While watching children’s television programs and videos with her young daughter, Academy Award winner Geena Davis noticed a remarkable imbalance in the ratio of male to female characters. From that small starting point, Davis went on to raise funds for the largest research project ever undertaken on gender in children’s entertainment (resulting in 4 discrete studies, including one on children’s television).
The research showed that in the top-grossing G-rated films, there were three male characters for every one female – a statistic that still has not improved.
The concern was clear: What message does this send to young children?
The Institute is the leading resource for gender in media research, trends and education for the entertainment industry and the public.