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In 1970s action-adventure shows, only 15 per cent of the leading characters were women[1].
‘Media, Gender & Identity : An introduction’ David Gauntlett, (2002), pp 43
Arguably however women within the superhero genre were not actually women but a sexual fantasy projection[2]
‘Strips, Toons, and bluesies’ D.B. Dowd Todd Hignite, (2006), pp 71
The women playing the roles of characters within the series were identified as ‘the Bond girls’[12],
http://www.007.info/Girls.asp
The male gaze projects its fantasy on to the female figure, while in their traditional exhibitionist role women are both displayed and, as it were, coded to connote “to-be-looked-at-ness”.[14]
‘Literary Theory and Criticism: An Oxford Guide’ Patricia Waugh, (2006), pp 510
. ....and women being displayed for the gaze and enjoyment of men, the active controllers of the look, always threatens to evoke the anxiety it originally signified[25]
Photography: A critical introduction’ Liz Wells, (2004), pp 172
Thursday, 27 November 2008
Need to Read...i got this from a blog 4rm last year
Film Theory An Introduction (1999) by Robert Stam. It examines issues common to both subjects such as realism, narration, point of view, style, semiotics, Feminism and The Feminist Intervention and multiculturalism. It also includes coverage of theorists common to both, Barthes, Lacan and Bakhtin among others such as Laura Mulvey and theories such as the Male Gaze.
Feminist Theorists (1983) by Dale Spender. The book focuses on theory and theorists around the 80's and even back to the late 1600's E.g. Mary Astell. This will aid my study as this book focuses on the historical side of SHEP.
Race and Gender (1985) by Madeleine Arno.The book outlines the representations of women as well as racial issues, additionally it contains theories. The book is the contains in depth on these to key social issues in society; covering one aspect of SHEP.
Media Studies: The Essential Introduction (2001) by Phillip Rayner, Peter Wall and Stephen. Explains the media concepts, cultural terms and theoretical perspectives. The book offers deeper insights to representation and gender also it looks in more depth with media theories and debates.
Ross, Mandy (2002): The Changing Role of Women. Great Britain: Heinemann Library.This book is useful as it explores a number of things such as how the roles of women have changed through the decades, the extent to which men and women are considered equals, how Women fought for the vote, Women in politics, domestic life of women, marriage, motherhood and divorce, women’s rights in the 21st century, how fashion gave a sense of liberation to women etc.
Bryson, Valerie (1999): Feminist Debates. Hong Kong: Macmillan Press LTD.This book is based on feminist debates and theories in this day and age. It mentions issues such as women in western societies, the changing structure of the family, male violence against women, the political representation of women, the way society challenges gender inequalities, the start of feminism etc.
Spectacular bodies: gender, genre and the action cinema By Yvonne Tasker(1993)This book talks about the representation of gender rather then sex, as Brigitte neilson, is a tall butch like female but her feminine features such as her breasts are enhanced naturally gives her a sexual fantasy look and has worked in Beverley hill cops. It also talks about how her real life is misrepresented and how men fear her because of her shape and size.
Knowing Women Feminism and Knowledge by Helen Crowley and Susan Himmelweit (1992) This book explores some of the new developments in the Feminist theory, it also refers back to the status of women as both subjects and objects of knowledge. This book is very debative and also talks about women’s and gender, and how we perceive them. This book will be very beneficial to me as in my Independent study one of the main are that I am looking at is gender, and how women are portrayed as being subordinate to men. This book has got same excellent information about, subordination, patriarchy and dominance.
Feminist Theorists (1983) by Dale Spender. The book focuses on theory and theorists around the 80's and even back to the late 1600's E.g. Mary Astell. This will aid my study as this book focuses on the historical side of SHEP.
Race and Gender (1985) by Madeleine Arno.The book outlines the representations of women as well as racial issues, additionally it contains theories. The book is the contains in depth on these to key social issues in society; covering one aspect of SHEP.
