Goffman (1976)

Question 1

What does Goffman talk about?

Answer 1

Goffman describes how femininity and masculinity are displayed within western media

Looked over an analysed 500 different photo adverts (picked himself)

Women were portrayed as: soft and vulnerable, fragile, dreamy, childish, submissive and powerless

Men were portrayed as: confident, comfortable present and aware of their surroundings. Sometimes even intimidating

Goffman argues that none of these characteristics are innate but they are how culture defines masculine and feminine

Question 2

Ritualisation of subordination

Answer 2

What our culture defines as ‘feminine’ is subordinate in relation to what is defined as masculine.

So femininity is seen as a bad thing; being weak and vulnerable

And masculine is seen as a good thing. Being strong and in control

Question 3

The feminine touch

Answer 3

Argues that females are often posing while ‘using their fingers and hands to trace the outlines of products’. This can also include self-touching, softly caressing themselves.

This pose is often sexualised, touching their legs or breasts

Question 4

Lying down

Answer 4

Men are usually standing up above women and women are usually lying down, on the ground at the feet of the male

Question 5

The bashful knee bend

Answer 5

Women pose with a knee bent or propped up. Making the women appear unbalanced and ungrounded.

She is not prepared to react to her surroundings where are men always are

Question 6

Tilted head or body

Answer 6

Head tilts and lower her head in relation to others (meaning she is below)

Men’s head are well above anyone else

Women’s tilted head could be perceived as being uncertain or submissive

Question 7

Licences withdrawal

Answer 7

Refers to the state that women are often pictured as in a state of withdrawal, drama, looking down or away covering her face with her hands

Implies that she is not paying attention to her surroundings

Goffman states that when are adrift & men are grounded, gripping something firmly. Women usually are gripping the man for support

Question 8

Infantilisation

Answer 8

The infantilisation of grown women in advertising

‘A tendency for women to be picture as more akin to their daughters or younger selves’

Women and little girls are pictures together (looking the same, wearing the same clothes)

Women are more frequently portrayed in positions where the whole body is used in a playful way

Women are often seen with a finger in their mouth - sucking, biting, showing confusion & vulnerability like a child. Could this also be sexualised?

Question 9

Critique

Answer 9

Post-feminism - Rosamund Gill

Discussing the idea that women aren’t next being sexualised but they’re liberating themselves as sexually desirable.

3rd wave feminism

However he didn’t randomly select the photos - he chosen adverts where women look a certain way. Unrepresentative