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.