MIGRAIN: Feminist theory blog tasks

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 and Beyoncé. Pan Am can be seen as sexualising female flight attendants as things to be ogled, and Beyoncé objectifies herself while hiding behind an ironic commentary despite perpetuating the male gaze.

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

I believe this is simply sexism in a different form. Beyonce seems to utilise the male gaze and objectification of women in her music video "Why don't you love me" in order to create a somewhat ironic commentary on a woman's role in the 1950s. Supposedly, Beyonce is empowering herself by parodying the sexualisation of women in music videos, however the point is lost when she has to objectify herself and plead about how her man doesn't love her in order to do so. Although she may be attempting to control the male gaze and empower herself in the video, it just seems to do the opposite and is very counter-productive.

Pan Am, while still being subject to the male gaze, has the women use their appearances to empower themselves. It's aware of feminism and acknowledges the sexism women experience, as well as allowing the women to use their bodies and appearance to their personal advantage. Although neither of the texts show there is no longer a need for feminism, Pan Am could be interpreted as criticising the objectification of women as humiliating and wrong.

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.

Male Gaze – The gaze referring to Laura

Mulvey’s seminal article ‘Visual Pleasure and

Narrative Cinema’ which argues that main

stream Hollywood films subject female

characters to the ‘male gaze’ of the camera,

fragmenting and objectifying their bodies.

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?

An example is clothing marketed for young boys and girls pushing messages of girls being pleasant and passive and boys being aggressive and roguish.

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

Non-binary refers to any gender identities that are outside the traditional gender binary of male or female. This links to Butler's theory that gender is a performance as it suggests that gender goes beyond the traditional two sexes and is actually what you present as.

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

The media helps to reinforce gender roles by conforming to stereotypes repeatedly, such as men being above women. It is done mostly as a shortcut to create meaning quickly in narrative.

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.

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’?

Beyonce is putting on the role of a traditional housewife in this music video, exaggerating the stereotypes of women while doing so. Her performance for this video is ironic, as Beyonce is seemingly parodying the dependence that is expected from women, however it nonetheless presents the stereotype of a housewife.

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

Van Zoonen believes that societal views are influenced by the media portraying stereotypes of women. She may argue that the video oppresses women and submits to the patriarchy as Beyonce purposefully adheres to the male gaze.

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

Repeating what I said previously, Beyonce is supposedly empowering herself by parodying the sexualisation of women in music videos, however the point is lost when she has to objectify herself  to the male gaze and plead about how her man doesn't love her in order to do so. Although she may be attempting to control the male gaze and empower herself in the video, it just seems to do the opposite and is very counter-productive.

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

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

The music video suggest that there's still a stigma against being "un-masculine" and that there's pressure to fit the mould of a "gangsta", such as the lyrics "No emotions, don't talk with your hands" and "your mannerisms should be more like a man's." The artist directly opposes the status quo by saying he "doesn't need to be a gangsta to be a man" showing that, in recent years, some men have become more comfortable to present themselves as not completely masculine. Despite this, the entire premise of the song shows that there is still pressure for men to fit the societal mould of what a man should be.

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

He suggests that representations of masculinity have changed over the years, using men's lifestyle magazines as an example: They are becoming less focused on being hyper-masculine and fitting into the mould of emotionless males. He disagreed with the common view that masculinity is in a 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 definitely believe there is still pressure from the media, however there continues to be growth in how gender in general is represented. 

MIGRAIN: January assessment learner response

1) Type up your feedback in full (you don't need to write the mark and grade if you want to keep this confidential).

WWW: This is a superb assessment from beginning to end... there is absolutely no doubt you should be looking for an A* next year. This was a joy to read! The most important aspect is the way you engage with debates, evaluate theory and really examine the difficult sides of the question.

EBI: In Q4, you could have discussed regulation (as a way to protect audiences) or perhaps moral panic or technopanics. To be picky, you could perhaps have included a couple more examples - although this will be easier when we have studies CSPs.

Also in Q4, think about your organisation and paragraphing.

2) Read the mark scheme for this assessment carefully. Identify at least one potential point that you missed out on for each question in the assessment.

1) Union Jack reflects Stormzy's stab proof vest he wore at Glastonbury.
2) Full marks, but could use bullet points in future to save time.
3) Argument for: Ad-free entertainment and news resource. It prioritises public benefit over commercial interests.
4) Moral panic (Cohen) could be used to argue that the media does not have a damaging effect on audiences – it is just a convenient scapegoat to blame for issues in society. E.g. poverty, violence, gun crime etc.

