History Main / MarsAndVenusGenderContrast

* Parodied in WesternAnimation/CampLazlo, where the Girl Scouts overhear the phrase. However, [[LiteralMinded they assume it means that all guys are literal aliens]].

** Hermione is smart and mature enough to explain some such misunderstandings. She still has difficulties with Ron later, but that's mostly because he has similar difficulties understanding ''himself'', let alone others.

* ''Series/BlakesSeven'' got into the act too with the controversial Ben Steed episode "Power", in which a post-apocalyptic society is at war on gender lines.

-->'''Spock-Paul:''' It appears, captain, that we are on an alien planet, inhabited by strange beings with long hair, and very short skirts.

* ''Series/StarTrekTheOriginalSeries''. The episode "Spock's Brain" had a society split along gender lines so that the men ({{Future Primitive}}s who lived on the surface of a barren world) had no idea what women were -- just the Others (a LadyLand of [[BrainlessBeauty Brainless Beauties]] living in an UndergroundCity) who would abduct them and inflict "pain and pleasure" for unknown reasons. ''Series/TheWonderYears'' parodied this episode (and this trope) when Kevin realises that he doesn't understand women at all, then has an ImagineSpot that [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=d7JqmtgJqW8 he's Captain Kirk in "Spock's Brain".]]

* ''Series/StarTrekTheOriginalSeries''. The episode "Spock's Brain" had a society split along gender lines so that the men ({{Future Primitive}}s who lived on the surface of a barren world) had no idea what women were -- just the Others who would abduct them and inflict "pain and pleasure" for unknown reasons. ''Series/TheWonderYears'' parodied this episode (and this trope) when Kevin realises that he doesn't understand women at all, then has an ImagineSpot that [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=d7JqmtgJqW8 he's Captain Kirk in "Spock's Brain".]]

* ''Series/StarTrekTheOriginalSeries''. The episode "Spock's Brain" had a society split along gender lines so that the men ({{Future Primitive}}s who lived on the surface of a barren world) had no idea what women were -- just the Others who would abduct them and inflict "pain and pleasure" for unknown reason. ''Series/TheWonderYears'' parodied this episode (and this trope) when Kevin realises that he doesn't understand women at all, then has an ImagineSpot that [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=d7JqmtgJqW8 he's Captain Kirk in "Spock's Brain".]]

[[folder:Live-Action TV]]:
* ''Series/SexAndTheCity'' and the whole ''HesJustNotThatIntoYou'' spin-off industry.

* In the universe of ''Series/TheBigBangTheory'', almost all nerds are male and their nerdiness can be awkward when trying to talk to women.
** After the fourth season, when Amy and Bernadette were added to the permanent cast, this has been the case more often than not. Either the girls have a separate storyline involving "girl time," or we see the "female perspective" on one nerd-issue or another.

--->'''Betty:''' ''(in a soothing voice)'' Oh, whats the matter with beautiful baby girl? ''(turns to Didi)'' Girls seem to cry more at this age. ''(turns to Lil without bow in a buffer voice)'' Oh, my big baby man. Guess they're ok Deed, now where were we?
--->'''Didi:''' We were talking about the difference between men and women.
--->''(Phil and Lil soon switch the bow while the Mom's backs are turned)''
--->'''Phil and Lil:''' See?

* The TropeNamer was a self-help book from TheEighties, which referred to men as Martians and women as Venusians. They were the same species, and [[SeparatedByACommonLanguage used the same language]], but lived in very different ways on two different [[PlanetOfHats planets]]. In the books, Martians valued status and achievements, stoicism, direct communication, and practicality. Venusians, meanwhile, valued ''very'' nuanced communication, art and pleasure, expressing of feelings, and placed somewhat less emphasis on status and achievements. Martians apparently need time to sulk and [[ContemplateOurNavels navel-gaze]], and Venusians apparently go through a regular cycle of feeling good and feeling crappy. Eventually, the Martians figured out space travel, and launched a BenevolentAlienInvasion on Venus, after which they and their new Venusian wives and girlfriends headed to Earth to build a new society. But because their communication styles, emotional needs, and values clashed, [[LoveRuinsTheRealm they developed problems in their relationships with each other]] that Martians rarely or never experienced with other Martians, and Venusians never or rarely experienced with other Venusians [[note]] Apparently, [[QueerAsTropes LGBT people]] don't exist. [[/note]], and began to resent one another, leading to relationship drama and messy breakups. The solution to this problem, [[Administrivia/RuleOfCautiousEditingJudgment as posited by the book]], is that men and women need to learn and [[AppealToNature get back to]] [[AppealToTradition traditional roles and relationships]].

** Even something as simple as an interest in technology is treated as night and day. Whenever Franky shows off his robotic prowess, such as the [[{{Mecha}} General Franky]], most of the male characters (led by Luffy, Usopp, and Chopper) [[{{Squee}} can hardly contain themselves]], but literally ''every'' female character present just doesn't care, not even little girls as seen in the Punk Hazard arc. Keep in mind that [[SchizoTech technology of that level is rarely seen]] in this series, so a complete lack of interest of the unknown comes across as very strange, simply because [[EiichiroOda Oda]] believes women and girls don't care about robots, unlike men and boys.

