Representations of Gender

What is gender? Your sex, whether you are male or female, is biologically determined Gender is not biological but refers to a socially constructed set of behaviour patterns Therefore, femininity and masculinity are culturally determined and matter of choice – they refer to pattern of behaviour and qualities of behaviour that we normally associate with being female or being male.

Gender Identity As we grow up we ‘learn’ what is expected in terms of our gender identity from a range of sources: parents, school, books, the media, peer pressure… The power to conform is so strong in us that we tend to copy the gender models we see. Thus, by the time we have started school, most of us have ‘learnt’ how to be masculine or feminine as our culture defines it.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=srnaXW9ZgZc

Gender Labels Over time, the two genders have developed quite distinct and often oppositional gender codes – activities, spheres of activity and qualities that are deemed to be exclusive to only one group TASK: In pairs discuss ‘gender labels’ – thinking about key words that describe men and women

Femininity and Masculinity - labels Competitive – male or female? Rational – men? Strong – men? Supportive – women? Sensitive – women? Passive – women? Emotional – women? Weak – women? Domesticated – women? Independent – male or female? Ruthless – male or female?..! Aggressive – male of female? Professional – male or female?

What do you notice about these different ideas associated traditionally with each gender?

Traditional Ideologies and Gender Traditionally men have held power in our society – this system where men have power and control society is called patriarchy

Ideologies and Gender The result of this is that traditionally male qualities and attributes have generally been seen to be superior to female attributes For example – traditionally it was the eldest son who inherited – even if he had several older sisters. Recent change in laws of succession - Royal Family

In the past this was often reflected in the media, as most media companies were run by men! Women were often shown in roles that suited men and which kept them from challenging men for power. In other words, the media showed men and women how men wanted them to be!

Ideology in Action – Traditional Representations Look at the following adverts – what messages and values are being portrayed? What roles are women offered?

Ideology in Action

Traditional Representations Clips – We will now look at some short extracts – see if you can see how these traditional ideas about gender were reflected? Persil Ad 1959 - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=D93fK9vBnMg Kelloggs ad – 1950s - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7admT4qE5v4 Goldfinger - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1SwVqDeoK4g

Femininity in Media Women have always tended to suffer from a rather narrow set of representations in the media Traditionally these relate to specific domestic situations, such as housewives, mothers or a sexual objectification in which they are represented as entertainment for males. Can you think how these stereotypes suited patriarchy?

Why? The media associates women with washing machines and cleaning products, is this reflecting society or shaping it? By creating these representations the media creates the norm that women will take on domestic roles

Sexual Objectification A common representation in the media of women = Sex The women are made to look alluring and appealing to attract sections of the audience Defining women as sex objects has become the leading representation in the media http://youtu.be/fuMIlmzTv9M http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mXrWiJcmvBI

The Male Gaze Women are presented as sexual objects to be enjoyed by men. Mulvey (1991) argues that in film women are objects to be gazed on as the camera acts as the masculine eye from a male viewpoint – looking at women in a way that reflects masculine desires. Usually this male viewer is implied in the construction of the image, but sometimes he’s explicitly placed in the image. So the ‘male gaze’ presents women through the lens of male objectification Women come to learn to view themselves and other women through the ‘male gaze’. This is ‘false consciousness’.

We identify with the man who is staring at this woman. The woman is nothing but a reflection, an image being perceived

Here’s a woman posing for herself in the mirror, very aware of her own image under the male gaze

One way of creating the male gaze in advertising is to reduce the female body to pieces. This targets the gaze to a specific (and generally sexually stimulating) part of the body. If all we see is a piece of a body, how can we imagine that it actually belongs to a whole person who is more than just a shiny leg, a shapely thigh, a skinny stomach or wonderbra breasts?

Narrow Representation Found in advertising and magazines, where women are shown as young, slim, overwhelmingly white, and conforming to a very narrow stereotype of beauty with perfect hair, skin and an alluring gaze. The Beauty Myth….

