Gender and the Media

The Industrial Revolution in Europe and later the United States resulted in the separation of home and work, splitting the production and consumption processes with production moving outside the home and consumption remaining primarily in the home. Industrialization resulted in the mass production of household goods, many of which were previously produced inside the home by women or by the family unit. The concomitant movement of work from farm to factory and residence from rural to urban also contributed to the shift in women's primary role as producer of household goods to that of consumer decision maker for the family unit, creating separate spheres of influence for men and women. Particularly among the middle and upper classes, women's role turned from that of producer of ...