What ideas about gender and sexuality are communicated by contemporary Essay

What ideas about gender and sexuality are communicated by contemporary fashion images - Essay Example (Pleck, 1981) This is the point where ideas about fashion depict society’s gender relations. These ideas will be examined in detail in the subsequent portions the essay. Brod (1995) asserts that in the past, masculinity was clearly defined in the workplace. In the twentieth Century, most men were considered as breadwinners and women were expected to be home makers. However, industrialisation changed this as work became more mechanised. Men were not the only ones who could provide labour. With time, more and more women began penetrating into positions that were previously considered masculine. They started doing clerical jobs and others even took over as the main providers in their families. Eventually, what was considered a male domain had now been changed/. Many philosophers have suggested that this is the source of gender struggles that have been become a common feature in today’s society. Kimmel (1996) explains that the shift in masculinity has created unclear images about the male gender. For instance, one may expect men to show elements of their emotions yet at the same time claim that there should be strong and heroic. Men who may not depict these types of behaviour may be considered a socially deviant. This gender crisis has been depicted in fashion images. Before the crisis, fashion images mostly focused on women as objects of consumption while men on the other hand were objects of production. Most fashion items concentrated on women as their most important clients. However, with the introduction of technology, there was a shift from that point of view. Men were now considered as important consumers. Marketing plans and depictions also depicted masculine fashion items. Perhaps the most outstanding aspect of the corporate world can be seen in the ‘suit’. The male suit is box in shape and creates a regular shape of any wearer hence hiding some of the natural curves associated with individuals.