Media Studies: The Essential Introduction (2001) by Phillip Rayner, Peter Wall and Stephen. Explains the media concepts, cultural terms and theoretical perspectives. The book offers deeper insights to representation and gender also it looks in more depth with media theories and debates.
Ross, Mandy (2002): The Changing Role of Women. Great Britain: Heinemann Library.This book is useful as it explores a number of things such as how the roles of women have changed through the decades, the extent to which men and women are considered equals, how Women fought for the vote, Women in politics, domestic life of women, marriage, motherhood and divorce, women’s rights in the 21st century, how fashion gave a sense of liberation to women etc.
Bryson, Valerie (1999): Feminist Debates. Hong Kong: Macmillan Press LTD.This book is based on feminist debates and theories in this day and age. It mentions issues such as women in western societies, the changing structure of the family, male violence against women, the political representation of women, the way society challenges gender inequalities, the start of feminism etc.
Spectacular bodies: gender, genre and the action cinema By Yvonne Tasker(1993)This book talks about the representation of gender rather then sex, as Brigitte neilson, is a tall butch like female but her feminine features such as her breasts are enhanced naturally gives her a sexual fantasy look and has worked in Beverley hill cops. It also talks about how her real life is misrepresented and how men fear her because of her shape and size.
Knowing Women Feminism and Knowledge by Helen Crowley and Susan Himmelweit (1992) This book explores some of the new developments in the Feminist theory, it also refers back to the status of women as both subjects and objects of knowledge. This book is very debative and also talks about women’s and gender, and how we perceive them. This book will be very beneficial to me as in my Independent study one of the main are that I am looking at is gender, and how women are portrayed as being subordinate to men. This book has got same excellent information about, subordination, patriarchy and dominance.
Gauntlett: Chapter Three: Representations of gender in the past
“Gaunter (1995) and Elasmar et al. (1999)..“In the 1950s, 1960s and 1970s, only 20 to 35 per cent of characters were females. By the mid- 1980s, there were more women in leading roles, but still there were twice as many men on screen”-pge 43 “Gaunter goes on to show how studies in the 1970s consistently found that marriage, parenthood and domesticity were shown on television to be more important for women than men (1995: 13-14).”-pg 43
-On TV, the female was shown as a married woman
-Female characters were unlikely to work
-“Overall, men were more likely to be assertive (or aggressive), whilst women were more likely to be passive. Men were much more likely to be adventurous, active and victorious, whereas women were more frequently shown as weak, ineffectual, victimised, supportive, laughable, or ‘merely token females’ (Gunter, 1995)”.
Gauntlett, pg43
-“The films almost always focused on male heroes. These men typically made the decisions which led the story, and were assertive, confident and dominant. Women had important roles in many films but were far more likely than men te be shown as frightened, in need of protection and direction, and offering love and support to the male charcerter(s)”.
Pg 46
-Some like it hot- starring Marilyn Monroe challenged the male to female role
-In the 60s “all women characters were shown as inept, or were always cast as housewives”.
Pg46
-“In the 1970s, Leia in the decade’s to hit Star Wars (1977) was pretty good at shooting stormtroopers, but she was also the prized princess that the heroic boys had to rescue, and win the heart of”.
Pg46
-Ripley in Alien (1979) superior female
-Victim films- The godfather (1972), The sting (1973), The Exorcist (1973), Jaws (1975), Superman (1978) all!
- “The role of a woman in a film almost always revolves around her physical attraction and the mating games she plays with the male characters”.
(1972: 13)
Smith, Sharon (1972) ‘The image of women in film: some suggestions for future research’, Women and Film, 1, 13-21.
-“In Hollywood films, then, women are untimely refused a voice, a discourse, and their desire is subjected to male desire”.
(1983: 7-8)
Kaplan, E. Ann (1983) Women and film: Both sides of the Camera, London: Methuen
-“…we are likely to be portrayed as powerless and ineffectual”.
