In the Gender Images and the Media course at Fordham we have discussed the different eras of feminism and gender studies — from equality to radical, to postmodern, and even to post-postmodern ideas of gender. Ranging from online dating to avatars in Second Life, Digital Living has changed our ideas, and possibilities in terms of gender (identity) and relations.
The Last Assignment:
(1) Address an issue you think will be important in terms of gender (images) and the media in the next decade and
(2) relate it to a theory, idea, concept, thought, issue that you found the most important, interesting and/or illuminating during this course.
The blog entry or paper due on 5/3. 1 pg max.
[Image by Radar Communication, Creative Commons license on Flickr]
Digital Living: FIN_IND_USA 
Apr 24, 2011 @ 23:57:46
One major concern I have in terms of gender images for the future is the images today’s role models have. Some of today’s biggest stars in music are Katy Perry, Lady Gaga, Britney Spears, Lil Wayne, and Wiz Khalifa. While each artist is certainly talented and a great entertainer, their lyrical content and physical appearance should not be taken lightly or praised in any manner. For example, Katy Perry is notoriously known for flashing a racy wardrobe, Wiz Khalifa’s lyrical content is made up mostly of marijuana references, and Lil Wayne has just been released from a prison sentence. These are not characters to be followed. However, unfortunately, they are viewed as role models by today’s youth.
This all relates to the concept of spectatorship. We, as audience members to the media, sit back and decide (or simply accept) who we should accept as role models, or those we should follow in order to liked. It is becoming increasingly apparent that the more sexy female starlets dress, the more females in society will follow suit. Also, the more tattoos Lil Wayne or Wiz Khalifa decide to embroider on their body, the more acceptable the concept will seem to males across the globe. Lastly, the more light-hearted and reckless references that Wiz Khalifa makes to marijuana, the more acceptable the drug will seem to people everywhere.
The impact of celebrities, especially musical artists, has always been major amongst us spectators. Yet, I truly feel that it is only getting worse as society becomes more accepting and unconcerned with what were once considered unacceptable behaviors (drug use, promiscuity, etc.) How far is it going to go? We can only wait and see, and I hope for the best.
Apr 28, 2011 @ 15:22:24
The most important gender image related issue in the next decade will be combating the images and behaviors exemplified in reality television programs. Reality television has made its way into the mainstream and it does not seem that things will change any time soon. Reality television shows such as Real World, Real Housewives, and the Jersey Shore portray a reality that is not real at all. Reality television is often scripted and edited to enhance drama. Reality shows are edited and scripted in a way that often portrays genders and behaviors inappropriately and inaccurately.
Reality television gains its popularity from the concept that the situations on film are really taking place. The audience believes that these situations on reality television such as bar fights, promiscuous sex, and generally ill behavior towards others are real. If today’s youth perceives these behaviors and actions as real they are them likely to deem them acceptable. People, more importantly children, need to understand that reality television is just as fake as any sitcom and the only thing producers care about are ratings and views. A shift away from reality television needs to be made in order to empower genders because right now it is setting a horrible example.
Apr 29, 2011 @ 18:06:37
In the next decade, I think that an important issue that will affect both gender and the media is something we discussed today in class, namely new views and regulations on pornography. As many may know, pornography is a huge industry that has known affiliations with human trafficking and objectification of women. While some women do watch porn, they tend to not engage in the same violent representations that spawn such negative behavior among men, who remain the primary consumers within the industry. Also, these female viewers are commonly seeing women through the male gaze even when trying to watch for their own pleasure. This reemphasizes old stereotypes and perpetuates the same horrific cycle of exploitation in the real world. As such, many human rights and feminist advocates have been trying to regulate these incidents of abuse by either eliminating them completely or improving the living conditions in which they are committed. Nonetheless, there has been a lot of pressure to crack down on such mistreatments. I think these efforts are intended to empower women and free them from such degradation and malice. The problems I foresee are that these regulations will go too far. Not all pornography involves human trafficking and abuse so placing all adult entertainment in the same category is not appropriate. People need to be careful that while protecting women from objectification, they do not unintentionally repress them. Women have come a long way in terms of how they express themselves and are seen in society. Such regulations meant to free them can just as easily restrict the ways they convey their sexuality and independence. There is a fine line between not allowing a woman to dress provocatively because she is pushed to by circumstance or force and a woman who is doing so by her own choice. This is not to say that actions should not be taken. I truly believe that human trafficking in particular is a global problem that needs to be seriously addressed. It is just a matter of careful thought and planning to make sure it is addressed correctly.
