First Symposium on Gender in Media

The First Symposium on Gender in Media was held in 2008, convening entertainment industry decision makers, thought leaders and content creators to work collectively on improving gender equality in children’s media.

At this symposium, Gender Disparity On Screen and Behind the Camera in Family Films was presented. It examined gender portrayals in family films rated G, PG, or PG-13 by the Motion Picture Association of America (MPAA). Theatrical release of the films occurred between September 5, 2006 and September 7, 2009 in the United States and/or Canada.

From L to R: Dr. Stacy Smith, Crystal Allene Cook, Amy Pascal, Stephen McPherson, Geena Davis, Tom Lynch, Wallis Annenberg, and Brown Johnson (Photo: Michael Caulfield/Wireimage)

Nina Tassler (CBS) and Founder Geena Davis

Jean Picker Firstenberg (AFI)

Aisha Tyler (actor) moderated the Executives & Producers Luncheon

Wallis Annenberg (Annenberg Foundation)

Dr. Stacy Smith (USC Annenberg School for Communication and Journalism)

Amy Pascal (Sony)

Brown Johnson (Nickelodeon)

Stephen McPherson (ABC)

Tom Lynch (Tom Lynch Company)

Geena Davis at the Open Forum

Linda Simensky (VP, Children’s Programming, PBS)

Dr. Stacy Smith presented her groundbreaking research

Doreen Spicer (producer)

Ella Taylor (LA Weekly), Jeanne Wolf (Parade), and Brian Lowry (Variety) offered the critics’ view

David Kleeman (American Center for Children and Media), Allison Deegan (WriteGirl), Judy Patrick (Women’s Foundation of California), and Gordon Berry (UCLA) discussed how to create a cultural shift

Heather Kenyon (Cartoon Network) spoke about giving female characters goals in kids media

Karen Lee Brown (DiC) on the panel, Writing Something Other than Romance

Tara Sorensen (NGKE), Betsy Groban (Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Children’s Book Group), Cort Lane (Mattel), Dr. Ellen Seiter (USC), and Dean Aimee Dorr (UCLA) discussed the toy-product-marketing-kids’ link

Young women from Teen Voices and WriteGirl discussed their goals

Dr. Kara Chan (Hong Kong)

Dr. Dafna Lemish (Israel)

Dr. Sofie Van Bauwel (Belgium), Damien Spry (Australia), and Marieke Rodenburg (Belgium)

International Researchers Reception

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