feminist

 Feminist theory: blog tasks

Create a blogpost called 'Feminist theory - blog tasks' and complete the following tasks on your blog:

Media Magazine reading - two articles on feminism and 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.
Music video analysis

 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.

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.

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.

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

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

That gender is a performance rather than a biological thing that people are born with. With Beyonce's video it is shown by her wearing 1950's feminine clothing. 

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

Fixing car; failing, cleaning, 1950s housewife. This represents the stereotypical representations of women, that feminists are trying to reverse.

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

Although Beyonce did point out that there is some humor behind this music video, she's still reinforcing the traditional male gaze, with her outfits, actions, and usage of heavy make up that gives nostalgia back to some people that lived in the 1950s.

Watch Will Jay's video for ‘Gangsta’ again:

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

This music video agrees with bell hooks fact that ending sexism and oppressionisn't just a fashionable lifestyle choice, but rather a serious political commitment. And this video is trying to change the stereotypical views about men.

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

That the explosion in media consumption in the 1980s and 90s gave audiences a chance to actively construct their identities and possibly move away from traditional stereotypes .

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 do believe that men are under constant pressure from the media to act and look a certain way, for example; being physically strong, and unemotional.