1. How is gender constructed and/or reflected by language?
Share the articles you annotated for h/w. Discuss:
GAP
How these are reflected by the language use
What the attitudes towards gender are

2. According to Fairclough
The mass media have the power to:
Represent things in particular (non-neutral) ways
Construct identities, through language and images, rather than just reflect the way things “really” are
Disseminate/promote certain ideologies
Position/construct “ideal” readers/viewers etc.; this means that we, the consumers, have to negotiate our relationship with the mass media

3. Look again at your articles. 5 mins to address the following:
How are women and men represented in your texts (e.g., taking on active/passive roles)?
What femininities/masculinities, and what gender relations, are constructed in the texts?
Who is the ideal/assumed reader?

4. Same questions for the new text (“Gadgets for Girls”):
How are women and men represented in your texts (e.g., taking on active/passive roles)?
What femininities/masculinities, and what gender relations, are constructed in the texts?
Who is the ideal/assumed reader?