May 01, 2011 @ 22:01:37
I think the topic of role models within society will still be a pressing issue with gender images in the future. As years go by, various fads and crazes will come in quickly and go out just as fast – the same goes for our society’s role models. For example, a female role model for the young teenage demographic within the late 1990’s was a group of pop-culture singers and performers known as the Spice Girls. These 5 young women took their versions of “girl power” and channeled them through their music amongst other things. Fortunately or unfortunately, the world of young teens has “grown up” a bit since the late 90’s and transitioned itself into a seemingly more mature group of girls. Given the fact that girl groups are not the new aged way to go about fame, other approaches like that of Lady Gaga’s seems to be much more sought after. In the case of Lady Gaga, her efforts and drive within music stem from her constant want for her “little monsters” to be heard and seen and NOT ostracized for being different. This separation of “cool and uncool” was not as evident within the 90’s when the Spice Girls were at their peak (at least not as publicly evident). With this knowledge, contemporary society needs figures like Lady Gaga to unite young teens no matter who they are or what their background may be.
The two subjects at hand are quite different on the scale of role models. While Lady Gaga adheres to the title of “the outsider” role model, the Spice Girls assumed the position of a more mainstream, “straightforward success” role model (Gauntlett 226). Though they do not share the same backgrounds as to how they influence their respective followings, the same message of being all you can be is still being sent to young teens. Empowering women or empowering the weirdest of the weird both have the same foundations of unity and strength against negativity. I’m not quite sure what issues young teens will be having 10 years from now, as I think the contemporary demographic are pushing the envelope to the maximum as it is! However, I do know that come the time to transition into a new craze or fad, there will be some form of celebrity to back it up taking the public to new levels of “feel good”. Gauntlett’s views on role models are most definitely spot on, and I think they will continue to be that way in years to come.
May 01, 2011 @ 22:16:40
Though we have already come along way in terms of gender equality, I think that in the next decade this will still continue to be an issue. We are still working on a more progressive thinking in terms of gender images in media. Though a lot can happen in ten years, I believe that will be more of the sam though, as we are still a male dominated society. It does not matter how open-minded we are. physiology will always play a role. An image is only as good as the sum of its broadcast and audience. Everything must be both portrayed and interpreted. Though we have cracked the glass ceiling, much must be done to break it.
Such inequalities are seen all over the media. For example, when news correspondent Lara Logan was sexually assaulted in Egypt there were a lot of reports on her being “too sexy” or “too attractive” therefore possibly attracting unnecessary attention to herself. When Sarah Palin ran for Vice President and Hilary Clinton ran for president there was a lot of focus placed on their physical appearances and attractiveness, something that has not been a key issue for male candidates.
This can be related to the concept of the male gaze. Women, even respectable ones, are always scrutinized by standards not held for men. Women must be sure to look their best at all times, without being “too sexy.” But who decides what is “too sexy?” Men. Women are held to men-set standards. Unfortunately, I do not see women being 100% equal to men for decades to come.
May 01, 2011 @ 23:47:48
Gender images in the media have been a long debated and controversial topic for decades. The stereotypes that are faced in reality are portrayed in every aspect of the media. These stereotypes have created a standard of white male supremacy that we see acted out into the job market.
Within the careers in media such as reporters, journalists, and directors we can see a significant imbalance in the numbers of men and women holding these positions. Since the birth of media, men have had a dominant hold in the careers that make up the industry. Therefore, this affects the media that is produced and shown to the public. If media is being dominantly produced and created by men, then there is only one point of view being sent to its mass audience, and that is the male perspective. The stereotypes that are produced by the media can affect the public’s opinion and therefore continue a vicious circle of beliefs because they are being created by men and at the same time keeping women from being socially qualified to do anything to change these stereotypes.
