements of the 20th century further challenged traditional gender roles and advocated for women's rights and equality. The second wave of feminism in the 1960s and 1970s pushed for legal reforms, reproductive rights, and greater opportunities for women in education and employment. These efforts contributed to broader societal changes, including greater acceptance of women in leadership positions and the recognition of their contributions to various fields (Smith, 2018).

Meanwhile, men's roles have also evolved, albeit with less visibility. While traditional notions of masculinity emphasizing strength and stoicism still persist in some contexts, there has been a growing recognition of the diversity of male experiences and the need to challenge stereotypes that limit men's emotional expression and caregiving roles (Connell, 2005).

In contemporary society, gender roles continue to evolve in response to changing social, economic, and cultural dynamics. Efforts to promote gender equality and diversity have led to increased representation of women in traditionally male-dominated fields and greater recognition of non-binary and transgender identities. However, challenges remain, including gender-based discrimination, unequal pay, and persistent stereotypes that influence expectations and opportunities based on gender (Connell, 2005).

While significant progress has been made since the Victorian Era, the journey towards gender equality is ongoing, requiring continued advocacy, education, and policy changes to dismantle entrenched norms and create a more inclusive and equitable society.

K-pop has become an industry titan in recent times with many groups reaching top charts not only in the country where the genre comes from, but also internationally where it has become mainstream and a part of pop-culture phenomenon.  One of the biggest groups that arose from K-pop is BTS which debuted the U.S Billboard 200 charts at number one in May 2018 (Lee et al., 2020), this marked a defining moment, and they became the first and only Asian act to top the authoritative U.S pop culture chart (Lee et al., 2020). Ever since BTS’s success in the international scene, other boy bands have risen to gain as much or the same amount of attraction from the U.S pop culture scene. While the music and choreography are the aspect that is heavily looked at, pop culture critics and the media have also considered their fashion, makeup, and overall “androgynous” styles that these groups have adopted (Lee et al., 2020). Many critics of male K-pop groups have faced ridicule for being gay or feminine while others see their soft, ‘versatile masculinity’ as disrupting masculinity in the United States (Lee et al., 2020) These male groups can be proclaimed as redefining masculinity and conventional male beauty standards by diverting from the normative qualities, such as masculine fashion and styles that are expected of the west for males (Lee et al., 2020).

Conclusion

Subversions of gender in media has slowly become something that is widely accepted by most people.

While the concept of subversion of genders is not something new or revolutionary, it has been reclusive when it comes to its representation in media, more so its deeper impact in society when it comes to the representation seen in other media. Gender subversion has become more popular in recent times, this is due to many factors but most importantly is the aspect that society has changed and gender is no longer a concept that ties someone down to a role, such as in the Victorian Era as mentioned, instead gender is more fluid and people are ultimately who they decide to be, and people have let go of their adherences to gender.

With this the media and popular culture have changed themselves when it also comes to gender, mimicking that of larger society’s virtue of what gender is, this is why spaces such as music is able to express themselves more openly regarding gender. Society has changed and with it so has the media and other outlets. Gender subversions, no matter how big or small, is becoming more common and more accepted, it seems the future of this style of media is only rising and becoming more popular.