“The image of women that emerges from this big, pretty magazine is young and frivolous, almost childlike; fluffy and feminine; passive; gaily content in a world of bedroom and kitchen, sex, babies, and home. The magazine surely does not leave out sex; the only goal a woman is permitted is the pursuit of a man.”
Freidan, Betty: The Feminine Mystique (1963:32)
“From the 1940s to Freidan’s present (the 1960s), women’s magazines had focused on this feminine, home – bound image”
Gauntlett, David: Media, Gender and Identity (2002:50) Routledge
The 50’s promotion of Occupation housewife
1960s change- woman’s liberation
Tuchman (1978) “The symbolic annihilation”
-On TV, the female was shown as a married woman
-Female characters were unlikely to work
-“Overall, men were more likely to be assertive (or aggressive), whilst women were more likely to be passive. Men were much more likely to be adventurous, active and victorious, whereas women were more frequently shown as weak, ineffectual, victimised, supportive, laughable, or ‘merely token females’ (Gunter, 1995)”.
Gauntlett, pg43
-“The films almost always focused on male heroes. These men typically made the decisions which led the story, and were assertive, confident and dominant. Women had important roles in many films but were far more likely than men te be shown as frightened, in need of protection and direction, and offering love and support to the male charcerter(s)”.
Pg 46
-Some like it hot- starring Marilyn Monroe challenged the male to female role
-In the 60s “all women characters were shown as inept, or were always cast as housewives”.
Pg46
-“In the 1970s, Leia in the decade’s to hit Star Wars (1977) was pretty good at shooting stormtroopers, but she was also the prized princess that the heroic boys had to rescue, and win the heart of”.
Pg46
-Ripley in Alien (1979) superior female
-Victim films- The godfather (1972), The sting (1973), The Exorcist (1973), Jaws (1975), Superman (1978) all!
- “The role of a woman in a film almost always revolves around her physical attraction and the mating games she plays with the male characters”.
(1972: 13)
Smith, Sharon (1972) ‘The image of women in film: some suggestions for future research’, Women and Film, 1, 13-21.
-“In Hollywood films, then, women are untimely refused a voice, a discourse, and their desire is subjected to male desire”.
(1983: 7-8)
Kaplan, E. Ann (1983) Women and film: Both sides of the Camera, London: Methuen
-“…we are likely to be portrayed as powerless and ineffectual”.
“The image of women that emerges from this big, pretty magazine is young and frivolous, almost childlike; fluffy and feminine; passive; gaily content in a world of bedroom and kitchen, sex, babies, and home. The magazine surely does not leave out sex; the only goal a woman is permitted is the pursuit of a man.”
Freidan, Betty: The Feminine Mystique (1963:32)
“From the 1940s to Freidan’s present (the 1960s), women’s magazines had focused on this feminine, home – bound image”
Gauntlett, David: Media, Gender and Identity (2002:50) Routledge
The 50’s promotion of Occupation housewife
1960s change- woman’s liberation
Tuchman (1978) “The symbolic annihilation”
Gauntlett: Chapter Two- Some Background debates
-Theodor Adorno (1903-1969) and many others returned to Germany. “Their apathy towards the mass media will likely have been increased by the observation that Hitler had apparently been able to use the media organisations as a tool for widespread propaganda”.
(pg20)
-Adorno suggests many teen rebellions, are just any normal consumers.
-“…Fiske says there us an ‘overspill’ of meanings (ibid.:70), so that most texts contain the ‘preferred’ meaning - the one intended by its producers – but also offer possibilities for consumers to create their own alternative or resistant readings. Indeed, Fiske says that people are not merely consumers of texts – the audience rejects this role ‘and becomes a producer, a producer of meanings and pleasures’ (1989c: 59)”.