* One episode of ''WesternAnimation/TheFairlyOddparents'' has Timmy wishing he was a girl so he could figure out what his crush wants for her birthday. Justified, since the kids still believe that GirlsHaveCooties. Chester discusses this when he sees Timmy as a girl going into an arcade and freaks out: ''"Boys like comic books, girls like dolls. Boys like video games, girls like makeup. We're different! That's why we have different bathrooms!"''

Works using this trope often also tend to outright celebrate the stereotypes they invoke (''embrace'' your inner ManChild/[[AllWomenLoveShoes Imelda Marcos]]!), and see them as making an essential contribution to the value of opposite-sex relationships, which just wouldn't be as meaningful without this particular source of misunderstandings and tension. Conversely, though, even where this trope is combined with outright misogyny or misandry, obtaining (at least) one of the opposite sex as a partner is ''still'' usually viewed as essential and urgent.

* The TropeNamer was a self-help book from TheEighties, which referred to men as Martians and women as Venusians. They were the same species, and [[SeparatedByACommonLanguage used the same language]], but lived in very different ways on two different [[PlanetOfHats planets]]. In the books, Martians valued status and achievements, stoicism, direct communication, and practicality. Venusians, meanwhile, valued ''very'' nuanced communication, art and pleasure, expressing of feelings, and placed somewhat less emphasis on status and achievements. Martians apparently need time to sulk and [[ContemplateOurNavels navel-gaze]], and Venusians apparently go through a regular cycle of feeling good and feeling crappy. Eventually, the Martians figured out space travel, and launched a BenevolentAlienInvasion on Venus, after which they and their new Venusian wives and girlfriends headed to Earth to build a new society. But because their communication styles, emotional needs, and values clashed, [[LoveRuinsTheRealm they developed problems in their relationships with each other]] that Martians rarely or never experienced with other Martians, and Venusians never or rarely experienced with other Venusians [[note]] Apparently, [[QueerAsTropes LGBT people]] don't exist. [[/note]], and began to resent one another, leading to relationship drama and messy breakups. The solution to this problem, [[RuleOfCautiousEditingJudgment as posited by the book]], is that men and women need to learn and [[AppealToNature get back to]] [[AppealToTradition traditional roles and relationships]].

* The TropeNamer was a self-help book from TheEighties, which referred to men as Martians and women as Venusians. They were the same species, and used the same language, but lived in very different ways on two different [[PlanetOfHats planets]]. In the books, Martians valued status and achievements, stoicism, direct communication, and practicality. Venusians, meanwhile, valued ''very'' nuanced communication, art and pleasure, expressing of feelings, and placed somewhat less emphasis on status and achievements. Martians apparently need time to sulk and [[ContemplateOurNavels navel-gaze]], and Venusians apparently go through a regular cycle of feeling good and feeling crappy. Eventually, the Martians figured out space travel, and launched a BenevolentAlienInvasion on Venus, after which they and their new Venusian wives and girlfriends headed to Earth to build a new society. But because their communication styles, emotional needs, and values clashed, [[LoveRuinsTheRealm they developed problems in their relationships with each other]] that Martians rarely or never experienced with other Martians, and Venusians never or rarely experienced with other Venusians, and began to resent one another, leading to relationship drama and messy breakups. The solution to this problem, [[RuleOfCautiousEditingJudgment as posited by the book]], is that men and women need to learn and [[AppealToNature get back to]] [[AppealToTradition traditional roles and relationships]].

* The TropeNamer was a self-help book from TheEighties, which referred to men as Martians and women as Venusians. They were the same species, and used the same language, but lived in very different ways on two different [[PlanetOfHats planets]]. In the books, Martians valued status and achievements, stoicism, direct communication, and practicality. Venusians, meanwhile, valued ''very'' nuanced communication, art and pleasure, expressing of feelings, and placed somewhat less emphasis on status and achievements. Martians apparently need time to sulk and [[ContemplateOurNavels navel-gaze]], and Venusians apparently go through a regular cycle of feeling good and feeling crappy. Eventually, the Martians figured out space travel, and launched a BenevolentAlienInvasion on Venus, after which they and their new Venusian wives and girlfriends headed to Earth to build a new society. But because their communication styles and values clashed, they developed problems in their relationships with each other that Martians rarely or never experienced with other Martians, and Venusians never or rarely experienced with other Venusians, and began to resent one another, leading to relationship drama and messy breakups. The solution to this problem, [[RuleOfCautiousEditingJudgment as posited by the book]], is that men and women need to learn and get back to traditional roles and relationships.

* ''Series/TheOffice'' takes a look in Season 2's "Boys and Girls" episode. Jan holds a "women in the workplace" seminar, and Michael takes the "boys" down to the warehouse--where's he's just as unwelcome.

%%* ''Film/HowToLoseAGuyInTenDays''.

While often "officially" a DiscreditedTrope, this is often also claimed as TruthInTelevision, sometimes with an edge of brave speaking out against PoliticalCorrectnessGoneMad, or with a DebateAndSwitch or JustJokingJustification approach.