3) On a scale of 1-10 (1 = low, 10 = high), how much revision and preparation did you do for this assessment? You may also want to think here whether you had completed all the original blog tasks from last term before doing the assessment.

4?

4) Look at your answer for Question 2. Did you manage to write about three different strategies and three different benefits? It's vital you read the question and follow it exactly.

Yes

5) Look at your answer for Question 3. Did you follow the question guidance and write about both the BBC and commercial broadcasters? What could you have added to this answer to reach a higher mark?

I could have talked more about other commercial broadcasters specifically such as Channel 4. It's robin-hood model of crossfunding allows for more ambitious and innovative products to be produced as it reinvests all profits back into programming.

6) Now look over your mark, teacher comments and the mark scheme for Question 4 - the 20 mark essay question on media effects theory. Write a new paragraph for this question based on the suggested theories/answers in the mark scheme. Make sure it is an extensive, detailed paragraph focused on the question and offering examples from the wider media. 

Regulation such as the BBFC can be used in order to protect audiences from harmful or inappropriate media. The BBFC was established in order to make sure that certain age groups aren't exposed to media seen as damaging for them by general public consensus, and so the use of regulation can negate the damaging effect on certain audiences that media may have. However, the existence of certain copycat crimes show that attempts to regulate media for sensitive content won't stop people from being influenced and damaged by it. The Batman series has spawned many examples, such as in a 2012 Colorado mass shooting in which a man shot into the audience of a Dark Knight Rises screening and claimed he was "the Joker", as well as a young girl in 2009 attacking her teacher while wearing joker-inspired make-up. Properties like Batman are so well known that it's difficult to shield audiences from its violence and influence, and so it's entirely possible that even those who aren't the active audience can be damaged by it.

MIGRAIN: Introduction to feminism

Case study: Everyday Sexism

Watch this TEDx talk by Everyday Sexism founder Laura Bates:



1) Why did Laura Bates start the Everyday Sexism project?
Because she had a week where she experienced 3 consecutive cases of sexual harassment and realised that it's been normalised. She approached woman and asked about their experiences and she found out that every single woman had a story to share.

2) How does the Everyday Sexism project link to the concept of post-feminism? Is feminism still required in western societies?
Her project, showcasing thousands of different experiences where women are still subjected to inequality, deconstructs the idea of a post-feminism society. The response to her project by many trolls online were rape and death threats highlights the need for feminism in western society still.

3) Why was new technology essential to the success of the Everyday Sexism project?
New technology allowed women's voices and experiences from all around the world to be shared.

4) Will there be a point in the future when the Everyday Sexism project is not required? What is YOUR view on the future of feminism?
Projects like Everyday Sexism expose the reality that sexism is ingrained into everyday life, as well as encourage other women to speak up about their experiences. I believe that there will always be injustice in the world, and so discrimination like sexism will always be prevalent. Even if the western world were to reach a point of post-feminism, countries where women simply don't have the same rights as men would still need feminist projects like Everyday Sexism.

Media Magazine: The fourth wave?

Read the article: The Fourth Wave? Feminism in the Digital Age in MM55 (p64). You'll find the article in our Media Magazine archive here.

1) Summarise the questions in the first two sub-headings:
What is networked feminism?
The supposed fourth wave of feminism that tackles social equality issues regarding modern technology.
Why is it a problem?
Feminism can be left behind in today's new digital climate. Social media platforms allow for so many different voices to be heard that the concept of feminism has become blurred. People who claim to be against feminism may only be talking about the feminist extremist- a man-hater.

2) What are the four waves of feminism? Do you agree that we are in a fourth wave ‘networked feminism’? 

First wave: early 20th century, suffragette movement (right to vote).
Second wave: 1960s – 1990s, reproductive rights (pill), abortion, equal pay.
Third wave: 1990s – present, empowerment, reclaiming of femininity (high heels, sexuality etc. See Angela McRobbie's work on women's magazines).
Fourth wave? 2010 – ongoing, use of new technology and digital media (e.g. Twitter) for activism.

I'm hesitant to believe we are in a fourth wave of feminism, mostly due to the focuses of the third wave (empowerment) being a consistent topic today for women. I agree with the media magazine's view that the supposed fourth wave can be quite problematic due to the vast array of different perspectives on what feminism actually is in the current digital climate.

3) Focus on the examples in the article. Write a 50-word summary of EACH of the following: Everyday Sexism, HeForShe, FCKH8 campaign, This Girl Can.