(pg24)
-Fiske says that Modonna is:
“contains the patriarchal meanings of feminine sexuality, and the resisting ones that her sexuality is hers to use as she wishes in ways that do not require masculine approval.” (1989a: 124)
(pg25)
-“In a world ordered by sexual imbalance, pleasure in looking has been split between active/male and passive/female. The determining male gaze projects its phantansy onto the female figure, which is styled accordingly. In their traditional exhibitions role women are simultaneously looked at and displayed, with their appearance coded for strong visual and erotic impact so that they can be said to connote to-be-lookes-at-ness.”
From- Laura Mulveys article ‘Visual Pleasure and narrative cinema’ in 1975 (reproduced in Hollows et al., 2000)
(Pg 38)
-‘The female character has no importance in a film, Mulvey says, except as a ‘spectacle’, the erotic object of both male charcters and the cinema spectators; her role is to drive the hero to act the way he does”(Page 38)
-“Male viewers identify with the (male) protagonist, and the female characters are the subject of their desiring gaze. Female viewers, Mulvey says, are also compelled to take the viewpoint of the central (male) character, so that women are denied a viewpoint of their own and instead participate in the pleasure of men looking at women”. (pg38)
-‘Men looking at women; women watch themselves being looked at’, as John Berger had put it (1972: 47).
Berger, John (1972) Ways of seeing, London: Penguin
-“…female characters are passive erotic objects”. Pg39
-Mulveys argument denies heterosexual female gaze altogether. The audience – male and female is positioned so that they admire the male lead for his actions and adopt his romantic/erotic view of women.
(pg20)
-Adorno suggests many teen rebellions, are just any normal consumers.
-“…Fiske says there us an ‘overspill’ of meanings (ibid.:70), so that most texts contain the ‘preferred’ meaning - the one intended by its producers – but also offer possibilities for consumers to create their own alternative or resistant readings. Indeed, Fiske says that people are not merely consumers of texts – the audience rejects this role ‘and becomes a producer, a producer of meanings and pleasures’ (1989c: 59)”.
(pg24)
-Fiske says that Modonna is:
“contains the patriarchal meanings of feminine sexuality, and the resisting ones that her sexuality is hers to use as she wishes in ways that do not require masculine approval.” (1989a: 124)
(pg25)
-“In a world ordered by sexual imbalance, pleasure in looking has been split between active/male and passive/female. The determining male gaze projects its phantansy onto the female figure, which is styled accordingly. In their traditional exhibitions role women are simultaneously looked at and displayed, with their appearance coded for strong visual and erotic impact so that they can be said to connote to-be-lookes-at-ness.”
From- Laura Mulveys article ‘Visual Pleasure and narrative cinema’ in 1975 (reproduced in Hollows et al., 2000)
(Pg 38)
-‘The female character has no importance in a film, Mulvey says, except as a ‘spectacle’, the erotic object of both male charcters and the cinema spectators; her role is to drive the hero to act the way he does”(Page 38)
-“Male viewers identify with the (male) protagonist, and the female characters are the subject of their desiring gaze. Female viewers, Mulvey says, are also compelled to take the viewpoint of the central (male) character, so that women are denied a viewpoint of their own and instead participate in the pleasure of men looking at women”. (pg38)
-‘Men looking at women; women watch themselves being looked at’, as John Berger had put it (1972: 47).
Berger, John (1972) Ways of seeing, London: Penguin
-“…female characters are passive erotic objects”. Pg39
-Mulveys argument denies heterosexual female gaze altogether. The audience – male and female is positioned so that they admire the male lead for his actions and adopt his romantic/erotic view of women.
Gauntlett: Chapter One- Introduction
-“magazines aimed at women, and increasingly those for men, contain all kinds of advice on how to live, look and interact”.
(page2)
-“Even with more marriage the changes have been profound as more and more women have entered the labour force and gender roles have become more homogenous between husbands and wives”.
