Sexuality and the Media Flashcards
How are the different sexualities often portrayed?
Homosexuality has recently become a dominant representation
However, gay and lesbian characters are often marginalised and seen as supporting characters
A common media represents in is to associate gay characters with feminine characteristics and lesbians with masculine characteristics
What are the 5 types/portrayals of males?
Feminine gay/male diva: teenager coming to terms with his sexuality - Louis Spence
Metrosexual: displays behaviour stereotypically associated with gays but is straight - Joey Essex
Repressed Homosexual: fears coming out, displays gay behaviour/flamboyant - Ben in Eastenders
Colourful Gay Man: feminine qualities, best friends with women, likes fashion/feelings - Alan Carr, Gok Wan
Heterosexual Man: tough, protector, often leaders
What are the 3 portrayal of females?
Butch Lesbian: masculine dress/behaviour, man in the relationship? - Ellen DeGeneres
Feminine Lesbian: concerned with feelings and love over sex, dress feminine - Santana in Glee
Heterosexual Women: sexy, feminine, emotional, housewife role - Nigella
What is Sexuality?
The sexual feelings and behaviour of a person
When applied to groups of people, ideas of social attitudes and behaviour are implied
Include homosexuality, heterosexuality and bisexuality
Name an example of a moral panic caused by the media about sexuality
Gay men were victims of a moral panic over HIV and AIDS in the 1980’s - the media referred to AIDS as the ‘gay plague’
What does Batchelor et al argue about the representations of sexuality in media that young people use?
that the mass media have an important role to play in shaping the knowledge and attitudes of young people in relation to sexuality
What did Bactelor et al’s study find in 2004?
some aspects of sexuality were represented very positively (publicising sexual health issues, consent, readiness to have sex etc)
However, some findings also suggest some limitations in the media coverage:
it was assumed by most media that young people were sexually active over the age of 16
Contraception and managing ‘how far to go’ were seen as female responsibilities
There was a lack of positive images of lesbian and gay teenagers and a lack of diversity
What did Batchelor et al find in relation to representations of homosexuality?
That being gay was not generally integrated into mainstream media representations
When it did appear, it was seen as a source of embarrassment or anxiety - or it was seen as a target for bullying
What does Dyer argue about representations of homosexuality?
The media construct stereotypical ‘signs of gayness’ - such as stances, clothing, facial expressions to ‘make visible the invisible’
What does Gerbner et al argue about representation of homosexuality?
The media participated in the symbolic annihilation of gays and lesbians by negatively stereotyping them
What does Craig suggest about the representation of homosexuality?
When gay characters are portrayed in the media, they are often stereotyped as having particular amusing or negative psychological or social characteristics:
Camp
Macho
Deviant
What does Gauntlett argue about homosexual characters?
Lesbian/gay/bisexual characters are still underrepresented, but that this is slowly changing
‘Nice’ lesbian and gay characters are now appearing in prime soaps, dramas and sitcoms
Diversity is growing, and this may increase tolerance of difference
What does Gill argue about the heterosexual portrayal of homosexuality?
Homosexual images and issues are often sanitised on TV so that they do not challenge heterosexual ideology, and do not drive away advertisers or offending audiences
Profit motivation means that networks are very careful in their portrayals of gay/lesbian actors (Will and Grace - no discussion of gay relationships, two gay male characters are portrayed as friends not lovers)
Most portrayals of gay characters are written/constructed with heterosexual audience in mind so offer little to challenge existing heterosexist structures in socety
What does the Commercial Closet (2004) argue about advertising and representation of gay people?
The visibility of gays and lesbians in advertising is a sign of social acceptance
Some argue that advertisers are trying to access an untapped market - ‘the pink pound’ (Ikea in 1994 showed an advert where two gay men were shopping for furniture)
What do critics of mass media representations of homosexuality argue?
That after many years of political struggle, gay and lesbian rights have been reduced to increase consumer choice. Whilst there has been an increase in the number of positive representations of gay men and lesbians in commercial, films and TV - there is still a long way to go before social and political equality is achieved in the mass media or in wider society
