Critical perspectives- Gender

Definitions
Misogyny: dislike of, contempt for, or ingrained prejudice against women.
Sex: either of the two main categories (male and female) into which humans and most other living things are divided on the basis of their reproductive functions.
Gender: Socially constructed roles, behaviours, activities and attributes that a given society considers appropriate for men and women.

Stereotypical Magazines

Stereotypical Boys Magazine

• Dark colours such as green and blue.
• Male protagonist on covers front.
• Action presented through vocabulary "Escape!", "BIG ACTION!" and "BIGGEST ISSUE EVER!".
• Comic strips referenced.
• Danger, Aliens.

Stereotypical Girls Magazine

• Pastel colours such as pink and purple.
• Curvy and soft text.
• Soft lines in animation.
• "Colouring" and "Puzzles" no action calm.
• Reference to baking- Women belong in the kitchen.
• Focus on friendship.
• Free phone toy, pony toy and head band.

Stereotypical Mens Magazine

• Females presented for male pleasure (Laura Mulvey- Male Gaze).
• Leather jacket- bikes and racing.
• "Total Badasses"- childish language.
• Talks about tech and "gadgets".

Stereotypical Womens Magazine

• Pink coloration.
• Curvy gentle font.
• Reference to fashion.
• Reference to gossip.

Can Gender Perceptions Change?

• Cover Girl recently featured their first male cover model.
• This was a massive step forward for the magazine industry and media as a whole.

Metrosexuality 

Metrosexuality- a heterosexual urban man who enjoys shopping, fashion, and similar interests traditionally associated with women or homosexual men.  Can be exploited for sexuality in a similar way to women.

The Fool/Buffoon

Well intentioned and light hearted, range from inept to hopeless generally heterosexual married man.

Masculinity and Femininity 

• Gender is generally seen by the older generation as being tied to sex this is different in the younger generation and are far more accepting.
• More people are beginning to become accepting of those outside of the gender binary this has lead to more media coverage of those who may not conform to societies expectations of gender and leads to higher levels of education surrounding gender bases issues.

Examples of Those Outside of the Gender Binary

Gerard Way- Singer and Comic book artist

Ruby Rose- Television presenter, DJ, actress, model, VJ, recording artist

News (2015 studies)





In the film industry
Stats and discussion about industry start at 2.45





Examples of queer films
Broke Back Mountain- 2005

The Danish Girl- 2016



Tangerine- 2015




The Imitation Game- 2014




Examples of queer TV
Queer as folk- 1999



Adverts regarding gender
Contemporary

• Women are historically the house wives and were known as the dishwasher.

• Sugests that if you use this shower gel you will get sex and women.

• Buy our clothes and have sex.
• Lack of a head on figures shows objectification of sex.
• Man holding woman's legs shows dominance.

• Sexualisation of women as if they are merely to please a man.
• Innuendo of character positioning and language "blow" carries connotations of oral sex.

Historical

• Suggests that women are stupid and cannot use a computer only men can.
• High angle shot shows power over women by men.

• Suggests that women are hysterical and unable to control emotions.
• The more concerning element is that it is believed that if men buy women new cleaning appliances they will be happy.

• Promotion and normalisation of domestic violence in which if a women disobeys her husband he is allowed to hit and abuse her.

• "Show her it's a mans world".

Have things changed:
There has not been a major element of progress in adverts since historical texts however the main difference is the fact that in contemporary adds women are presented as sex objects in media opposed to idiotic and hysterical in historical texts.  

Wonder Woman
Article about Wonder Woman being a UN ambassador.
https://www.theguardian.com/books/2016/oct/21/wonder-woman-un-ambassador-staff-protest

• Wonder Woman is a sexualised character.
• Wonder Woman is not a real person.
• Wonder Woman was created by men.

Wonder Woman Trailer

• Presented as a fierce warrior.
• Male love interest.
• "What I do is not up to you"- breaking free from gender stereotypes.
• Sexualised character.

Examples of Youth in media: Perks of being a wallflower, Bullet boy

Perks of Being a Wallflower- America
- Ann Gould
Violence: Derrick and Candace fighting, Patrick gets beaten up in the lunch hall.
Self destructive: Teenage suicide and depression (Michaels death).
Sexuality: Brad and Patrick bedroom scene.
Rebellion: Loud music.
Nihilistic:
Artificial tribe: Patrick- "You see things you understand, you're one of us you're a wallflower".  Sam- "Welcome to the island of misfit toys".
-Hebdige
Fun: Weed, dancing.
Trouble: Name calling nothing, Derrick hitting Candace.

