Self-Identity, Voice, and Power in Female Muggles and Wizards: A Feminist Analysis of Fan Avatars in Two Harry Potter Fan Sites Jennifer L. Bowie Fem Rhet 2007

Females, Technology, and Self Much of the scholarship has found women marginalized in computer use But females can be at the center: Girls are weaving the web (Takayoshi, Huot, and Huot) “The Web is a productive venue for girls self-expression.. Gives girls a place for self-expression while intimately involving them in the working of technology” (104 Takayoshi, Huot, and Huot) The web gives us “heightened possibilities for self-representation” (271 Hawisher and Sullivan) The body and representation are key feminist issues and online spaces are a new venues for these issues According to DeVoss and Selfe – We need to pay attention to how individuals are establishing identities online –We need to see women as agents and authors of their own identities

Method Examined the forum of two popular Harry Potter Fan sites –Site 1 was avatar heavy and the majority disclosed their sex –Site 2 had less avatars and few disclosed their sex Gathered 40 female avatars Analyzed the avatars for self-identity, voice, and power

Findings Of 101 unique avatars: –59 do not disclose their sex (only 1 from site 1) –2 self-identified as male (both on site 2) –40 self-identified as female

Findings: Types of Avatars 23 photo based 16 are drawings of some type 3 are text 17 include text with an image 24 are Harry Potter related

Warning! Spoiler on the next page!

More Findings: XX, XY, ? 17 have a feminine theme 4 have a masculine theme 15 are of females 16 are of males 9 have multiple people (3 are all male, the rest male & female)

Findings: Animal, Vegetable, Mineral 23 are human 8 are animal 2 are of alien/other intelligent being 8 are of nature 7 are other non-animate things 3 in nature 2 “tech” 1 abstract 1 seems to be the real person

Findings: Attributes 14 are strong 10 are powerful 6 are weak 1 is sexy 9 are pretty 8 are cute 8 are childlike 6 have attitude 4 are smart

Findings: Feelings and Connections 14 have emotional themes 5 are aggressive 11 show connections 14 show individuals 5 show romances or friendships 15 express a message/make a statement

Findings: Traditional Depictions? 18 had traditional feminine depictions 6 had non-traditional depictions 5 of those also had traditional elements

Summary of Interesting Findings 42% are feminine & only 10% masculine Females were slightly more likely to choose male avatars than a female (16 to 15) 28% included or were of nature, but only 2% tech 35% were strong, 25% powerful, and only 15% weak Only 2% were sexy, but 23% pretty and 20% are cute 23% were childlike, but 15% had attitude 45% are traditional depictions of the female, only 15% had non-traditional depictions, but 13% include both traditional and non-traditional Many females may not be disclosing their sex Females are much more likely to have avatars than males

Self-Identity, Voice, and Power Self-identity: –Traditional feminine or male –Multiple –Strong connections to nature –Outside self: Harry Potter, movies, other things –Females more likely to give visual identity through avatars Voice: –Did present messages –May speak in non-traditional ways, but most with elements of the traditional –Speak in the voices of others –Emotional with a strong focus on relationships, connections, and love Power: –May use Harry Potter and males to get power –Expressed in masculine ways –Showed weakness

Summary Many females are choosing to represent themselves in either traditional methods or as males When females choose non-traditional depictions they often include traditional aspects Although strong and powerful are included, so are pretty and cute Self-identity: feminine or male, multiple, outside self Voice: emotional, focused on relationships, spoke through others, often traditional (even when being non- traditional) Power: sought through Harry Potter images and images of males, expressed in more masculine ways or showed weakness Some females are weaving and authoring strong feminist identities online, but too many stay with the traditional and thus reinforce the problematic

Questions How can we empower females to visualize and identify themselves in feminist ways? Why are self-identifying females more likely to use avatars? What do these avatars suggest about the body/machine female cyborg and representation? Where is the body? Why do they choose their avatars and what are they trying to say/do with them? What do these avatars say about females as authors and agents of their identity? What does it mean that they are using outside images?

Barry states that “single messages may have great clarification and directional impact, as well as a progressively cumulative impact…” (336).

Thank you!