Taxonomy upgrade extras:
I just want to share with you an article I read yesterday and might be of some interest to you:
Is tween TV skewed toward girls?
I recommend reading the linked content in the article as it adds a lot to it.
I think the two sides raise a valid point. On the one hand 'tween' boys can, and do, relate to female protagonists in today less gendered society . On the other hand it doesn't change the fact that there aren't that much male protagonists in 'tween TV', and the small amount there is, is mostly drawn from a 'tween' girl point of view of a good role model instead of the male one.
So What do you think ? Is one side has the definite answer , and if so which one is it? Are we really ignoring tween boys in today pop culture or what?
Lily.
P.S
Sorry for the less then optimal punctuation, its just really late in here(3 A.M) :S
It 's Tied Into Marketing
The focus on Tween girls is tied into marketing. They are the main driving force behind the success of Miley Cyrus and the Jonas Brothers. They purchase merchandise and music. Boys don't seem to be driven to buy the latest fashions or go absolutely nuts over the latest teen queen beyond looking at her as attractive. I think the lack of male protagonists goes back to the fact that boys are not conditioned by society to look at something from an emotional angle. They tend to be more analytical and they fear being branded by their peers as being Gay if they express feelings beyond admitting that a girl is hot. Most of us know from experience that guys get together and brag about what they did with a girl or what they would like to do. At that age, they really don't go beyond talking about sex with a girl. I very rarely ever heard of a group of boys talking about what they liked about the girl's personality. It is the hormones talking at that age. Girls tended to talk about what they liked about a certain boy and what they didn't like, especially if a boy has acted like a jerk in a relationship or done something to hurt another girlfriend. Marketing reps will continue to target tween and teen girls as long as they continue to buy whatever the latest heartthrob or Teen Queen is selling.