Bullet Boy- UK (BBC Films and UK Film Festival)
-Ann Gould
Violence: Kills dog, fights brother
Self destructive: Deviency spiral
-Hebdige
Fun: Ice skating rink.
Trouble: Dead dog, gun, violence, shouting, prison.

Essay: Do media representations of youth reflect societies perceptions and concerns?

Referenced Examples

Modern Examples of Youth

St Trinians

\

Ill Manors




The Inbetweeners Movie



Older examples of youth
Quadrophenia




Newspaper Example
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2024486/UK-RIOTS-2011-British-youths-unpleasant-violent-world.html

Essay key
Theorist 
Example
Definition

Essay
The media contributes widely and effectively the publics perception of the collective identity of numerous social groups.  This misrepresentation has a particulary harsh effect on the publics view of youth and youth culture.  The dictionary refers to youth as "the period between childhood and adult age.".  This means that those between 13 and 18 would be traditionally affected by youth stereotyping.  The general presentation of youth by the media is that they are either violent and aggressive or idiotic and incapable of success.

Hebdige states that youth are either conceived as fun or trouble, meaning that youth are either violent and nihilistic in keeping with Ann Goulds 6 traits of youth or are fun and idiotic.  Hebdiges understanding of youth is displayed frequently in the way that films will present youth a modern example of this being "The Inbetweeners" where youth are displayed as foolish and idiotic fuelled only by a desire for sex as well as "Ill Manors" which focuses on urban teens and the violence associated with gang cultures.  Goulds six traits of youth are also featured in "The Perks of Being a Wallflower" in which rebellion is displayed through the music of the time, the artificial tribe is displayed through the "wallflowers", self destructive nature is portrayed through the suicide of Michael and violence is portrayed through Candace and Derrick fighting.  Hebdige is also portrayed again in this film where elements of fun can be seen through the use of recreational drugs and dancing, trouble is then displayed as name calling and domestic violence.

An example of an older media texts which portrays the same ideology as the above texts is "Bullet Boy".  Goulds theory can be seen frequently throughout the piece for example violence is displayed throughout the killing of the dog, sexuality is displayed through the sex scene between the protagonist and his girlfriend and self destructive behaviour can be seen through the downward spiral of the protagonist who acts out the more people put him down.  This is a prime example of Wilkins deviancy amplification spiral in which people who are repeatedly subjected to negative stereotyping re more likely to eventually conform to them.

Newspapers also play a part in the negative stereotyping of youth with the Mail Online in 2011 branding the British youth as 'the most unpleasant and violent in the world' in the period of time when the London riots were in progress.  These riots are a prime example of Cohen's Moral Panic theory in which a single event such as the riots can lead to a negative stereotype being created around one collective identity and an inflammatory stereotype being formed which in turn creates folk Devils.  The importance of youth being negatively described in newspapers specifically is especially important due to the fact that the negative views of youth will be imparted on those who may not necessarily agree with the view, this is the hypodermic syringe model.  This model focuses on the way in which the public are injected with a certain concept that they may not have agreed with previously through a media text.

Youth are also represented as being part of artificial tribes which relates to Ann Goulds theory of the 6 traits of youth.  In older media texts such as "Quadrophenia" which focuses around the conflict present between the mods and the rockers.  This film shows youth in a negative and raw light leading youth being perceived by the public in a negative light.  In more modern adaptions of youth groups such as "St. Trinians" youth are presented in a less gritty and negative way whilst still maintaining the underlying message of teenage rebellion.  

In conclusion the way in which youth are perceived by the public is affected by the way that the media portray youth.  Negative portrayals of select groups of youth lead to a negative impact on the entire youth population due to the fact that all youth subgroups exist under the collective identity of youth.

Examples of Youth in media: Perks of being a wallflower, Bullet boy

Perks of Being a Wallflower- America
- Ann Gould
Violence: Derrick and Candace fighting, Patrick gets beaten up in the lunch hall.
Self destructive: Teenage suicide and depression (Michaels death).
Sexuality: Brad and Patrick bedroom scene.
Rebellion: Loud music.
Nihilistic:
Artificial tribe: Patrick- "You see things you understand, you're one of us you're a wallflower".  Sam- "Welcome to the island of misfit toys".
-Hebdige
Fun: Weed, dancing.
Trouble: Name calling nothing, Derrick hitting Candace.

