Gender Collective Identity

• The average percentage of female reporters was 22.6% - compared to 77.4% of males.
• Representation of women in news media is 22% according to a 2011 survey in The Guardian. 

• Patriarchy is a social system in which males hold primary power, predominate in roles of political leadership, moral authority, social privilege and control of property; in the domain of the family, fathers or father-figures hold authority over women and children. - women less likely to be the source of leading news stories.
• Male Gaze - Audiences are positioned to view characters from the perspective of a heterosexual male, such as through the extensive use of focussing particularly on the curvature of the female body. - Leads to the objectification of women. Women viewers are made to view the product SECONDARILY, from the point of view of a male.   - gender power asymmetry in film (Laura Mulvey)
  
  
  
• Hegemony - Those in power want to keep the order. - Gramsci
• Scopophilia - deriving pleasure from looking. As an expression of sexuality, it refers to sexual pleasure derived from looking at erotic objects: erotic photographs, pornography, naked bodies, etc.
• Hypodermic Needle Theory - Passive Acceptance of Media vs. Gauntlett - Negotiated acceptance of the media, influenced but not overwhelmed.
• Female Gaze - Hanson (1984) Women are also able to view male characters as erotic objects of desire
• Genderfuck - Refers to the self-conscious effort to play with traditional of gender roles.
• Jonathan Schroader - the gaze is more than just a look, it implies a psychological relationship where the gaze is superior to the object.

Examples:

Historical Text - 1966 Fairy Liquid Ad - Presents a woman in a typical domestic and maternal role who is insisting on staying beautiful (soft hands etc.) , female child learning about cleaning - expected in the future.

Historical Text - 1960's Ovaltine - Wake up Perky in the morning 

Contemporary Ad - BOSCH 125 Years of Evolution - showing imagery of women from 1886 to 2011 using washing machines. SUGGESTS SOCIETY HASNT CHANGED

Contemporary Ad - Ariel Washing Powder Ad - Shows a man doing the washing, but shows ignorance about it - just chuck a washing tablet in. CHANGED TO SOME EXTENT

Contemporary Ad - LYNX Shower Gel. Get Dirty. Image of dirty woman with 'Wash Me' written on her. Her face is cut out. Her boobs are out, she is beginning to take off her underwear. Male Gaze Theory. Objectification.

Contemporary Ad - LYNX Can She Make You Lose Control - picture of woman putting food in the oven, bent over wearing underwear. Shows objectified woman in a domestic role. Male Gaze. -

Contemporary Example - Kill Bill/Kickass - Women used as protagonists in films (not in normal domestic roles) HOWEVER, still sexualised to some extent - use of costume etc. - Post Feminism 

Contemporary Example - Coca Cola - Diet Coke Advert  January 2013 - Group of women staring at man taking top off. Suggests Female Gaze - Female stare at men as much as men stare at females. 

Explanation/Analysis/Argument (20 Marks)

Examples (20 Marks)

Terminology (10 Marks)

only 1 example = marks capped, no historical context = marks capped

1. Define collective identity

2. Discuss how media influences collective ID - Use a quote

3. Comment on the role of patriarchy in media representation and link to hegemony.

4. Comment on the social and political factors that have influenced media representation - i.e. Feminism

5. Comment on whether media representations have changed and whether Mulvey's theory applied to contemporary examples.

6. Summarise your views based on the media text examples and theories that you have discussed.

"Given that collective identity means individuals sense of belonging to a group who share a set of traditions and values, media have a significant role to play in the representation of gender through patriarchy." etc etc.