The Help Gender Roles

The male and female gender is separated by the social behaviours, that were shaped by culture, time and religions. ‘The Help’ directed by Tate Taylor portrayed the civil rights issues between the African American and white society in Jackson Mississippi in the 1960s. The movie highlights the differences between being female and coloured as seen through the eyes of a “southerner society girl”, Skeeter who is determined to change the social views of the community

The gender expectations of male and female in the 1960s were significantly stereotyped into a hegemonic social structure of being masculine and feminine. This is portrayed in The Help through the private and social spheres at the time. One example of this conveyed throughout the film

This is conveyed by the way Aibileen motivates the saying “You is kind, you is smart, you is important” to Mae Mobley for whom Is also put down by her mother 's expectations and judgments. This is also seen by Skeeter’s mother who forces Skeeter to become a married woman, however, asking if she has “unnatural thoughts” on the opposite sex, urging that if she isn’t married by the recommended age she might be attracted to the opposite sex. As the movie progresses so does the equality and diversity, this is seen by the way the social structures changes as the civil right movement becomes apparent in the white civilization in Jackson Mississippi, as seen by Skeeter’s mother positive reaction towards her success of being granted a position in New York. The equality and the positive support of skeeters decisions change and so does many other characters in the movie who were out cast as females by the 1960s society.

‘The Help’ had emphasized and conveyed the messages of being a female and or coloured in the northern American society in the 1960s, this included showcasing gender expectations of both sexes, the experiences of being a female during this period, cultural differences and social implications of