Feminist and gender theory

 

Read Playing With The Past: Post-feminism and the Media (MM40, page 64 - our Media Magazine archive is here). This is a great example of sophisticated media analysis and an indication of the level we want to be writing at by the end of the two-year course.

1) What examples are provided from the two texts of the 'male gaze' (Mulvey)?

Pan Am set in the early Sixties focusing on the lives of pilots and stewardesses working for the Pan American World Airline.

Beyonce ‘Why Don’t you Love Me’ Beyoncé parodies the stereotype of the 1950s housewife, clearly intertextually referencing the iconic 1950s pin up girl Betty Paige by taking on the persona of B.B

Homemaker, a frustrated housewife.

2) Do texts such as these show there is no longer a need for feminism or are they simply sexism in a different form?

There is definitely a need for feminism and both the media  texts do address sexism. It might seem that Beyonce is inviting sexism but she is inviting the male gaze and controlling it almost mocking it in a way.

3) Choose three words/phrases from the glossary of the article and write their definitions on your blog.

Post-feminism – An ideology in culture and society that society is somehow past needing feminism and that the attitudes and arguments of feminism are no longer needed.

Third wave feminism – Was a movement that redefined and encouraged women to be dominant and sexually assertive.

Nostalgia – A sentimental longing for the past, often only remembering the positives of the time.

Now read The Theory Drop: Gender Performativity (MM69, page 25) and answer the following questions.

1) How does the writer suggest gender performativity is established from a young age?

From a young age children align themselves to their gender norms for example children's clothing will have different slogans and catchphrases on them depending on if they are for girls or boys. The boys t shirts will have slogans that encourage them to play and be disruptive and loud whereas the girls t shirts will encourage them to be loving and passive.

2) What does the phrase 'non-binary' refer to and how does it link to Butler's theory?

non binary is someone who does not identify as a male of female

Butler believed that gender is a performance and put onto someone

3) How and why does the media help reinforce gender stereotypes? The writer provides several examples in the final section of the article.

the mainstream media relies on gender stereotypes for their narrative or to tell you about a character without going into detail about them.

Music video analysis

Finally, write up our analysis of the two music videos we studied in class. This is your opportunity to develop your own opinions on these crucial media debates. If you're not sure on any of these theories, look at the theory notes above to help you.

Watch the Beyonce video for ‘Why Don’t You Love Me?’: 

1) How might this video contribute to Butler’s idea that gender roles are a ‘performance’?

Beyonce is very oversexualised and wearing revealing clothes appealing to the male gaze

2) What might van Zoonen suggest regarding the representation of women in this video?

Van Zoonen argues that women are usually: objectified, restricted to secondary roles, passive, framed differently and promoting western standards of beauty.

In parts of the video Beyonce fits all of these categories but she is aware of it and is controlling how she is presented

3) What are YOUR views on this debate – does Beyonce empower women or reinforce the traditional ‘male gaze’ and oppression of women? 

Whilst some people may say that she is not setting the right example to her mostly female fanbase because of the video, I think that she is empowering women by having some control over what is being seen because regardless of what she posts she will still be objectified, I think she is encouraging feminism and the need for it rather than opposing it.

Watch Will Jay's video for ‘Gangsta’:


1) How does the video suggest representations of masculinity have changed in recent years?

The music video along with the lyrics subverts the traditional values of masculinity and clearly opposes them. It shows how the representations of masculinity are changing and becoming less harmful.

2) What does David Gauntlett suggest about representations of men in the media over the last 20 years?

He sees masculinity as evolving as society and culture changes rather than it being in crisis

3) What is YOUR view on the representation of men and masculinity? Are young men still under pressure from the media to act or behave in a certain way?

I think that men are definitely taught to behave or look a certain way by the media and also by other people in general. I think it is engrained from a young age and that boys a raised differently to be more 'masculine'. I think that it has changed slightly overtime in the media but still has the same messages like being providers or not being emotional. This is being challenged a lot more now however I don't think it is being challenged enough to change peoples minds.