<p> This study interprets the public perceptions of feminism and gender equality in Nigeria as reflected in the media. In recent times, the issue of gender equality has been subject to numerous debates in Nigeria. My interest in this issue stems from the increased awareness of feminism and a growing feminist movement in the country. This thesis details the popular opinions on feminism found on Nigerian blogs, online newspaper columns, social media and the likes. The purpose of this research was to (1) analyze feminism as a discourse in the Nigerian society (2) identify the existing gender issues (3) contribute to the growing body of transnational feminism. The findings reveal the dynamic interplay of gender and culture. The main discourses are centered on the relevance/irrelevance of feminism and the advocacy for the girl child rights. These findings have implications for the larger discourse regarding the correlation between culture and gender equality. Furthermore, findings indicate that issues concerning gender inequality is mostly linked with the cultural expectations of the particular society.</p>

<p> This study is aimed at exploring a better understanding of gender-biased context in digital games. Based upon a female analysis of <i>Tomb Raider </i> series, this study attempts to compare the appearance and figure of female characters in video games by researching the representative game. A focus group with a group of women from different countries has been used to better understand how women feel and react to female images in the video game <i>Tomb Raider</i> and figure out how female protagonist Lara Croft changed in the video game. The thesis attempts to offer a better understanding of biased context in video games and to compare differences in dressed figures of female characters through the <i>Tomb Raider</i> series. From this, the sexualization of female figures and their images of power has positively changed during last two decades. Ultimately, the connotation of this thesis is to discuss the possibilities of negative effects on audiences in digital games, typically for the young generation.</p><p>

<p> This study had two purposes: to determine whether or not biological sex and/or gender identity impacted the way an individual would customize a video game avatar, and to focus on the components&mdash;length of time and number of customizations&mdash;of avatar design. In addition, an individual&rsquo;s experience with video games&mdash;novice, casual, and hardcore&mdash;was considered throughout this study to determine a relationship between individuals and their avatars. This study was based on previous studies about how gender identity impacted individuals in virtual worlds. The video game <i>Dark Souls </i> (2011) was used for the stimulus and the (30-item) Bem Sex Role Inventory&mdash;a scale that measures gender identity&mdash;was used as the measure. While the research questions provided resulted in no correlation between sex, gender, and player experience, further research is needed to determine how the evolution of the gaming community and the gaming industry continues to impact both players and gaming research.</p><p>

<p> Mouth whistling is one of the oldest forms of commination known to humans. Though often overlooked and underappreciated, whistling has been a powerful, universal tactic of message sending for millennia. Research reveals historical contexts of whistling as an uncouth, unlucky and unladylike act reserved for the working class. This has resulted in the disparagement of all forms of whistling. Despite its status as a marginalized act, people around the world partake of whistling for many purposes, including music. Competitive whistling events which showcase virtuosic musical talent have existed for over forty years, yet the art form does not receive the respect other musical instruments have been awarded. This thesis explores the rhetorical influences that have consigned whistling to low-culture, muting its voice and restricting its existence as a legitimate musical art form. It examines how essentialist perspectives, empowered by hegemonic ideologies of gender and class, have constrained the potential of musical whistling to grow as a culturally credible musical contribution. Patriarchal hierarchies and gendered, linguistic cues promote subtle sexist practices which marginalize people and practices based on arbitrary cultural constructs. Historically, women have been expressly forbidden from whistling. Direct and subtle sexist messages, perpetuated through language and folklore have sustained the status quo across generations, silencing women&rsquo;s voices and whistles. Exposing unconscious acts which support and sustain the status quo reveal subtle, marginalizing forces which promulgate ideologies across generations. Nescience is investigated as a powerful element sustaining archaic ideological perspectives. Through autoethnography, the author, a world-champion whistler, describes strategic rhetorical processes employed with the intention of reframing and transforming musical whistling from noise to art.</p><p>

<p> This study investigates the relationship between gender identity and flirting styles. Data analysis on a sample (<i>N</i>=227) revealed the existence of a relationship between gender identity and the sincere style and between gender identity and the physical style, but not between gender identity and the playful, polite, and traditional styles. Masculine and Androgynous individuals are more likely than Feminine or Undifferentiated individuals to employ the physical style. Androgynous individuals are more likely to employ the sincere style than masculine or undifferentiated individuals. Feminine individuals are more likely to employ the sincere style than masculine individuals. Further analysis found that there is a relationship between biological sex and the traditional style and between relationship status and the playful style. This study finds that gender identity is a better predictor of flirting style than either biological sex or relationship status, but suggests that it would be more appropriate to consider all three.</p>

<p> This study examines how conflict between public assumptions and media framing of a political candidate&rsquo;s gender performance impacts public trust in the candidate, building upon prior research concluding that the Republican and the Democratic Parties are linked cognitively with ideas about gender, with people often associating the Republican Party with masculine characteristics and the Democratic Party with feminine characteristics. This study operates under the theory that conflict between media representation and participant assumptions will lead to lower levels of trust in a candidate whose gender is framed as conflicting with the underlying gendered assumptions of their party. In an experiment, subjects read one of six news articles describing a hypothetical presidential candidate and answered a questionnaire to measure their trust in the candidate. The results indicate that participants have a higher level of trust in the feminine-framed candidate and a lower level of trust in the masculine-framed candidate &ndash; in comparison to the baseline of a gender-neutral framed candidate &ndash; in both the Democrat and the Republican condition. Further analysis of the results suggest that while participants assume all candidates possess certain masculine traits often associated with leadership, the presence of feminine traits may increase a candidate&rsquo;s perceived likeability, which in turn leads to the perception that the candidate has a higher degree of integrity, is more responsive to public concerns, and is ultimately more trustworthy. Additionally, the presence of masculine traits may threaten the candidate&rsquo;s perceived trustworthiness without the presence of feminine traits to increase the candidate&rsquo;s likeability. This study expands the current conversation about media and gender to look beyond a candidate&rsquo;s sex and consider the media&rsquo;s role in constructing and reinforcing a candidate&rsquo;s gender performance. It also provides a foundation for future research about the media&rsquo;s power to shape public perception of candidates and, by extension, the electoral process.</p>