** And for the grand prize, have them ask their same-sex friend, who claims to be an expert on the opposite sex and [[KnowNothingKnowItAll has no idea what they're talking about]].

Characters need not be (entirely) [[FlatCharacter flat]], but women characters will tend to be stereotypically female and men stereotypically male. Deviations from stereotype, where they appear, will tend to be plot points in their own right as exceptions that prove the rule, and are usually resolved by a return to something more stereotypical (e.g. {{Tomboy}} WrenchWench gets her man when she finally [[SheCleansUpNicely cleans up nicely]]).

Which ''particular'' gender stereotypes are invoked may vary considerably, and inconsistently, even within the same work: (e.g. women want romance/men want sex; women want to talk about feelings and go to the opera/MenAreUncultured; AllWomenLoveShoes/all men hate shopping; WomenAreWiser/men are all {{Man Child}}ren, etc.) Stock contrasting stereotypes (hello, BettyAndVeronica) substituting for nuance will often also be in play. Outright logical contradiction between different stereotypes will rarely, if ever, be addressed.

In works that use this trope as a central element, naturally, both male and female characters will also, as noted above, tend to be overwhelmingly or even exclusively heterosexual. Gay men, usually of the CampGay variety, may appear, often as a [[FagHag female character's]] GayBestFriend [[note]]On a sidenote, binary contrasts similar to the Mars/Venus one tend to feature heavily in BoysLove works and SlashFic, with {{Seme}} and {{Uke}} couples, which often come complete with the same problems of communication and getting along as this trope attributes to heterosexual coupling. This just ''might'' be due to MostFanficWritersAreGirls.[[/note]]. Lesbians tend to appear even less frequently, except as [[GirlOnGirlIsHot fantasy objects]] for male characters (and viewers): BaitAndSwitchLesbians may appear for similar reasons, but rarely get beyond a SweepsWeekLesbianKiss.

Almost unavoidable by definition in ChickLit and Lad Lit, and the corresponding flick genres, and pervasive if not quite inevitable in RomCom. Also frequent feature of Dom Com.

The presence of certain actors (Creator/JenniferAniston, Creator/MegRyan, Creator/SarahJessicaParker, and on the SpearCounterpart side, Creator/MichaelDouglas, Vince Vaughn and Creator/SethRogen) tends to indicate this trope will come into play.

Also a common feature of observational RecordedAndStandUpComedy. Oh, and there's just a tiny bit of this in {{Advertising}}, too, as seen in MenBuyFromMarsWomenBuyFromVenus. This trope is also most of the raison d'etre of magazines specifically meant for one or the other gender (Cosmopolitan, FHM, etc.)

Likewise, in works emphasizing the female perspective, there will also usually be at least one straight male who believes that RealMenWearPink. While this will usually be countered by the character "making up for" this with an excess of machismo in other areas [[note]]for instance by also being a CulturedBadass who can readily "prove his manhood" in a brawl, or a {{Pornomancer}} who's actual character depth doubles as a way to seduce women[[/note]] the character will often serve as an example of how even a character RatedMForManly does not have to mean a character who is unrefined or childish.

* Manga/OnePiece: Nami proves to be an archetypal character for this trope. As the series unfolds, it's clear Nami simply doesn't get men's way of thinking, whatever it is values, attitudes, behaviors, codes, intentions, decisions or actions. Specifically, she doesn't understand the tacit communication between Luffy and Zoro (as seen in Buggy arc), is the only character who hates to be in a Wanted poster (in contrast with general cheerfulness male characters react to publications and updates of those posters) and her opinions and advices are usually disregarded in topics like adventures, honor or discipline and respect, who are important for men (like her permission for Luffy and Zoro to fight Bellamy in Jaya arc, her attempt to ruin Luffy's adventure in Skypiea and her refusal to have a campfire in Upper Yard, the whole Usopp affair in Water 7, or the "Monster Trio" accepting or supporting the "Davy Back Fight" challenge against the Fox Pirates). Even after the {{Time Skip}}, that situation doesn't change at all, as seen in [[spoiler: Punk Hazard arc]] or the [[spoiler: Whole Cake Island arc, where Nami decided to cut bonds with Sanji, only to see how Luffy, unlike her, shows totally loyal with him, overriding Nami decision in the process]].

* An episode of ''Anime/{{Pokemon}}'' did this, with Ash and James engaging in a double battle with May and Jessie after both groups (Ash's friends and Team Rocket) got into arguments over who was more competent. It ends with Jessie deciding to cheat by using an extra Pokemon, which Brock says disqualifies the girl's team, but by then Team Rocket is only interested in stealing Pikachu anyway.

* Spoofed in ''WesternAnimation/SouthParkBiggerLongerAndUncut''. Satan and Saddam Hussein are in bed together, and while Saddam Hussein is waving dildoes suggestively at Satan, Satan is reading ''Saddam is from Mars, Satan is from Venus'' and bemoaning their inability to communicate.

* Lampshaded in the ''WesternAnimation/KimPossible'' [[TheMovie movie]] "A Sitch in Time", when Kim discovered that Shego, not one of her male villains, was destined to become the "Supreme One" who would conquer the world.