zoella - representation Flashcards
femininity and gender roles
Zoella’s use of heavy make-up reinforces conventional beauty ideal, suggesting that femininity is achieved through a specific aesthetic look – this ‘look’ is very mainstream in its application of the universal beauty myth and only really corresponds to the expectations of prettiness to standard conventional culture (not unique to different cultures and / or sub-cultures; ie Goths, Emos, etc
Reinforced with (often) revealing clothing and promoting the kinds of body image which is often criticised for encouraging eating disorders, Zoella’s overall aesthetic can position her as sexualized / objectified. This is further reinforced through photo-shoots and cover-shoots for more adult lifestyle magazines like Glamour and Cosmopolitan
what do zoe and alfie represent in relation to gender?
Zoe and Alfie, represent a conventional gender binary – a carefully controlled expression of a traditional male / female relationship
This is even mirrored in the manner in which they speak – Zoella often squeals with delight, giggles at Alfie’s ‘boyish charms’, and approaches situations with a wide – eyed hyperbolic exaggeration; whereas Alfie is often fairly laid back, nonchalant and ambivalent
Even the content of their conversations carry connotations of their gender expectations, with Zoella more focused on how her possessions look, than anything else
how does zoella reflect traditional gender roles?
most vlogs clearly position Zoella in a domestic role. She refers to the needs of her Christmas party preparations as something that both her and Alfie need to be engaged in, but continuously repositions this earlier appeal by suggesting that she will be the one who executes those preparation
Her desire to emulate Alfie’s mum, Amanda, also reinforces a version of femininity that ideologically positions women as homemakers
femininity and domesticity continued
Zoella is seen as disciplined, tidy and responsible for the aesthetic look of the home she shares with Alfie. Alfie is often positioned as lazy and uncaring about aspects of his appearance
Zoella is very much positioned throughout these videos as cooking, cleaning and being responsible for other domestic chores around the mise-en-scene, as an expectation