Naomi Wolf (1991) The Beauty Myth suggests that images used by the media present a particular ‘beauty ideal’ through which they transmit the ideological message that women should treat their bodies as a ‘project’ in constant need of improvement. The diet industry and cosmetic surgery thrive on exploiting women’s anxieties and insecurities. This is a form of false consciousness. Susie Orbach In her recent book Bodies accuses the media of promoting an idea of perfection which creates anxieties in women (and increasingly men) http://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/video/2011/mar/14/susie-orbach-comment-is-free The feminine ideal is impossible to achieve because the images and icons of the beauty industry are themselves fabricated

‘The feminine ideal is impossible to achieve because the images and icons of the beauty industry are themselves fabricated’

Who is the real woman?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=omBfg3UwkYM

Dove Campaign Sketches

More Theories on Media Representation The madonna/whore dichotomy – simple stereotypes of femininity are offered to women with limited variations: mother or vamp. False Needs – the media as commercial organisations use stereotypes to sell us things we don’t really need. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qHI01BbtwZs#t=02m18s False consciousness – the stereotypes we are offered create a false sense of ourselves, who we are and how we should live.

Ideology Exercise Look at the following advertisements and decode them. Identify the stereotypes being used. Identify the use of false consciousness through the associations and messages. Identify the use of false needs through the meaning and messages of the image.

Stereotype: The ‘good housewife’ obsessed with cleaning. False Consciousness: Women should be concerned with keeping their houses clean. Women are hysterical/emotional False Needs: Women must buy this product to solve their problems and thus make them selves happy and be good housewives and mothers. This product will make it easy.

Stereotype: The sexually available female – reduced to a set of body parts False Consciousness: Women are sex objects for the gratification of men. You should make yourself sexually alluring to men as that is what is most important for a woman to be considered ‘normal’ or accepted in society. False Needs: Men: Buy this shower gel and women will be sexually available to you. Only this gel can provide that emotional promise.

Magazine Analysis… Look at the following magazine covers: Questions How are the women being represented? Who is the target audience for these magazines? Who is an alternative audience?

Women as Sex Objects

Cosmopolitan Appeals to both men and women. The image is constructed through visual codes, clothing and mode of address. Body language and posture are sexualised. She is defined by body image and size. The other cover lines suggest the discourse of the magazine and represent women in terms of beauty, sex and consumerism The image is obviously airbrushed – perfection is unobtainable but desirable!

FHM Mode of address – sexualised – direct, hips suggestive. Chest pushed out. Females are being projected as the male fantasy through the male gaze rather than showing a realistic portrayal of women - Voyeurism Both magazines assume ‘Heteronormativity’ narrative is based around heterosexual relationships

Feminism From the 1960s onwards, feminism challenged patriarchy, seeking to gain equality for women. They gained increased respect, opportunities and legislation for women, giving them the chance to step into what had once been men’s shoes.

Modern Representations: Moving Forward… More recently, femininity has also become associated with a stronger more independent and confident women.

Representations have developed and adapted Representations have developed and adapted. Women have key roles and are less passive. It now isn’t unheard of for women to have: A serious career Wear trousers Smoke, drink and swear Downplay the domestic goddess roles Have roles/jobs traditionally associated with men

Subversion of the stereotype This is where the media presents an alternative and different representation that ‘plays with’ or challenges audiences expectations

Rapunzel Advert

Typical Action Film Roles Just for a minute think about the typical roles assigned to men and women in action films? How do these link to patriarchal ideas about gender? SpiderMan

Action hero(ine) One area where representations of women have changed considerably is in the genre of action in films and on TV.

Convergence… Hilary Radner (2000) refers to these women as ‘psychofemme’. Feminine Masculinity. Is the convergence of femininity – e.g. retaining sex appeal and masculinity – e.g. handling weapons/indifference to violence. Kill Bill

Case Study: The Hunger Games

Post feminism…? Some feel we have entered an era of post-feminism – a stage where equality has been achieved and women are free to be what they like…Consider this…

Challenges to the stereotype…

Female empowerment or a return to patriarchy?

A word of caution! This doesn’t mean it’s all out with the old and in with the new! If you watch TV or film, you will still find many older, more traditional representations of gender alongside some of the new. How the Media Failed Women in 2013

Homework: Representation Case Studies FHM Magazine & Cosmopolitan Run the World - Beyonce The Hunger Games