Gender Differences in Communication Essay
Gender Differences in Communication Few movies in a multi-cultural society are set up to examine the simultaneous communication between genders. The highlights of the roles played by genders in movies offer little elements of intercultural communication.
The tendency for most movies as a normal standard is to provide an open interaction for the female and the homosexual individual rather than allowing several gender roles to interact closely in one open, honest and serious conversation. Such communicative behavior in the movies not only reflects the society’s cultural concepts of gender but an inherent bad faith towards homosexuality.In the movie “My Best Friend’s Wedding”,communication illustrated the attitudes between gender roles. In the social order, the movie indicates that the female gender relate better to homosexuals while a wider communication gap exists between the male and homosexual. The traditional association between men and women proposes neutrality as Julianne (played by Julia Roberts) and Michael (played by Dermot Mulroney) identifies themselves with behavioral patterns of getting into failed relationships after another.
Neutrality however ends when George (played by Rupert Everett) exhibits a difficulty of holding a serious conversation with the male roles in the movie.Virtually, the movie displayed an open communication existent between the female roles and the gay friend. This communication takes an active stance that relates homosexuality to the scheming, inefficient and manipulative female apparently undergoing emotional and psychological weakness in Julianne.
The easy exchange of conversation and understanding between Kimy’s (Cameron Diaz) female members of the family and George’s eccentricity further expands the simplistic message that sub-cultural communication is united among this particular gender group in the society to imply certain inferiority.In the short exchange of conversation between George and Michael on board the cab, Michael’s elicited confusion over Julianne’s claim that “George likes to pretend that he’s gay” is observed. Michael’s added query, “Why would you do that?” simply strengthens the male admission of a mild dominion over the perceived instability. Gilligan’s (1982) argument which provides that the male identity “stresses separation and independence” altogether is portrayed in the movie as a male character subservient to the common whims and caprices of the female roles.This fully shows the mal-adaptive values still present in the society as reflected in movies that define the characteristics of women as an intercultural group. Probably, human acceptance over an open communication process between male, female and a homosexual is still affected by values and questions of neutrality where human actions are concerned in the real sense.
From a psychological perspective, “the female identity revolves around relationships and interconnectedness” as provided in Gilligan (1982) that probably is sought to explain why the human acceptance process is existent between the female and homosexual character.In the aspect of male and female relationships, the movie has provided that an honest communication is valuable in a relationship. Although the women maintained a modern aggressive role while the men were equally submissive to the controlling attitudes of women, the ending justified the strength of the male gender.
Despite abusive attempts for control and manipulations, the subsequent male response differs thoroughly which was already foretold beforehand by George at the airport after Julianne sought his opinion regarding her plans to break Michael and Kimy’s forthcoming wedding. George, despite his effeminate consideration is able to identify the male behavior thereby portraying an integration of the male and female character in his persona.In the end, Michael married Kimy and Julianne is supposedly left alone to nurse her grief. George arrived to console Julianne and provide moral support.
In the end, the moral consequences of the lead female character’s previous actions resulted to an unrequited love and discontent.While giving us an entertaining benefit, the movie is a funny and hilarious masterpiece that awakens us to the values of communication in any relationship. However it is my strong opinion that movies need to improve gender communication in response to a social acceptance of gender roles in an effort to improve significant human relationships. Works CitedGilligan, Carol.
In a Different Voice: Psychological Theory andWomen’s Development. Cambridge, MA: Harvard Univ. Press, 1982.My Best Friend’s wedding. Movie.