(Smith, Tom W. (1999) ‘Marriage wanes as American families enter new century’, National Opinion Research Centre at the University of Chicago
(page3)
-‘The UK’s National Centre for Social Research (2000) reported that their annual survey of social attitudes had found that: “The traditional view of women as dedicated ‘housewives’ seems to be all but extinct. Only around one in six women, and one in five men [mostly older people], think women should remain at home while men go out to work”.
(page4)
-“At school, for example, studies have suggested that British girls with non-traditional career aspirations are let down by their teachers and career advisors, who still shuttle girls ‘into “feminine” jobs such as supermarket sales for work experience’ (Apter, 2000).”
(Apter, Terri (2000) ‘Bland Ambition’, Guardian, 6 April)
(page2)
-“Even with more marriage the changes have been profound as more and more women have entered the labour force and gender roles have become more homogenous between husbands and wives”.
(Smith, Tom W. (1999) ‘Marriage wanes as American families enter new century’, National Opinion Research Centre at the University of Chicago
(page3)
-‘The UK’s National Centre for Social Research (2000) reported that their annual survey of social attitudes had found that: “The traditional view of women as dedicated ‘housewives’ seems to be all but extinct. Only around one in six women, and one in five men [mostly older people], think women should remain at home while men go out to work”.
(page4)
-“At school, for example, studies have suggested that British girls with non-traditional career aspirations are let down by their teachers and career advisors, who still shuttle girls ‘into “feminine” jobs such as supermarket sales for work experience’ (Apter, 2000).”
(Apter, Terri (2000) ‘Bland Ambition’, Guardian, 6 April)
Tuesday, 18 November 2008
Hegemonic or Pluralistic?
The HEGEMONIC MODEL:
.A hegemony is a system where one group is dominated by another. The dominating group achieves its domination by ‘winning’ popular consent through everyday cultural life.
In media studies terms, this model works by achieving dominance through media representations of the world. The media ‘tell us’ what to think, what to believe and how our world ‘should be’.
This works through ideology – a set of ideas which gives a partial or selective view of reality. For example, the ‘powerful’ rule over the ‘poor’ by promoting the idea (the ideology) of privilege and wealth belonging exclusively to a select group of people.There is an argument that all belief systems or world views are ideological. Beliefs become ‘truthful’ or ‘natural’ and this leads to power inequalities.The media can circulate or reinforce ideologies OR it can undermine and challenge them
Ideologies are MYTHIC, i.e. they seem to be ‘natural’ or ‘common sense’ but they aren’t! You can talk about an ‘ideological myth’, or just a ‘mythic idea’.The way myths work is through SYMBOLIC CODES.Advertising, in particular, draws very heavily on myth in terms of the ‘magical power’ of products.
The PLURALIST MODEL:
Predictably enough, the pluralist idea is the exact opposite of a hegemonic one. A pluralist model argues that there is diversity in society (everyone is different) and therefore there is also choice (we can choose what to believe and what not to believe.)
So in media terms, because the audience (society) is diverse, with different points of view, the media is influenced by society. Because the media need to please the audience they will try to reflect the values and beliefs that are predominant in society. In other words, they give us what we say we want rather than telling us what to think and believe, in order to make us stay ‘in our place’.
- I believe in both models, as they have different views and arguments, however I would have to say I am an active audience, therefore I believe more in the pluralistic model.
.A hegemony is a system where one group is dominated by another. The dominating group achieves its domination by ‘winning’ popular consent through everyday cultural life.
In media studies terms, this model works by achieving dominance through media representations of the world. The media ‘tell us’ what to think, what to believe and how our world ‘should be’.
