Representation of gender & Stereotypes

Learning Objectives To understand misogyny and feminism in relation to gender representation To identify stereotypes and countertypes

Media representations of gender Music video As you watch think about the following: What does this music video suggest it means to have a good time: as a man? As a woman? How are the male characters represented? How are the female characters represented? Do these representations draw on any cultural norms about gender?

Misogyny Misogyny, as defined by the Blackwell Dictionary of Sociology,: “is a cultural attitude of hatred for females simply because they are female. It is a central part of sexist prejudice and ideology and, as such, is an important basis for the oppression of females in male-dominated societies. Misogyny is manifested in many different ways from jokes to pornography to violence to the self-contempt women may be taught to feel toward their own bodies.”

Misogyny and Hip-Hop

Lyrics Bizarre (originally from D12): “My little sister’s birthday / She’ll remember me / For a gift I had ten of my boys take her virginity.” Bizarre Eminem: “Snatch the bitch out her car through the window, she screamin’ / I body slam her onto the cement, until the concrete gave and created a sinkhole / Bury this stink ho in it, then paid to have the street re-paved.” Eminem (again)“I got 99 problems and the bitch ain't one / She's all 99 of them I need a machine gun / I take ‘em all out I hope you hear this song / And go into a cardiac arrest, have a heart attack / And just drop dead and I'mma throw a fucking party after this”.

Media representations of gender Consider the views put forward in these videos.  Do you agree? Media Ed Feminist Frequency

Misogynistic? Female empowerment?

Diana Martel - Director “I wanted to deal with the misogynist, funny lyrics in a way where the girls were going to overpower the men. Look at Emily Ratajkowski’s performance; it’s very, very funny and subtly ridiculing. That’s what is fresh to me. It also forces the men to feel playful and not at all like predators. I directed the girls to look into the camera, this is very intentional and they do it most of the time; they are in the power position. I don’t think the video is sexist. The lyrics are ridiculous, the guys are silly as f**k. That said, I respect women who are watching out for negative images in pop culture and who find the nudity offensive, but I find [the video] meta and playful.”

Robin Thicke We tried to do everything that was taboo. Bestiality, drug injections, and everything that is completely derogatory towards women. Because all three of us are happily married with children, we were like, "We're the perfect guys to make fun of this." People say, "Hey, do you think this is degrading to women?" I'm like, "Of course it is. What a pleasure it is to degrade a woman. I've never gotten to do that before. I've always respected women." So we just wanted to turn it over on its head and make people go, "Women and their bodies are beautiful. Men are always gonna want to follow them around."

10 minute presentation

It is useful at this point to consider Stereotypes in more detail...

Stereotypes Assumptions that are held about a social group. They are often used in a negative or prejudicial sense and are frequently used to justify certain discriminatory behaviours. Stereotyping is an important concept in terms of representation.

Stereotype production is based on… Simplification Exaggeration or distortion Generalisation Presentation of cultural attributes as being 'natural'. Does it matter?

Stereotypes If you look at TV shows, movies, adverts etc from the past it is strange to see how inappropriately some demographics (gender, GLBT, ethnic minorities) were depicted or represented. As a result stereotypes need to change…

The Countertype A positive stereotype. Focuses on positive elements of a group traditionally represented as bad. Still an oversimplification of the enormous diversity featured with the group.

Task Can you think of any character (TV or Film) who is portrayed as a stereotype? Can you think of a countertype? What is the significance of the representations? (If it presents either a stereotype or countertype – ask why? Consider masculinity/femininity. Is this a common representation? Is it a positive or negative representation?) Be prepared to share your examples with the class.

Homework Create a collage (can be done in Word or Powerpoint) of celebrities or characters who you think are stereotypes and countertypes. Explain how they: 1. reinforce gender stereotypes 2. challenge gender stereotypes Try to explain the effects of the countertypes. Use key terms if you can, such as: stereotypes, countertypes, feminism, misogyny. Due in next week. My email address: LSullivan@qe.dorset.sch.uk