Media Representations: Gender Flashcards
What does Tuchman say about Femininity and Symbolic Annihilation?
Carried out a gender content analysis, found that women were portrayed in mostly the domestic and the sexual role, whereas men were employed, in the family, in politics, etc.
Sex objects, domestic servants, domestic consumers or as a housewife and mother.
So, men as dominant and women as subordinate. This ‘symbolically annihilates’ women from positions of power, and they are condemned by stereotypes e.g bitchy, nagging, also seem to be mainly interested in romance.
What does Mulvey suggest about the ‘Male Gaze’ in the media?
The representation of female bodies in films has contributed to the patriarchal stereotype the media uses when defining female femininity. E.g men sexually objectify women by judging them on appearance in media, so women are seen as objects.
What is the ‘Cult of Femininity’ according to Ferguson?
Analysed a sample of magazines and found that 3 magazines included dominant themes for women: overcoming misfortune, getting/keeping a man, being a good wife/mother and keeping a happy family.
Although these themes changed over time, magazines still instructed women how to behave as a ‘normal’ member of society, so they socialise their audiences into a ‘cult of femininity’.
What is the Beauty Myth according to Naomi Wolf?
Media spreads the beauty myth, where ‘normal’ women look like the models from magazines, films etc. She says that these models of femininity are represented as ‘ideal’ though unattainable. Can be linked to anorexia/bulimia.
What are the types of masculinity represented in the media?
Hegemonic, Metrosexuality and Retributive masculinity.
How is Hegemonic Masculinity represented in the media?
Connell = media portray masculinity / ‘being a real man’ = pressure to have a gym body, alpha male, and the pressure to achieve this can lead to toxic masculinity and violence against women / other men.
How is Metrosexuality represented in the media?
Magazines have encouraged men to take more interest in fashion and appearance e.g GQ, Men’s health
How is Retributive Masculinity represented in the media?
Gauntlet and Rutherford = backlash against the ‘new man’, where there is an emphasis on masculine traits that sexualise and objectify women, as well as taking part in traditionally masculine activities e.g sports, top gear, comedy.
What does Whannel argue about masculinity in the media?
In the case of David Beckham, he is presented as a ‘new man’ (family), metrosexual (fashion) and hegemonically masculine (football, married a spice girl)
