Feminist Analysisof Media

Dr. Matthew Giobbi

Feminism

“Feminist scholars concentrate on how biological categories like Male & Female become conflated with cultural gender expectations, resulting in discriminatory social systems that privilege men over women.”

Ott & Mack, 2010

“Feminism is marked by a political commitment to deconstruct these oppressive systems in order to transform society into a fairer, more equitable place for diverse peoples.”

Ott & Mack, 2010

1. History of Feminism

2. Stereotypes

3. Deconstruction of the M?F dichotomy

4. Post-feminism

Feminism

“Broadly speaking, is a political project that explores the diverse ways men & women are socially empowered or disempowered.”

Feminism

“A movement to end sexism, sexist exploitation, and oppression.”

bell hooks

Sexism

“ Discrimination based upon a person’s sex.

Sexism

“Feminism seeks to reveal & eradicate socially ingrained systems of sexism that harm all individuals is some way.”

SEX

“Innate, biological differentiation between men & women: anatomy, reproduction, hormones, etc.”

Gender

“Culturally constructed differences between men & women: tastes, roles, activities, etc.”

SEX/GENDER

• Sex= male & female

y chromosome-male

• Gender= masculine & feminine

Aggressiveness-masculine

Sex/Gender

Only women can give birth to children

Viewing women as nurturing or mothering is a gendered quality.

ESSENTIALISM

• The belief that gender distinctions are innate and natural.

Patriarchy

A system of power relations in which women’s interests are subordinated to those of men.

Patriarchy essentializes women in a way that favors men.

Patriarchy harms men too.

Little emotion

Avoid certain occupations

Breadwinner of family

Stereotype

A misleading and simplified representation of a particular social group.

• Elderly drive bad.• Southerners are not smart.• “White” people are uptight.• “Black” people are good dancers.

We all stereotype & have been stereotyped.

• Why is there stereotyping in the media?

“Socially powerful group have greater access to to media outlets as a function of their privilege, and this access allows them to represent their particular perspective on other social groups to the widest audiences.”

Stereotypes

• Stereotyping helps people make sense of a complex society.

• Past experiences generalize to future predictions.

• Mental categories allow for quick appraisal & decision making with strangers.

• Mental shortcuts that aid in survival.

Stereotypes

Some people are accurately depicted by a stereotype.

Most are not and are injured by the stereotype. Simplistic reductions of character.

+ Stereotype- Stereotype (not always realized as a

stereotype)

Stereotypes

Stereotypes remain in the media because they have enough “truth” (validity) to sound plausible without much critical thought.

The amount of reality in the stereotype is grossly overstated, misrepresented, and indiscriminately generalized.

Oppressors & the Oppressed

Can both learn how to act, think, feel, & believe from media representations.

The media lends credibility to the stereotype. Reinforces a generalization.

Gendered Stereotypes in American Media

• Binary understanding of gender

• Many stereotypes in the media function in this M/F dichotomy

• M- power, significance, agency, social influence.

• F- insignificance, passivity, powerlessness.

4 Typical Stereotypical Binaries

1. Active/passive

2. Public/private

3. Logical/emotional

4. Sexual subject/sexual object

Active/passive

• Males depicted with strength & activity.

• Sports, work, tools, vehicles.

• Women depicted sit or stand, passively, weak, underweight, frail.

“Being a man” or “being a woman” is largely taught by the media.

Public/private

Logical/Emotional

?

Sexual Subject/Sexual Object