1) Representations of gender in the mass media

Question 1

What does the term Symbolic Annihilation mean and what theorist suggests it ?

Answer 1

the absence of representation, or underrepresentation, of some group of people in the media.

describe the way women are represented in the media arguing they are often portrayed in a rather narrow range of social roles and their achievements are not appreciated (trivialised) any more importantly than their looks and sexual appeal.

Tulloch

Question 2

What does Turnstall argue about limited roles?

Answer 2

argues representation of women is **biassed **as it mainly represents women in domestic roles/ eager consumers of sex objects → ignoring the reality that many women do go out to work

In contrast men are portrayed in positions of power and the male body is rarely sexually objectified within mass media → with little reference to men’s domestic / marital status

Question 3

What did the 2012 ‘just women’ report state

Answer 3

based on a fortnight analysis of newspapers in 2012 concluded that just over 1.3k news reports portrayed women in there limited roles

• Tabloid press - focused on women’s appearances - (mulvey) calls male gaze
• Found women were represented in a stereotyped way → and any individuals in a level of status (politicians) were humiliated by the media

Question 4

What theorist can go with the male gaze key term

Answer 4

Mulvey

Question 5

What does Killbourne argue - what key concept/idea

Answer 5

argues a **mannequin idealisation **of a women is often used to advertise health/cosmetics products + anything can be used to improve appearance for benefit of Male Gaze
* A message of women’s bodies are a projection for a need of improvement
* Manipulated with no voices - ‘seen but not heard’

Question 6

What does Bates argue?

Answer 6

argues music industry a lot of sexualisation occurs → objectifying women in song lyrics / women wearing less clothes within videos is an expectation

Question 7

What does Martison argue?

Answer 7

found that there were few stories about women’s abilities or expertise as topics such as economics were overwhelmingly men (found that 84% of guests on BBC 4 were men)

Question 8

What is argued about annihilation within sport - messener

Answer 8

notes commentary (male dominated) often use different belittling language women are referred to as ‘girls’ while males are never referred to as boys.

Question 9

What does Orbach argue about the message/ impact of women represntation within the media?

Answer 9

• argues the media project the message that slimness = happiness → accuses the media are creating the potential for eating disorders due to the constant message of need to lose weight that is projected to the female consumers.

Question 10

What sociologists (2)are put to aruge modern media does empower women ?

Answer 10

• Gauntlett
• Plant

Question 11

What does Gauntlett argue ?

Answer 11

argues the characters in the media differ from 20 years ago arguing modern

• magazines are promoting a womens independence and are able to be tough and independent whilst maintaining the stereotypical aspects
• Claims that from surveys found these new media messages are having more of a positive impact on the way women construct their own identity.

Question 12

What does plant argue?

Answer 12

• The internet is a ‘feminine technology’ - that has the potential to destabilise patriarchy as it allows women to explore, subvert and create their own identity.
• The fact it is more consumer driven they are able to pick what they consume

Question 13

What argument is put forward for the media not empowering women?

Answer 13

It can be experiences with new media can cause everyday sexist representations that are much easily access with digitalisation and the global media → has a bigger impact

Under almost all media article sites that focus on women’s issues or rights the comments will be filled with trolls
The media can project feminist ideology but it can also cause “misogyny”
(Green and Singleton) acknowledge that women’s participation in media sites such as ‘facebook’ may merely reinforce the expressive stereotype of women doing the emotional work

Question 14

What is the liberal feminist view - general overview

Answer 14

Believe the media representations are slowly changing in response to women’s achievements within society

• The ‘cultural lag’ is due to the fact women rarely obtain the high positions within the media industry

Question 15

what does mills (liberal feminist) argue

Answer 15

argues that newsroom is a very male culture that can be put off putting to females + notes that tabloid in particular obtain ‘deep trenched bloke culture’

Question 16

What does lauren (liberal feminist) argue

Answer 16

**found women are disproportionately found in hair and design and costume which have less status than the director roles etc **

As of June 2020, there was a share of 34.5 percent of female held directorships in the UK.

Question 17

What is the marxist feminist argument

Answer 17

Argue the root cause for the images are economic - Are a byproduct of media conglomerates wanting to make profit in capitalist societies
* The media moguls are mostly main and aim to attract the largest possible audiences to gain the ad revenue.

• So media often illustrates the social consensus of men and woman should occupy traditional roles
• They focus on the fact that magazines make money off of ads not sales

Question 18

What methods do marxist feminists believe the capitlists gain the profits?

Answer 18

• So they often advertise ‘false needs’ around beauty in order attract this ad revenue from cosmetic/health industries
• By presenting the ideals the capitalist owners are able to maintain the profit that they desire
• Another method they focus on is constant investment into beauty market is ^ emphasis on maintaining youth

Question 19

what is the radical feminist perspective and what sociologist can be put with this?

Answer 19

(wolf)
* Believe the media is deliberately duping women to believe this ‘beauty myth’ - idea women should adhere to an ideal in terms of their appearance
encouraged by the mass media - who think women should see these as goals as central to their personal happiness then compete with men for positions of power.

• This creates an element of ‘false consciousness’ in women which deters them from taking certain opportunities available to them

Question 20

Who can be acossiated with the term ‘popular feminism’

Answer 20

McRobbie

Question 21

What does mcRobbie argue (popular feminism)

Answer 21

argues much of the modern media towards young women today constitutes of ‘popular feminism’ expressed through concepts of girl power

• She argues that women in the 21st century are promoting a new form of feminism that externally looks like a rejection of feminism previous generations focussed on patriarchal forms of exploitation
• Many young girls view the traditional feminism as something old belonging to their mothers so instead are forming their own ‘language’ for dealing with sexual inequality - often through raunchy language ‘shagging’

Argues these key differences in language are seen in new mainstream commercial culture whereas the old feminism was marginalised.

Question 22

Whats Gauntletts evaluation of popular feminism

Answer 22

(Gauntlett) suggests it would in fact be foolish to assume media representations reflect similar perspectives on Gender and sexuality because they are so diverse

The reality is the message about sexuality and gender are often mixed and interrelated

Question 23

What theorist can be acossiated with Post-modern perspective

Answer 23

Gauntlett

Question 24

What does Gauntlett argue?

Answer 24

are more positive
Focuses on the relationship between mass media and identity and argues in contrast to the past - women are and men no longer get a message of the ‘one idealised identity’

• Argues the modern mass media challenge traditional definitions of Gender as they encourage a diversity of feminine and masculine identities
• Argues traditional housewife has been shifted to ‘girl power’
• Mens media emphasis has challenged toughness with a shift to emotional reticence (unwillingness)

So as a result the media are providing alternative images which portray thee differing identity messages to the audiences

Question 25

What is the pluralist perspective?

Answer 25

Claim the concept of ‘symbolic annihilation’ underestimate women’s ability through stereotyping and manipulation
* Believe feminists are guilty of stereotyping women as easily influenced

• Claim there is no real evidence that girls and women take any notice of media content or that it is profoundly affects their attitudes or behaviour

Argue the media simply reflect social attitudes in tastes - meet public demands
* The media are meeting both needs so if women really are unhappy about the way they are being presented in magazines they would not buy the media products