The Changing Performance of Masculinity and Femininity on Social Media Platforms

This work is dedicated to the changing performance of masculinity and femininity on social media platforms by example of Western society. Nowadays, as societies undergo profound shifts in values, beliefs, and norms, redefining the constructs of masculinity and femininity has gained remarkable significance. A crucial aspect of this study involves the emergence of a new canon of masculinity and femininity, a phenomenon intricately linked to the development of postmodernism within contemporary socio-humanitarian knowledge. The postmodernist interpretation of these concepts involves the deconstruction of the notion of a singular, fixed, and universal masculinity, and femininity. Drawing on R. Connell's insights, the study emphasizes the existence of diverse gender constructions across different cultures and historical periods. Besides, the emergence and development of social media, especially its democratization, allow people to share thoughts and opinion with the world and it can quickly reach thousands of viewers without the need of any approval and influence the Western society as a whole. The aim of the study is to investigate how social media platforms influence, shape, and redefine the performance of gender identities in contemporary digital culture. By examining the dynamic interactions between users, content creators, and platforms, the study aims to provide insights into the evolving nature of gender representations on social media and its implications for broader societal understandings of gender. The objectives of the study are tonanalyze the historical shifts and contemporary dynamics in the understanding and redefinition of masculinity and femininity, focusing on European perspectives over the last decade and to examine how social media platforms shape the presentation of gender identities and expressions. Also, understand how social media influencers, celebrities, and content creators contribute to the construction of gender norms and ideals and assess the extent to which social media platforms contribute to the diversification or homogenization of gender representations. To study this issue the following theorists were involved: P. Bourdieu, N. Baym, B. Groys, D. Butler, Y. Zemlinskaya, D. Reger, E. Bobati, J. Habermas. Their research rely on the topic of new explanation of developing a society and understanding the principles of masculinity and femininity in modern discourse. The method of the study is presented in the form of content analysis the influencers on the social media (mainly video content). The study will also draw upon secondary sources, including academic literature, interviews, articles, and online platforms. As a result, it was concluded that gender transformation involves a complex and dynamic process. This process entails the deconstruction and reconstruction of traditional gender norms and ideologies. In contemporary way of living the model of masculinity and femininity is blurred. There is no consensus on social media regarding of male and female qualities. It has been identified that in terms of gender representation, it is fair to note that in digital area there are exist multiple masculinities (toxic, positive) and femininities (pro-feminists, antifeminists). Overall, the significant role of social media changed the way of understanding masculinity and femininity and it also created the critical area for challenging gender norms or, on the contrary, promote traditional views and by amplifying diverse voices, social media has created huge conversations about gender roles in society.