This will be one of the most difficult things we have to overcome as a society. We have seen only a slow increase in the number of women holding careers in media. By creating a more open and equal job market for women to compete in we could see more equality in other fields as well. Since media sets the trends, we could see more women in government positions and corporate careers. This is a battle we will have to make a conscious effort to win in the future.
May 02, 2011 @ 05:36:23
An issue that I see growing rapidly today in terms of gender images in the media and I believe will continue to grow and be important in the next decade is the way women are portrayed, specifically in pop music. Even though women have come a long way in reaching equality in the media, there are still some disparities that exist between men and women. In pop music, stars like Beyonce, Lady GaGa, and Katy Perry have been promoting the idea of female sexual empowerment. They present themselves as strong women and express images of women like themselves in their music. A popular song in 2008 was Beyonce’s “Single Ladies (Put a Ring on It),” which tells women to stand up for themselves against the men in their past who have broken up with them, and to never settle for a guy like that again, because there are men out there who will appreciate you and eventually “put a ring on it.” These artists are incredibly popular with female listeners because of the topics of female empowerment that arise in their music.
However, as Laura Mulvey would say, these women are still very much the object of the male gaze. Women envy other women who receive increased attention from the male population, and these pop stars are no different. In 2010, Katy Perry topped Maxim Magazine’s Top 100 Hot List, giving her the title of the Hottest Woman in the world, and appeared on the January 2011 cover, scantily clad in a black patent leather leotard. The leotard has become one of the most popular costume choices for female pop artists these days, including Beyonce, Rihanna, Katy Perry, Miley Cyrus, and Lady GaGa, leaving their bodies increasingly exposed and not much left to the imagination. These are the women that many women across America admire and aspire to be like. I think that the things that they promote in their music are incredible and inspiring for the female audience. However, they are products of the media, and must succumb to the wants of the male audience as well. If they refused to do so, they would be limiting their own exposures, and ultimately how much money appears in their paychecks each month. As we all know, sex sells, and these women are selling, even though their products differ for men and women. Men want to have sex with them. Women want to be independent and powerful like them, partially so that men will want to have sex with them too. This trend has become the latest phenomenon in pop music, and I do not see it dying out any time soon. Many argue that Mulvey’s ideas about spectatorship and the male gaze are outdated in today’s society, and I mostly agree with those critics. However, I still believe that certain products released by the media do submit to the Mulvey’s ideas of scopophilia and narcissistic identification. Pop music and female pop stars today are no exception. Women have come far in the media, but still have awhile to go before reaching true equality with men.
May 02, 2011 @ 17:58:32
An issue I see being a concern in the next decade is the portrayal of women in television. As time has gone by, movies, tv and just about every other form of media has been getting racier and racier. Women wear less and less clothes and are often seen primarily as a sex object. Even in family oriented shows like Modern Family, Gloria (the young aunt) is portrayed as a sexy figure. With reality shows becoming more and more popular I am worried about the next decade of television. Shows like the jersey shore represent women as trashy, sluty, girls that have no respect for themselves. This feeds into the male gaze theory. I think women are often casted on tv shows to be a subject of male gaze, how sad is this? What is even worse is that women are okay with this! They are okay with being sex symbols and barley wearing any clothes on tv. I think this sends out the wrong message to young girls, and makes people feel badly about themselves. The tv media basically tells women that the only way to look is thin and beautiful, anyone else doesnt matter. I hope that with years to come the view that women have to act and look a certain way to get males attention will end.
May 02, 2011 @ 22:19:10
An issue that I think is huge today and that I believe will only become more prevalent in the next decade will be the portrayal of women in magazines. There are two aspects of this, advertising and content. In terms of advertising, the portrayal of women as excessively thin and fawning over men is a false image, but has now become the norm and also the standard that women hold themselves to today. In terms of content in magazines, specifically women’s magazines, all of the “self-help” and ways to “improve” make it seem as though there is something wrong and that there is something that needs to be improved upon, when that may not necessarily be the case. All of these things are making women feel the need to change and hold themselves to an unrealistic standard.
