Feminist theory: blog tasks

 

Read Playing With The Past: Post-feminism and the Media (MM40, page 64 - our Media Magazine archive is here). This is a great example of sophisticated media analysis and an indication of the level we want to be writing at by the end of the two-year course.

1) What examples are provided from the two texts of the 'male gaze' (Mulvey)? 

drama, Down with Love (2003), Virgin Airlines sexist and retro Eighties adverts featuring air hostesses, and hit HBO show Mad Men.

2) Do texts such as these show there is no longer a need for feminism or are they simply sexism in a different form?  show like these  show that this sexisms in a different way 

3) Choose three words/phrases from the glossary of the article and write their definitions on your blog.

Feminism – A movement aimed at defining, establishing, and defending women’s rights and equality to men.

Post-feminism – An ideology in culture and society that society is somehow past needing feminism and that the attitudes and arguments of feminism are no longer needed.

Third wave feminism – Was a movement that redefined and encouraged women to be dominant and sexually assertive.

Now read The Theory Drop: Gender Performativity (MM69, page 25) and answer the following questions.

1) How does the writer suggest gender performativity is established from a young age?

Children are taught to perform their gender from early on so that they align themselves with certain tastes and behaviors befitting their gender category has nothing to do with it is taught to us by having male genitalia has no bearing on whether or not you like cars, nor does having a womb make you obsessed with unicorns and mermaids.

2) What does the phrase 'non-binary' refer to and how does it link to Butler's theory?

The phrase ‘non-binary’, referring to someone who doesn’t define themselves as either wholly male or female,  is linked to Butler theory as Butler theory talks about the idea  that argues that gender is culturally and socially constructed – not ‘natural.

3) How and why does the media help reinforce gender stereotypes? The writer provides several examples in the final section of the article.

The media  reinforces stereotypes in many ways such  as films reasons, mostly as a shortcut to meaning. Narratives (in film, TV, print, online) are easier for audiences to understand if the characters, subjects and storylines conform to a set of ideas that are already fixed in

Music video analysis

Finally, write up our analysis of the two music videos we studied in class. This is your opportunity to develop your own opinions on these crucial media debates. If you're not sure on any of these theories, look at the theory notes above to help you.

Watch the Beyoncé video for ‘Why Don’t You Love Me?’: 

1) How might this video contribute to Butler’s idea that gender roles are a ‘performance’?

This does link to Butler idea that gender role is a performance as  in the  beginning of the Beyoncé is fixing the car which is usually seen as a masculine role.

2) What might van Zoonen suggest regarding the representation of women in this video?

that in this video Beyoncé fits  the idea that van Zoonen is talking about and that the  media presents the female body as ‘spectacle’ – sexualised for the benefit of male audiences.

3) What are YOUR views on this debate – does Beyonce empower women or reinforce the traditional ‘male gaze’ and oppression of women? 

I think that she does both  in the  beginning she empowers women as she is seen fixing the car which is seen as a  very masculine task so she is empowering but later on in the video she is sexualizing's  herself 

Watch Will Jay's video for ‘Gangsta’:

1) How does the video suggest representations of masculinity have changed in recent years?

 This videos suggest that  the representation of men has had a major changes over the years and shown  that  masculinity  is being shown in the same way. 

2) What does David Gauntlett suggest about representations of men in the media over the last 20 years?

He believes the explosion in media consumption in the 1980s and 90s gave audiences a chance to actively construct their identities and possibly move away from traditional stereotypes.

However, he still acknowledged Butler and van Zoonen: “Although the popular remix of feminism is accepted by young women, it remains the case that most women and men remain somewhat constricted within particular gender roles.”

 he disagrees that masculinity is in crisis – a popular view in the media in recent years. He simply sees masculinity as evolving as society and culture changes. 

3) What is YOUR view on the representation of men and masculinity? Are young men still under pressure from the media to act or behave in a certain way?

I feel like younger men aren't under pressure  to adapt to the change  of a society but I feel like older men are and are finding it harder to adjust to social changes and changes of culture