Gender inequality and the reproduction of hegemonic masculinity in divorce films: Study through the films "Scenes from a Marriage", "Kramer versus Kramer" and "Marriage Story"

Cinema is one of the media where social norms, especially gender inequality and male dominance are reproduced and normalized, causing the audience to take them for granted. In particular, gender norms and the patriarchal order of hegemony are reproduced through cinema, regardless of the film's production year, country and director. There are inequalities between men and women in the films about the divorce process. Assuming that marriage and the establishment of a domination against the opposite sex are among the elements that reinforce hegemonic masculinity, it is possible that divorce interrupts hegemonic masculinity. Therefore, in divorce films, gender inequality and reproduction of hegemonic masculinity are in question from a masculine point of view, rather than dealing with the processes of men and women equally. In this context, what gender is, then the norms that make up gender, the perception of femininity and masculinity will be discussed. Accordingly, the concepts of hegemonic masculinity and family, marriage and divorce will be mentioned later. Therefore, in this study, gender inequality and the reproduction of hegemonic masculinity in the films "Scenes from a Marriage", "Kramer Against Kramer" and "Marriage Story" will be examined, and through these films it will be revealed that gender inequality and hegemonic masculinity in the divorce processes are reproduced in the cinema.