The image that is given off by magazines and the way that women are portrayed is similar to the “male gaze” that Laura Mulvey talks about in her studies of film. In vanZoonen we read about the theory that even females can get pleasure out of “gazing” and that could be the case in women’s magazines. Either way, women are being looked at a certain way, by both men and women, in part because of the way that women are portrayed in magazines. This is an issue today, but I think that it will only continue to be an issue because of economic pressures and the need for advertisers. Women will continue to be portrayed as too thin and sex-crazed in the next decade, in my opinion.
May 02, 2011 @ 23:54:31
The portrayal of homosexuals in the media is a huge trend that is becoming more and more prevalent today. We are slowly seeing homosexuality being portrayed today than ever before and viewers and the public eye are slowly beginning to accept this idea. Twenty years ago, homosexuals were very rarely seen on television or in film and people found it to be controversial and inappropriate. The film The Kids Are All Right really illustrates this trend through the hype the film received from various critics and viewers. Although it stirred much controversy, it also created awareness and allowed people to see the normalcy of homosexuals and their families. The movie shows that gays and lesbians can live normal lives, they can raise a family and heterosexual children, and they deal with the same everyday issues as heterosexual couples raising families. The intertextual theme of the film is the evolution of gay representations in the media and as I stated previously homosexuals are more prevalent in media than ever before. The fact that TKAAR won an Oscar further proves this point and is truly a remarkable success for the homosexual community. The awareness brought about by this film is likely to spark future positive gay representations in media and also further the idea of homosexuals as no different than other people.
May 03, 2011 @ 01:23:24
According to a 2005 article in the USA Today, females currently make up over half of students pursuing a college degree in the United States. They also participate in social media activity like blogs, Facebook, Twitter, and online message boards, more than men. Yet, their role in terms of positions within media industries is very low compared to males. The Annenberg Public Policy Center recently issued the following statistic: Women hold only 3% of clout position in the mainstream media. Furthermore, women filled only one in four communications/media jobs created between 1990 and 2005 (Institute for Women’s Policy Research, 2006). The preceding facts have sparked the issue regarding the voice of women in media industries, especially in fields like news, journalism, and social media. And I certainly think that it will become a more important subject in terms of gender images in the next decade.
In the beginning of the semester, we discussed this topic briefly, concluding that women have a generally minority presence in the execution of the media. What may have been more interesting, however, was our evaluation of the subject matter that women, in particular those who work in the news and film, cover. We learned that women reporters dominate 2 subject matters: weather and poverty/welfare. They tend to cover ‘soft items’ more often than men, and they will interview women more often than their male counterparts. Let’s not forget that there are far fewer female reporters than male reporters. As far as filmmaking goes, females are more likely to tackle romantic comedies and documentaries. It’s very uncommon to hear of a woman making a thriller or action film.
This is an important issue and concern because if males continue to dominate our media fields that makes them the ultimate decision-makers. They get to decide what goes into our news coverage, what goes on our television screens, into our movie theaters, and what gets published in our daily newspapers. There is a lack of equality within our media segments. This also has the potential of continuing to enforce gender stereotypes. I think it’s interesting that women are more active in using media than men, yet men generally control it.
Luckily, however, the number of women in the media workplace is increasing. According to Van Zoonen, more women are entering schools of journalism, and fields like public relations and advertising have become considered “pink ghettos.” As digital media becomes a greater asset in the media world, many companies are seeking out women to fill positions within their digital departments because they are familiar with the material and know how to use it. It will be interesting to see how many jobs in the media industry, especially jobs of higher authority and prestige, will be occupied by women in the next decade.
May 03, 2011 @ 01:47:50
I’m going to have to agree with the first few posts and say that I think an important issue that will arise within the next decade will be who young children – specifically girls – look up to in the media as role models. Sure, we all grew up watching less than picture perfect celebrities in the entertainment industry; the Spice Girls pioneered the “girl power” attitude that quickly became less about the message and more about less clothing. Britney Spears was no saint, as she admitted to losing her virginity to her then boyfriend of two years (gasp! how could she!), and most of us were going through the awkwardness of puberty right in the middle of Christina Aguilera’s “dirrty” phase. Disregarding where a majority of these female celebs are now (DUIs, drug addictions, mental breakdowns, and felonies aside), they really weren’t that bad in the good old days – and personally, I never idolized any of them.
