FEMINIST THEORY

Media Magazine Reading

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

- Pan Am

- Beyoncé 

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

- It could be argued that Pan Am and Beyoncé show sexism as they reinforce the ideas of sexism in the past. For example, they both showcase the 1950s housewife persona where at that time the women would stay home and clean and cook. Also the outfit in Pan Am is sexualised to appeal to the male gaze.

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

- Feminism – A movement aimed at defining, establishing, and defending women’s rights and equality to men.

- 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.

The Theory Drop: Gender Performativity

1) How does the writer suggest gender performativity

 is established from a young age?

- The writer argues that gender is a social construction and that it is taught to us by external influences and it’s ingrained at such a young age that we often mistake it as ‘nature’ rather than ‘nurture’.

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

- The phrase ‘non-binary’, referring to someone who doesn’t define themselves as either wholly male or female.

- Butler would argue that feminism sees men as the enemy to women so non-binary would reinforce patriarchal ideas.

   

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

- Narratives are easier for audiences to understand if the characters, subjects and storylines conform to a set of ideas that are already fixed in our heads from an early age. 

- They do this because audiences are more likely to be drawn into something they already know.

Music Video Analysis

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

- In the video Beyoncé portrays the typically gender roles that are assigned. Butler states that gender roles aren’t assigned but performed.

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

- van Zoonen may suggest that women are being presented in the traditional roles.

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

- I think Beyoncé reinforces the traditional male gaze because of the lyrics she sings and the outfits she wears and actions she makes.

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

- The man in the music video talks about how he should be on a winning team, flexing and being mean however he does this in a kind of mocking way like he doesn’t believe in this. this shows that some modern men don’t believe in the stereotypical way of how a man should act.

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

- He suggested that the representation of men being active and confident was giving way to a more emotionally aware masculinity.

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 believe that young men are still under pressure to behave a certain way because of views and opinions from the past. They are typically supposed to be tough, messy and rude but in a almost funny way sometimes where it isn’t seen as bad of them as it would be to a girl.