Representation of Femininity In WaterAid

Question 1

What actions in the WaterAid advert challenge gender stereotypes?

Answer 1

• The iconography of the girls carrying the heavy buckets on their heads, shows women as hardworking, strong, it’s not men who are doing the heavy lifting. Normally, women are represented in the media as weaker than men and not very physically strong.
• This is also presenting girls in non-traditional roles, acting as providers.

Question 2

What aspects of the advert reinforce gender stereotypes??

Answer 2

• The costuming of the girls, Claudia is wearing pink, which has strong connotations to stereotypical femininity and ‘girlyness’, also the majority of the girls are wearing skirts, which also connote to the same ideas.
• The girls are seen collecting water, which although challenging gender stereotypes by presenting them as providers and strong, is also seen in the cultural context of the ad being in Africa, as a domestic chore, which is reinforcing gender stereotypes of women doing the domestic chores, whilst the men are using tools for their work/ chores (the men seen farming with the large crop knives).

Question 3

What does the advert say about the older women towards younger girls?

Answer 3

• There are women seen caring for children, which reinforces stereotypical representations of women being the primary care giver to kids and women being motherly, maternal and caring.

Question 4

How is Claudia shown as the protagonist? And how does this challenge gender stereotypes?

Answer 4

There are lots of close-up shots and central framing, which represents Claudia as the protagonist.

She is challenging female stereotypes by assuming the role of the protagonist. As in the past, female characters, especially young, have been seen as side and supporting characters.