Feminist theory.

1) What examples are provided from the two texts of the 'male gaze' (Mulvey)?

Pan Am, Beyonce

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

These texts show that there is still a need for feminism as the sexism presented in these texts are just sexism is in a different form. The main character Pan Am (Laura) is presented to be admired by males and in the Beyonce video her outfits are those of a sexualized housewife frustrated by her partner.

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.

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.

Third wave feminism – Was a movementnthat redefined and encouraged women to be dominant and sexually assertive.

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?

Children’s t-shirts. My son – ‘Mummy’s little monster’ – has permission to be a scallywag, to be disruptive and chaotic – monstrous, even – and the main woman in his life will never disown him. My daughter ‘Dancing with my friends makes the sunshine’ – has a duty to be nothing more than agreeable, pleasant and pretty in order to make the world a better, sunnier place. If you shopped entirely at Primark or Mothercare (the worst places for these #everydaysexism clothing slogans) you’d be teaching girls to be passive, caring, responsible for the
happiness of others, and boys to do what the hell they like because it’s cute, attractive and roguish.

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

The phrase ‘non-binary’, referring to someone who doesn’t define themselves as either wholly male or female, is increasingly in common usage. When Butler wrote Gender Trouble in 1990, she used transvestism as an example of an identity which upsets the status quo of manly men and ladylike women. But in the 30 years since, society has come a long way and there is significantly more ‘trouble’ when it comes to binary notions of gender.

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

females (and non-white, working class, LGBTQ+, disabled etc.) are presented as inferior, males (white, wealthy, heterosexual, able-bodied etc.) come out as superior. Of course the mainstream media relies on gender stereotypes for other reasons, mostly as a shortcut to meaning. Narratives are easier for audiences to understand if the characters, subjects and storylines conform to a set of ideas that are already fixed in our heads from an early age.

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’?

This video contributes to the idea that gender roles are a performance as Beyonce puts on makeup and wears certain clothes to make herself look more attractive to male audiences. She deliberatly changes the way she looks and is presented to portray a certain female image.

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

They might suggest that women in this video are framed differently to show off their body, and reinforces societal expectations of women having to look a certain way in order to be viewed as attractive by males.

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

I think Beyonce reinforces the traditional male gaze in this video as parts of her body are deliberatly framed in a way to emphasise her features. She also potentially shows women as oppressed through the lines "Why don't you love me when i make me so damn easy to love." which highlight the idea that a women can fit all gender stereotypes and societal expectations, but men can still not think they're worthy.

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




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

It suggests that men are being presented as being less traditionally masculine, with emphasis on being more emotionally available and in touch with their feelings.

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

He believes the media consumption in the 1980s and 90s gave audiences a chance to construct their identities and possibly stereotypes. still acknowledged Butler and van Zoonen: “Although the popular remix of feminism is accepted by young women, it remains the case that most women and men remain somewhat constricted within particular gender roles.”

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 think that men are still under pressure from the media to act a certain way, as men are still expected to have a 'stiff upper lip' attitude and are ridiculed for exhibiting any sort of traditionally feminine behaviour.