Bullet Boy- UK (BBC Films and UK Film Festival)
-Ann Gould
Violence: Kills dog, fights brother
Self destructive: Deviency spiral
-Hebdige
Fun: Ice skating rink.
Trouble: Dead dog, gun, violence, shouting.

Essay: Do media representations of youth reflect societies perceptions and concerns?

Referenced Examples

Modern Examples of Youth

St Trinians

\

Ill Manors




The Inbetweeners Movie



Older examples of youth
Quadrophenia



Essay key
Theorist 
Example
Definition

Essay
The media contributes widely and effectively the publics perception of the collective identity of numerous social groups.  This misrepresentation has a particulary harsh effect on the publics view of youth and youth culture.  The dictionary refers to youth as "the period between childhood and adult age.".  This means that those between 13 and 18 would be traditionally affected by youth stereotyping.  The general presentation of youth by the media is that they are either violent and aggressive or idiotic and incapable of success.

Hebdige states that youth are either conceived as fun or trouble, meaning that youth are either violent and nihilistic in keeping with Ann Goulds 6 traits of youth or are fun and idiotic.  Hebdiges understanding of youth is displayed frequently in the way that films will present youth a modern example of this being "The Inbetweeners" where youth are displayed as foolish and idiotic fuelled only by a desire for sex as well as "Ill Manors" which focuses on urban teens and the violence associated with gang cultures.

Newspapers also play a part in the negative stereotyping of youth with the Mail Online in 2011 branding the British youth as 'the most unpleasant and violent in the world' in the period of time when the London riots were in progress.  These riots are a prime example of Cohen's Moral Panic theory in which a single event such as the riots can lead to a negative stereotype being created around one collective identity and an inflammatory stereotype being formed which in turn creates folk Devils.  The importance of youth being negatively described in newspapers specifically is especially important due to the fact that the negative views of youth will be imparted on those who may not necessarily agree with the view, this is the hypodermic syringe model.  This model focuses on the way in which the public are injected with a certain concept that they may not have agreed with previously through a media text.

Youth are also represented as being part of artificial tribes which relates to Ann Goulds theory of the 6 traits of youth.  In older media texts such as "Quadrophenia" which focuses around the conflict present between the mods and the rockers.  This film shows youth in a negative and raw light leading youth being perceived by the public in a negative light.  In more modern adaptions of youth groups such as "St. Trinians" youth are presented in a less gritty and negative way whilst still maintaining the underlying message of teenage rebellion.

In conclusion the way in which youth are perceived by the public is affected by the way that the media portray youth.  Negative portrayals of select groups of youth lead to a negative impact on the entire youth population due to the fact that all youth subgroups exist under the collective identity of youth.

Youth

This exemplifies the way in which modern youth issues such as Twitter have been combined with issues such as riots to create a divide between the youths and people of a higher social status.

The police statement that they have let "Yobs Rule [the] Streets" shows them demonising the youth culture and portraying them as Folk Devils.  This is in order to place blame on a specific group of people in order to allow for the publics fear to be placed on a direct group.

Generic theory

Portrayal of women in media

Actual representation of women

Mediation example: Brock Turner rape case

http://www.nydailynews.com/news/national/king-brock-turner-cory-batey-show-race-affects-sentencing-article-1.2664945

Collective identity



Collective identity of youth groups example St. Trinians



Wilkins deficiency amplification spiral: The way that after constant reinforcement of negative stereotypes people gradually begin to conform to them.

Collective identity in Media
Political figures such as Donald Trump can use the collective identity of groups of people such as the working class in order to better appeal to a collective group and show themselves in a better light.



Theorists

David Gauntlet:

•  identity is now consciously constructed, and the media provides some of the tools to help us construct our identities. The media contains a huge number of messages about identity and acceptable lifestyles.
• At the same time the public have their own diverse set of feelings. The media and media consumers are engaged in a dialogue in which neither overpowers the other.

This discusses the way in which the media will project a certain view whilst the public may maintain another in a similar way to the hypodermic needle theory.

Anthony Giddens

•There is a social structure which shapes our lives (traditions, institutions, moral codes, established ways of doing things), but it relies on individuals following these structures.

•When they act differently the social structure can change. Structuration is the process in which human agency and social structure are in a constant relationship ± the social structure is reproduced by the repetition of acts by individual people (and can therefore change)

The way in which media practices and stereotypes can be altered through the changing of social standards throughout time.