But the current media’s fascination with young, hot, Hollywood starlets in the past decade or so has created an army of monsters far worse than any of “our day.” Now, you don’t even have to have talent to be famous. Now, we don’t even expect these young girls to have morals (like the public did with Britney). Now, we put sixteen year old girls in tube tops and mini skirts and let them grind on a pole in a music video so that they can “be creative and curious.” Female “artists” – and I use that term extremely loosely – like “Ke$ha” and Miley Cyrus can’t even sing a note to save their lives – we just let computers do it for them. And Taylor Swift has not one song in which she exemplifies any self-esteem whatsoever; she whines and complains about a boy in every single one (maybe when boys stop dating her they will stop giving her things to write about). And actresses are absolutely no better. That statement alone can be summed up in two words…Lindsay Lohan.
While it’s thoroughly entertaining for me personally to make fun of these young “celebrities,” I started to realize that if this is the direction the media is going in, these – and dare I say even worse – girls are the celebrities that my daughter is going to look up to. Are these the degenerate shoplifting, drug addicted, talentless girls that I want my daughter to emulate? Do I want my daughter to believe that if she’s skinny enough, pretty enough, wild enough, and stupid enough that, if without talent, she can be famous for being pretty à la the Kardashian sisters? I would rather have a child willing to cultivate their own personal talents than look up to these unrealistic versions of role models.
The concept of spectatorship that we have discussed in this class is a possible explanation of why the aforementioned young starlets may be potential role models for children. It cannot be denied that celebrities have a profound impact on the way younger people dress, speak, look, and what they do. This is our culture; it has been this way for decades and will continue for decades to come. Younger generations look up to these celebrities as glorified versions of something they one day hope to achieve. The celebrities are the spectacles, the public the spectators, and the media is the lens through which we view them.
May 03, 2011 @ 02:42:36
One issue that will continue to be a wild card in the future will be that of new media such as Facebook, Twitter, and blogging. These venues allow for people to express themselves as they seem fit without open penalty to themselves. They can display and report stories as they see fit and others can sign on and view them at their whim. We are a generation that has been more connected than any that have come before and this allows our voices to be heard when we would have been silent. For instance, my friend Kevin is now abroad in Scotland and decided to write a blog back home. He said that his blog is now being followed by some people in other countries such as Israel. These mediums allow for Kevin to produce media for a mass audience despite his lack of a million dollar media outlet.
Up until the invention of these outlets, big men in suites decided what got published and what was given to the world. White, rich men said what was important and even now women have very little influence. Now people decide what is important and what they want to read. The reasons that stories or ideas were picked up was not due to their cleverness but if they fit into the construct of advertisers and the viewpoints of officials. I didn’t realize how influential advertisers were in the content of old media until this class. New media allows one to bypass the suits and advertisers and address the people directly. If their ideas are popular, then their viewership will increase. They can be who they want and say what they want without harm. One thing that seems to be discouraging to this idea is that people on Facebook construct their identities fit with stereotypical gender roles rather than who they are. It would seem that they are still affected by the standard ideals presented by tradition.
May 03, 2011 @ 03:48:33
One important issue within the media today is the unequal representation of women in media production. We live in a society that believes that feminism is dead and gender inequality is no longer an issue. However, gender inequality is blatant in every form of the media. Women are portrayed as catty, shallow and unintelligent sexual objects, while men are portrayed as strong, domineering and insightful. By characterizing gender in this way, the media reinforces gender roles. If the media is our most important source for exchanging information, ideas and beliefs, it is helping shape our views about gender as well. If women are sexualized by the media, society will accept the sexualization of all women. If men are portrayed as being muscular, society will expect men to be muscular.
If this trend in the media is going to change, the demographics of media production needs to change. Women are currently the minority of almost every mode of media production. If the media portrays women in a negative light when there are few women making executive decisions, then there needs to be an equalization of media power amongst men and women. Without making changes, gender stereotypes will continue to be carried on. If gender inequality is impressed upon the youth, these prejudicial ideas will continue to be apparent both in the media and society until changes are made.