Everyday Sexism: Started in 2012 by Laura Bates. It's a website that she started after she realised that feminism is still hard to talk about, as people often say women are equal now and that sexism isn't a problem. She had responses from over 50 thousand women by December 2013, and it's still one of the most high-visibility feminist digital campaigns.

HeForShe: A campaign led by Emma Watson focusing on solidarity and inclusivity between men and women and male support for gender equality. It's generated a huge response online, with Watson utilising social media to preach a non-man-hating version of feminism, although it has also been criticised for undermining the idea of a strong woman.


FCKH8 campaign: A digital campaign that became viral after the potty mouth princess viral video. The movement focuses on the modern representation of girls and the huge social inequalities they face, representing young girls as profound and strong; Although it received backlash due to using feminism as a marketing tool.


This Girl Can: Has been described the first fitness campaign for women which doesn’t shame or exclude them. It shares photos, videos and quotes of women without the usual sexual exploitation of a women’s fitness advert and without body shaming, however it has also been criticised by feminists.


4) What is your opinion with regards to feminism and new/digital media? Do you agree with the concept of a 'fourth wave' of feminism post-2010 or are recent developments like the Everyday Sexism project merely an extension of the third wave of feminism from the 1990s?

I would argue that digital technology has allowed for Feminism to be approached in entirely new ways - ways that wouldn't be possible without the invention of social media and the internet - changing how people respond to it. The abundance of people who call themselves feminists at differing levels of extremity skew the centred idea of feminism as a movement that campaigns for equality.

MIGRAIN: Representation blog tasks

Read the Media Magazine feature 'Representation old and new'. This is in MM51 on page 6 - go to our Media Magazine archive to find the article. Complete the following tasks:

1) Why is representation an important concept in Media Studies?

"Understanding how representations are created, and how they create meaning, is central to an understanding of the media, as everything that appears in the media is in fact a representation."

2) How does the example of Kate Middleton show the way different meanings can be created in the media?

Select images can be chosen during the editing process in order to fit a select narrative the editor wants to achieve. The first image of Kate Middleton drinking from a large wine glass could be used to create a scenario where she has a drinking problem.

3) Summarise the section 'The how, who and why of media representation' in 50 words.

Producers consider the expectations of the target audience, genre codes, the type of narrative they want to convey and institutional merit. All representations are the cumulative effect of a collection of media language choices that producers want to communicate ideological meaning with. Repetition of values and ideologies makes them seem natural to an audience, resulting in audiences not recognising it in the first place.

4) How does Stuart Hall's theory of preferred and oppositional readings fit with representation?

If an ideology is clear and the audience is of the targeted culture, age, gender ect, the audience is likely to take the preferred reading that the producer intended for. Audiences may take the oppositional reading if they disagree with the ideologies of the producer. How audiences respond to texts can depend a lot on their race, gender and age. For example, some media texts perhaps having unflattering representations of minority groups that would likely not bother a white male audience.

5) How has new technology changed the way representations are created in the media?

Social media allows for anybody to have a voice and construct their own representation. We now have a way to reject representations from media outlets that we don't think are accurate.

6) What example is provided of how national identity is represented in Britain - and how some audiences use social media to challenge this?

During the 2014 World Cup, The Sun sent a free newspaper to 22 million households in England which represented its own concepts of ‘Englishness’ by symbolic references – queuing, the Sunday roast, Churchill and The Queen – to heroes, values and behaviours that the paper (and its owners, Rupert Murdoch’s News Corps) defined as appropriate expressions of ‘English identity’. Social media forums and comment pages allowed many people to voice their rejection of the messages.

7) Finally, think about this week's representation theories. Watch the trailer for classic action movie Taken and write an analysis of the representation of people, places and groups in the trailer using terminology and theories you have learned this week:

The Taken trailer thoroughly supports Dyre's theory of stereotyping and power, representing women as vulnerable and emotional side characters for a white male protagonist to save. Medhurst's view that stereotypes are used for shorthand identification can also be applied, as the trailer attempts to convey to the audience that the foreigner's voice on the phone is intimidating and not to be trusted due to the accent. John Berger's belief that “Men act and women appear” can also be supported by this trailer we see the female characters in great distress and the male characters in positions of leadership and action. Levi-Strauss's theory concerning ideology can also be applied, as the producers have chosen to present the white male protagonist as powerful and the women as weak in order to suggest that women are in need of protecting, especially daughters.