Media Topic 4 - Media Representations: Gender, Sexuality, Disability Flashcards
What is the under-representation of women in the media industry?
Women are marginalized in positions of power and influence, including management, editing, and journalism.
The IWMF (International Women’s Media Foundation; 2010) found that women faced a glass ceiling in UK news companies.
Define the ‘Male Gaze’ as described by Mulvey.
The Male Gaze refers to the way men view women as sexual objects, focusing on their physical appearance and using camera angles to enhance women’s sex appeal.
This concept emphasizes the erotic pleasure for men derived from such representations.
What does ‘symbolic annihilation of women’ mean?
It refers to the invisibility, under-representation, or limited stereotypical representation of women in media, described by Tuchman et al. as trivialization, omission, and condemnation.
This concept highlights how women’s representation in media reflects societal attitudes.
What percentage of quoted sources in journalism are men according to the Women in Journalism report (2023)?
70% of quoted sources are men.
This report indicates a significant gender disparity in media representation.
List the stereotypes of women identified by Wolf.
- The WAG
- The Sex Object
- The Supermum
- The Angel
- The Ball Breaker
- The Victim
What is ‘The Cult of Femininity’ as described by Ferguson?
Teenage girls’ magazines prepare girls for feminized adult roles, emphasizing themes on being a good wife and partner.
This socialization reflects gender normative expectations.
What are the changing representations of women in media?
- More focus on career women
- Women portrayed as sexually powerful
- Increased emphasis on independence and aspiration
Define ‘hegemonic masculinity’ as discussed by Connell.
Hegemonic masculinity is the dominant view of masculinity that includes gender hierarchy, where ‘real men’ are above women and aspire to become ‘alpha males’.
What are the six media stereotypes of male characters identified by Children Now (1999)?
- The Joker
- The Jock
- The Strong Silent Type
- The Big Shot
- The Action Hero
- The Buffoon
What does Gauntlett (2008) suggest about media portrayals of men?
There is a wider range of representations of masculinity, allowing new choices for men to construct identities different from traditional hegemonic masculinity.
What is the significance of the Stonewall (2010) Study regarding LGBTQ+ representation?
LGBTQ+ people appeared in less than 5% of TV shows popular with young people, with many portrayals using stereotypes and negative representations.
What does Gross (1991) say about media portrayals of homosexuality?
Media often symbolically annihilate gay men and lesbians by excluding them or trivializing and condemning their representation.
What does Shakespeare (1998) suggest about the perception of disability?
Disability should be seen as a social construction, created by societal attitudes rather than by the state of our bodies.
Fill in the blank: Disability refers to a physical or mental impairment which has a substantial and long-term adverse effect on a person’s ability to carry out _______.
[normal day-to-day activities]
What does Shakespeare (1998) suggest about disability?
Disability should be seen as a social construction created by societal attitudes, not by the state of our bodies.
This perspective emphasizes that social barriers influence how disability is perceived.
Define disability.
A physical or mental impairment which has a substantial and long-term adverse effect on a person’s ability to carry out normal day-to-day activities.
Disability results from the interaction between impairments and social environments.
What is an impairment?
A loss, limitation, or difference of functioning of the body or mind, either congenital or arising from injury or disease.
An impairment is distinct from disability.
How does society influence the perception of disability?
Social attitudes turn impairments into disabilities by creating discrimination against those with impairments.
This process shapes societal views on what is considered ‘normal.’
What is the media’s role in shaping perceptions of disability?
The media often represents disability through a biased lens, predominantly that of able-bodied individuals, portraying disability as a personal problem.
This can lead to stereotypes and a lack of representation for disabled people.
What percentage of impairments portrayed in the media relate to mobility, sensory impairments, disfigurement, and mental illnesses?
Over three-quarters (80 percent) of the impairments portrayed.
This statistic reflects a narrow focus on specific types of disabilities.
What does the Disability Discrimination Act (DDA) define?
It provides a legal definition of disability in the UK, but disabled individuals are under-represented in media.
As of 2020, disabled people made up just 7% of television employees.
What stereotype does Cumberbatch et al. (2014) highlight about the portrayal of disabled individuals on screen?
Disabled individuals represented just 2.5% of portrayals, often depicted in ways that relate their impairment directly to their character.
This indicates a lack of nuanced representation.
What are some prominent stereotypes of disabled individuals identified by Cumberbatch and Negrine (1992)?
- Objects of Pity
- Atmospheric Elements
- Victims of Violence
- Sinister or Evil
- Super-Cripples
- Figures of Ridicule
- Their Own Worst Enemy
- Burdens
- Non-Sexual
- Excluded from Daily Life
These stereotypes often lead to negative perceptions and misrepresentation of disabled people.
True or False: The media often portrays people with mental health conditions positively.
False. Nearly half of peak-time programmes with mental illness storylines portrayed individuals as threats.
This highlights the stigma surrounding mental health in media representations.
What positive trend was found in the 2014 content analysis by the GMG and Time to Change?
There were more positive, authentic, and sympathetic portrayals of mental illness, with fewer simplistic stereotypes.
However, negative ‘mad/bad/violent’ stereotypes still persisted.
