Negative Representations of Women Flashcards
Who states what women are symbolically annihilated in the media?
Tuchman
What are Tuchman’s examples of how women are symbolically annihilated in the media?
- Narrow range of social roles
- Rarely in high-status occupational roles
- Disproportionate amount of screen time focused on love lives
- Especially found in domestic settings (e.g. busy housewives)
If women are portrayed in a high-status occupational role, what does Tuchman argue they’re also portrayed as?
To be unfulfilled/ unattractive / unstable/ have problems with relationships.
What does Newbold argue?
Research into sport presentation:
• little coverage of women
• sexualised, trivialises and devalues their accomplishments
What do Duncan and Messer argue about women’s representation in sport?
Men described as ‘gutsy’ ‘aggressive’
Women ‘vulnerable’ ‘fatigued’
Viewed through male gaze - commentators describe what they wear instead of technical aspects of the work.
What did Ferguson argue that magazines were like?
Apprentice manuals to teach women domestic skills.
In what ways are magazines were like apprentice manuals to teach women domestic skills (Ferguson)?
- Cult of femininity
- Promotes a body ideal
- Ads targeted for variety of ‘women’s issues’ (domestic/ beauty products)
- ‘Ideal woman’ - cares for husband and kids
What is a cult of femininity?
Representations based on trad stereotypical values
What does McRobbie argue about magazines like ‘Jackie’?
They encourage girls to see romance and marriage as primary goals
and to value themselves only in terms of how they’re valued to boys.
Who said that ads reflected an ‘unacceptable face of sexism’, explain what this means?
Cumberbatch
bc they contribute to patriarchal ideas that women exist in what’s essentially a man’s world
What do Postmodernists argue about magazines today?
They’re more diverse in their representations of women
What does Mulvey argue about films?
- Show women as sexual objects that only exist to be enjoyed by men
- Objectified characters, humanity and autonomy removed
- Women find themselves gazing at other women in the same way a man would
What are the further issues with women gazing at other women the same way a man would (Mulvey)?
Women end up unwittingly reproducing hegemonic patriarchal behaviours
Which conflicting messages do magazines present according to Ballister?
encourage women to behave radically in sexuality and careers
but conform to trad feminine ideals of appearance
marriage and kids still the ultimate goal