May 03, 2011 @ 05:07:33
During the next decade, I believe that the most important issue regarding gender in the media will be how audiences perceive reality television. As reality TV continues to grow in popularity, its content seems to get more and more bawdy, and at times can even seem vulgar. Reality shows such as MTV’s “Jersey Shore” and “The Real World” demonstrate its cast members living racy lifestyles and constantly finding themselves in troublesome situations- whether it is drinking too much, partying too hard, or fighting with a roommate. Sure, alcohol and partying can be significant parts of any young person’s life, but definitely not to the extent that it seems to be in the lives of these reality show’s cast members. Other reality shows, such as Bravo’s hit series “The Real Housewives,” also tend to show off its cast members in what the average person would say is an unrealistic light. Each woman who is casted is not only extremely wealthy, but immensely beautiful for their ages, and able to afford luxuries that average women could only dream about owning. Their lifestyles may be entertaining to watch, but the fact is that they are just not realistically “the norm.”
The point is this: many times, reality shows give its viewers unrealistic standards for living. Whether it is a portrayed image (such as the beautiful middle aged women on “The Real Housewives,” who can afford extensive plastic surgeries to look like they do,) or a portrayed lifestyle (such as a life of constant partying on “Jersey Shore,”) viewers are left to compare their own lives to the ones they see on TV, which will undoubtedly never measure up. Problems arise when ordinary people begin to think that these lifestyles they view on TV can be replicated. Reality television has proven to be extremely entertaining and popular, but the fact is that that is all it really is– because it most definitely does not portray the average person’s reality.
May 03, 2011 @ 09:16:15
In the next ten years it will be important to focus on combating the images and perceptions on life illustrated on reality television. Liesbet Van Zoonen in Feminist Media Studies discusses how women’s lives are often distorted in the media (30). It would seem that today, if a sixteen year old girl is pregnant at home, she would then be entitled to her own reality television show. MTV reality shows like 16 and Pregnant glorifies teenage pregnancy and celebrates irresponsibility. Younger girls at home after watching these reality programs might feel that bringing a child into this world could make them a celebrity. Celebrities are trendy, good looking, rich and popular. Viewers of 16 and Pregnant could possibly be lead to believe that getting pregnant would lead to that lifestyle. Reality television has grown into such a juggernaut of a genre that it’s almost safe to say that the programs produced are not going away. But will viewers ever realize that there is little to no reality in reality television? Reality television takes raw content from the stars they film and creates a story from their footage to engage their viewers. Archetype characters are created like the mean one and the good guy as well as some sort of conflict. Labeling a heavily processed product like reality television as reality, distorts the authenticity of everyday life. There are a few teenage girls who are chosen to appear on television with their children but there are even more who do not have that chance. Reality television is problematic because it creates the idea that fame is so accessible that having a child at a young age guarantees notoriety. Viewers must realize that there is nothing real about reality television at all.
May 03, 2011 @ 12:56:07
I have to generally agree with many of the previous posts and say that the portrayal of women in the media is something that will continue to be an important issue, specifically woman in advertising. We have discussed women’s portrayal and how they are treated as a result of this very frequently in this class. There is Laura Mulvey’s idea of “the gaze,” where the woman objectified by the look given by the male (and sometimes female) spectator, which goes along with Jacque Lacan’s idea of the fact that a “woman is a symptom of a man.”
In most advertisements you see today, the woman is objectified regardless of the role she is playing. Whether she is playing a housewife, asking the audience to objectify her by the look in her eyes or the minimal clothing she wears, or being objectified by a male figure in the advertisement. In most advertisements you see, the model possesses a body that is almost impossible for the viewers to obtain. This of course affects how we feel about ourselves, and even starts to affect the younger generation of women with the growth of self-esteem issues and eating disorders. One of John Berger’s theories states that men survey women before they determine how they treat them. If this is the case, and if the advertising of women continues to become more jaw dropping, women soon will not even be treated like human beings.
May 03, 2011 @ 14:13:23
I definitely agree that the portrayal of women, as well as men, in reality television is something to be paid attention to in the upcoming years, especially with the shows’ influence on young generations. According to the New York Times, 15 of the top 20 highest-rated programs on broadcast television among the younger adult group were reality or unscripted shows. Therefore, due to their popularity, it is important to analyze the images these shows are presenting to the public. What I see as an increasing trend is that the more outrageous and overly sexual the cast mates on a show are, the bigger the audience they will have.
