Gender, Audience & Representation

1. Gender, Audience & Representation A cross-comparison

2. Recapping some Key Terms • Patriarchy: the idea that men are superior to women; also that men have strict hierarchies of power • Usually, those men who are the ‘most manly’ are placed at the top; the ‘least manly’ at the bottom

3. Women in the Media (& on Film) • Women tend to fall into two basic roles within the media (and in films): • Virgins: victims, princesses, sexually immature, objects, non-threatening to patriarchy Fit in with Patriarchal views • Whores: predators, sexually active, very threatening, villains Challengers to Patriarchy – they have the power

4. What Patriarch? What elements of gender do you see here? (patriarchy/virgins/whores?) What are the gratifications for male and female players?

5. Subject, Object, Verb • Every sentence in English must have three things in it: • A verb – something that is being done • A subject – the one doing the verb • An object – the one the verb is done to • Take a look at the two magazine front covers on the next slide and count the number of times women are positioned as subject /object

6. Magazines How do these two magazines position themselves in relation to their audiences?

7. I’m on a Mission Watch this music video What elements of gender do we see at work? I am a woman, on a mission, whoa Nothing can stop me, I’m stronger than ever I’m gonna see this through I am a woman, on a mission, whoa Whatever it takes I will do what I gotta do

8. Planning an Representation Question • With reference to your own examples, explore the representation of gender in the media. [30] • Explain patriarchy: NUTS is a good example of this in action – women are objectified • Representations on Verge – highly sexualised, but not smutty; strong independent women; women as subject of magazine • ‘I’m on a Mission’ video – seems to empower women, but they are still provocatively dressed; to whom is the video designed to appeal?