Homework due: Monday 22nd FebGender Stereotypes/countertypes research

Select one text (any media platform) that clearly demonstrates female stereotypesThen comment on whether it shows clear

masculine roles

Finally find a contrasting text which offers counter-typical roles.

To discuss and identify how age is represented in the media

Learning Objective:

• Quickly discuss and list at least 5 things to describe how the following are represented in the media:– Youths– Old people

Age

After gender, age is another obvious category under which we stereotype people, and there are a whole range of judgements which go along with our categorisation.

Positive and negatives of youth and old age

What are the representations?

How are they constructed? Why are they constructed?

YOUTH OLD AGE

POSITIVES ActiveSociableInnocentStrongLong future aheadAdventurousFun

WiseAuthoritativeWell educatedFreedomWealthStability

However, as we know stereotypes are often negative…

We quickly deem other people too old, or too young.

We criticise mature women for going about as mutton dressed as lamb

We criticise young girls for tarting themselves up as jail bait

Film stars who start to show signs of aging in their forties are swooped on with cries of horror by gossip columnists ("Movie star gets wrinkles... and her tits start to sag" shocker!!)

YOUTH OLD AGE

POSITIVES ActiveSociableInnocentStrongLong future aheadAdventurousFun

WiseAuthoritativeWell educatedFreedomWealthStability

NEGATIVES LazyRebelliousRudeHormonalVulnerableNaiiveDependent

WeakVulnerableFragileMentally incompetentNot in control of their own bodiesLonelyDependentBoringUnwilling to try new thingsDesperate

Dominant representation of young people

• Yobbish/anti-social behaviour• Chavvy• Gang culture• Disrespect• Drink and drugs• Teen pregnancies

• Which media texts perpetuate this image?

Eastenders: Martin Fowler

• First character to be born in the programme.• Stereotypical youth from many news stories.• Anti-social behaviour with gangs• Teenage, unmarried father• Prison sentence for manslaughter• Continued criminal behaviour upon release

AgeYouth:• All youths believe that the police have it in for them• negative stereotypes as hoodie wearing criminals • Young people are portrayed by the media as alcoholics and drug abusers, criminals, bludgers,

lazy, complaining and aggressive• A common misconception for parents is that every middle school kid of this generation is

conceited, gossip-ridden, hormone-raging and naive. This is a stereotype. The irony of labelling children with stereotypes is not just hypocritical, but a huge overgeneralization.

Pensioners and the elderly:• Pensioners stereotyped as being grumpy• The elderly are stereotyped as being old, frail and lonely• They are not wanted and a burden to their family• The image of old people as childlike has been with us for a long time. there was a high level

of agreement that old people are unproductive, have to go to bed early, need a nap every day, are in the "happiest" period of their lives, cannot manage their own affairs, and are in their second childhood.

• Pensioners are fed up with being stereotyped on television as grumpy Victor Meldrews or sweet little old ladies, according to a study.

What are the wider implications?

Moral panics!

Theorist - Stanley Cohen (1972)

• Studied youth groups in 1960s.• A moral panic occurs when society sees itself

threatened by the values and activities of a group who are stigmatised as deviant and seen as threatening to mainstream society’s values, ideologies and /or way of life.

• Mods & Rockers (1960s), football hooligans, muggers, vandals, mobile-phone snatchers...

Working class males

• Represented as yobs.

• Stuart Hall (1978) argues that the negative representation of young people is deliberate as it justifies social control by authority figures such as the police and government. The media has a key role in this ‘social production’ of news.

Jamie Bulger(2000 – 2003)

No evidence was presented that either boy had watched ‘Child’s Play 3’. The judge made the connection and this was picked up by the tabloid press. It led to a change in the law so the BBFC now has to take into account ‘the influence’ of videos as well as their content.

From media text to legislation1. Occurrence of deviant act or social

phenomenon.2. Act or problem widely reported in media:

news outlets; internet chat rooms; fictional narratives; video games…

3. Call for government control either from legislation/policy initiatives or the more vigilant operation of already existing social controls. e.g.:

Pensioners

Does gender make a difference?

Harry Brown

• Watch the first 15 minutes. How does it link to Cohen’s idea of Moral Panics?

• How is represented?– Analyse the clip for visual, technical, audio and

cinematography codes

Film vs TV

Why do you think there are more opportunities for older women in fictional TV than film?

Stereotypes• Poor• Fussy• Senile• Infirm• Interfering• Victims• Dependent• Kind• Generous• Happy• Engaging in stereo-typical pastimes

• Humorous idiosyncrasies:– Forgetfulness– Senility– Grumpiness– Saying the wrong thing

• Does this reinforce the stereotype?

Sitcom