Now I tune into Jersey Shore and Real World every week like it’s my job, but I continue to notice the increasing objectification of women and how it actually is apparent in my observations of social life at college. While the boys of The Jersey Shore get pumped because they’ve found a girl at the club that’s “DTF” (willing to engage in sexual acts, to put it nicely), in turn on my own campus, I overhear a boy near me at the Spring Weekend dance tell his friend, “Bro, don’t bother with her, she’s not even DTF”. The hook up culture, as portrayed by reality tv, is either reflecting what culture has already engaged in, or reinforcing such behavior in its viewers. Also, the lingo the shows provide, specifically the Jersey Shore, are usurped by its audience, especially degrading terms about women such as “grenades” and “zoo animals”. However, although it usually appears that men are the ones viewing women as sexual objects, often times the female characters use the men in a similar way, as Snooki often takes a random assortment of guys home almost as much as her male roommates. So is this just a reflection of the increasing sexual liberation in our society?
A theory this issue could be tied into is the Effects Model. The message sent is a stereotype, the process is socialization, and the effect is sexism. So according to this model, the message would be men using women primarily as sexual objects, which becomes socialized through the viewing of such stereotypes on popular reality tv shows, and the effect is the viewing of women primarily as sexual objects in real life. However, it is important to critique the effects model, with what Giddens proposed as reflexive identity: that media contents are not about manipulation but material for reflection. Not all viewers will automatically change their lifestyles to accord with the cast of the Jersey Shores. The audience has an active role in deciding whether or not to accept the message the shows are presenting to them. However, with the media propagating these sexually liberal lifestyles over others, it is hard to argue that these shows have no influence over the audience’s behavior whatsoever.
May 03, 2011 @ 14:54:53
I think the next important issue in terms of gender images in the media will revolve around social media and social networking. In one of our final classes we discussed social media and gender including Facebook, MySpace, Twitter, and even online bullying. The ever expanding social network and ever expanding technology is bound to have effects on our generation. We may not even realize all these effects yet. However, I think the most important effect will be to self esteem and self image. Alot of the other responses discussed today’s negative role models for young girls. I think social media sites can also provide negative ideas and foster inaccurate views of reality. Seeing someone partying in pictures on Facebook or people’s relationship statuses go from “single” to “in a relationship” daily is not an accurate description of real life. People, especially in my young generation strive to create a facade for the online world to see. There lives via social media seem very interesting. The same goes for celebrities on Twitter. Celebrities tweet about the mundane activities of their lives, however, because Kim Kardashian tweets that she is going to the DMV, the DMV suddenly becomes interesting. I think the lack of moderation on the social networking sites and their easy access are creating a unique generation, unlike one the world has ever seen before.
May 03, 2011 @ 15:38:17
I think that one issue that may be very important in the next decade is the incongruity between the amount of older male and female actors. For years already, there are many more male actors over the age of 40 or 50 compared to the amount of actresses who are the same age. It even gives the impression that older men acting are more acceptable compared to the same career for a woman. As men age they become more handsome, distinguished, and knowledgeable. When women get older, they become less attractive, and although wise, may even be identified with the word “hag.” There is an inequality because when comparing attractiveness between men and women, women are unfairly judged at any age and that discrepancy increases exponentially as a woman reaches menopause.
Linked to past, radical, and post-modern views about women, we can see how this has changed over the decades. Women were first considered completely different from men and required many different things. Then, men and women were thought to be the same and every person is unique. Hopefully in the future there will be more equality between the sexes and definitions of beauty and attractiveness. Maybe in ten years there will be similar numbers between male and female older actors and actresses as today’s entertainers age towards their 40s and 50s.