This works through ideology – a set of ideas which gives a partial or selective view of reality. For example, the ‘powerful’ rule over the ‘poor’ by promoting the idea (the ideology) of privilege and wealth belonging exclusively to a select group of people.There is an argument that all belief systems or world views are ideological. Beliefs become ‘truthful’ or ‘natural’ and this leads to power inequalities.The media can circulate or reinforce ideologies OR it can undermine and challenge them
Ideologies are MYTHIC, i.e. they seem to be ‘natural’ or ‘common sense’ but they aren’t! You can talk about an ‘ideological myth’, or just a ‘mythic idea’.The way myths work is through SYMBOLIC CODES.Advertising, in particular, draws very heavily on myth in terms of the ‘magical power’ of products.
The PLURALIST MODEL:
Predictably enough, the pluralist idea is the exact opposite of a hegemonic one. A pluralist model argues that there is diversity in society (everyone is different) and therefore there is also choice (we can choose what to believe and what not to believe.)
So in media terms, because the audience (society) is diverse, with different points of view, the media is influenced by society. Because the media need to please the audience they will try to reflect the values and beliefs that are predominant in society. In other words, they give us what we say we want rather than telling us what to think and believe, in order to make us stay ‘in our place’.
- I believe in both models, as they have different views and arguments, however I would have to say I am an active audience, therefore I believe more in the pluralistic model.
Monday, 17 November 2008
How are women represented in mens lifestye mags?....[handout]
What I learnt:
During the nineties, censorship decreased; which allowed the media to target a new audience- males
The representation of women has changed, through the magazines. They promote sexist attitudes, and degrades women
Magazines such as loaded and FHM stereotype their audience as ‘lads’ referring to men aged 15-25. Who are modern and fashionable young men who are not afraid to admit they enjoy porn, women, sex, heavy drinking and sports.
There are two main magazines- FHM and Playboy. The other magazines follow the conventions of Playboy, in which are women are depicted as objects for mens contemplation and enjoyment.
Photographic images which make up the majority of the content of all three magazines loaded, fhm and playboy , depict and represent women as the prototypical object of sexual desire, presenting the idea that a womans purpose is to look appealing and attractive to a watching male population.
Magazine covers, feature women on the front cover scantily dressed or even naked as their sales lure. The female is positioned in a way, dressed in an attractive and appealing colour to target the audience.
The front cover is the main selling point, the cover shot has to be perfect in order to sell!
The representation of women as traditionally beautiful female, who attractive, thin, and well groomed also explicitly can introduce the size zero debate.
-relates to the hypodermic needle theory
The uses and gratifications theory suggests that men’s lifestyle mags make men view women as sexual objects for their own gratification- voyeurism
Sexism a key issue is debated
To get a good grade:
Competent knowledge and understanding of key concepts
Genre
Representation
Ideology/values
Audience
Textual analysisWider research
During the nineties, censorship decreased; which allowed the media to target a new audience- males
The representation of women has changed, through the magazines. They promote sexist attitudes, and degrades women
Magazines such as loaded and FHM stereotype their audience as ‘lads’ referring to men aged 15-25. Who are modern and fashionable young men who are not afraid to admit they enjoy porn, women, sex, heavy drinking and sports.
There are two main magazines- FHM and Playboy. The other magazines follow the conventions of Playboy, in which are women are depicted as objects for mens contemplation and enjoyment.
Photographic images which make up the majority of the content of all three magazines loaded, fhm and playboy , depict and represent women as the prototypical object of sexual desire, presenting the idea that a womans purpose is to look appealing and attractive to a watching male population.
Magazine covers, feature women on the front cover scantily dressed or even naked as their sales lure. The female is positioned in a way, dressed in an attractive and appealing colour to target the audience.
The front cover is the main selling point, the cover shot has to be perfect in order to sell!
The representation of women as traditionally beautiful female, who attractive, thin, and well groomed also explicitly can introduce the size zero debate.
-relates to the hypodermic needle theory
The uses and gratifications theory suggests that men’s lifestyle mags make men view women as sexual objects for their own gratification- voyeurism
Sexism a key issue is debated
To get a good grade:
Competent knowledge and understanding of key concepts
Genre
Representation
Ideology/values
Audience
Textual analysisWider research
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