May 03, 2011 @ 20:05:04
In my opinion, one of the more important issues in the upcoming decade will be Facebook and how it relates to gender relations and identities. Facebook shapes the way people, especially our generation, relate to each other and view both our own and other genders. Facebook photos are the biggest way to promote Laura Mulvey’s gaze in this media. In my research paper, I discussed how the gaze has translated from audience and media to audience and audience. People now analyze and gaze at each other and Facebook photos are the perfect way to promote these images to society with control. Girls post stereotypical mirror pictures, pictures of themselves in bikinis if they want that, or guys post pictures of themselves binge drinking or with sports gear. People use Facebook to self-promote their image to the gazes of everyone on the internet. The impact of Facebook on the gaze could be positive, where people promote their actual interests and show their true selves. However, Facebook also lets people create their own images, with specific pictures and wall posts all to promote a certain kind of image, possibly not consistent with the person. People already use Facebook as a tool for people-to-people research and self-promotion, I think in the future this will just be heightened through younger and younger generations putting everything to the public through all the social media websites. I think Facebook could also change how we perceive the gaze from gender to gender, with girls and guys changing the way they think and look at each other because of what they see on Facebook.
May 04, 2011 @ 03:37:58
I personally believe that Laura Mulvey’s theory of the male gaze will be important in the next decade, especially with a new, more radical type of feminism coming into play in the media. Today, many films like Lara Croft: Tomb Raider and, more recently, Sucker Punch, showcase women as scantily clad, confident, “heroes” rather than damsels in distress. Still, can this be classified as a step in the right direction or a step back for women in the media? Many would argue that these types of films are objectifying women even more so than movies that use women solely as love interests. However, others might say that strong, female characters in films could prove to be beneficial to the future of women in Hollywood.
All in all, the male gaze is very present in today’s cinema. Yet, it will be very interesting to see how this theory plays out as women’s role in the media changes over the next decade. With Hollywood producing more and more films about female heroines, I predict that Mulvey’s theory will alter slightly in terms of how men perceive women in movies. In today’s society, there exists very little range of characters for women to portray. While movies out now may stick to the status quo and showcase women as the archetypal “damsel in distress,” I feel that this will change in the next ten years.
May 05, 2011 @ 19:12:58
Lady Gaga is one of the biggest pop sensations of our time. She is known for her bizarre fashion sense and her catchy lyrics but most of all she doesn’t judge people based on their gender. The influential images of beautiful, intelligent, and independent women create an enlightening portrayal for young girls to see what they can become one day. However in our civilization today people are locked into these specific ideas of gender and consciously or unconsciously perform to stay in accordance of the self-fulfilling ideology. Throughout time strong women including Lady Gaga have broken this mold, which makes us question femininity in a whole new way. She uses her popularity as an advantage to spread her message. “I very much want to inject gay culture into the mainstream,’ she says, ‘It’s not an underground tool for me. It’s my whole life. So I always sort of joke the real motivation is to just turn the world gay.” Years ago this topic wasn’t even spoken of. She wanted to let her fans know your gender doesn’t define who you are as a person, this is an idea we have discussed in class.
You can either look at her music videos solely for entertainment purposes or you can take away a much deeper and powerful message. Lady Gaga is considered a role model in the society that we live in today. Unfortunately we are stuck in a culture where being a part of the LBGT community is still considered taboo. Her music is not only for “normal” people but it reaches out to people of all sexual orientations without discriminating. Her music is also a representation to those who thought that they didn’t fit in anywhere. Her audience is from all around the world, ranging from different age groups, races, and cultures. It is refreshing to see her play with various gender roles; whether she is channeling her inner male OR female. In terms of sexuality and gender in the media her ideas will be very relevant to the next decade.
May 11, 2011 @ 03:36:23
What I think will be, if not the most important, certainly the most interesting topic to arise in the next decade will be the moralization of what it means to be any gender and how that gets represented in media.
Many of the battles that are fought and argued over today have roots in conventional morality. Women can’t be overtly sexual beings because morality in our society suggests that women who are openly and non-ashamedly sexual are looked down on as somehow less than other more virtuous women and destroyers of righteous men. Men can’t be anything other than the strong, emotionally and physically, because men have a moral obligation to protect and set an example for others. It will be interesting to see how morals change and affect gender representations and vice versa. We see this in our music stars, our television characters and our fashion models.
Political engagement today seems to be doing great battle over where the line that separates the moral and the amoral is, and I would love to see where that line gets set in the years to come. When there are arguments on the news about whether an image in the J. Crew catalogue of a mother painting her son’s nails pink is okay for society and the future of men in this country, that is a good thing. What do our morals say about that now, and is there going to be room for change in the near future?