1. “You can’t be what you can’t see.” What does this quote suggest about how representations of powerful women are, largely, absent from the mass media?
- This quote suggests that if the only forms of women we see in mass media are the unrealistic stereotypes then young girls have no one to look up to, aspire to be like, or attain habits from but them.
- Women can only be as they are as an object, not the strong capable people we are inside.
- Women can only be as they are as an object, not the strong capable people we are inside.
2. What does Miss Representation suggest about the way women are represented in the media?
- It suggests women are represented often as weak, incapable, stupid, 'blonde bimbo barbies', they need a man, they are objects of desire, objects of sexual attraction, eye candy. It is not an accurate representation of women at all.
3. What is a stereotype? Which gender stereotypes are being repeated again and again in the media?
A stereotype is taking certain characteristics that one believes to be funny or common and exaggerating it. It is when a person is placed in a 'box' or a 'category' but it is not always accurate.
- The idea of the sexy object of desire, a women clearly to just entertain the men, and be objectified.
- The idea of the dumb incapable women who is often very pretty and has a hard time getting stuff done by themselves. They are often co dependant and need a man to help them. (often a blond woman who is ditzy with a smoking hot body)
- Women need to be what a man desires, they don't necessarily need to be a certain look but they have to be what a man wants.
- Women need to be what a man desires, they don't necessarily need to be a certain look but they have to be what a man wants.
- The woman who just wants to find love and is struggling with her love life, but eventually does and is extremely happy.
- The cold 'bitch boss' who has forsaken a man, and a family for a successful career. This character is often an angry slave driver.
4. In terms of representation of women, what is the problem with mainstream Hollywood films?
- Men often go and watch films about other men and women often go and watch films about other men, but they also watch 'chick flicks' which often depict full on stereotypes of women. These stereotypes are often exceptionally misrepresented.
- They often don't represent different body types in shows the characters are usually slim and pretty, while men can be fat and unattractive and people still watch them.
5. What sort of stereotypes are used to represent female leaders?
- Female leaders are often depicted in two ways. They are depicted as cold bitches or cows or nasty and annoying or frustrating, emotional and whiny.
- They can also be represented as beautiful, pretty, objects of desire or attraction.
- Despite how people see them they are always criticised for how they look. Their hair, their makeup, their fashion choice are all criticised by the general public.
- When a woman is in power she is "bossy" But when a man is in power he is assertive.
- When Sarah Palin was in Parliament she was portrayed as this object of desire, a feminine woman, who had a family. She was called 'hot' and 'sexy' and disrespected by the media.
- When Julia Gillard was in power she was disrespected and called a bitch and awful. It was a big deal when she fell over (while it wouldn't be for a man) And she was thought of as stupid although she was very intelligent.
- When a woman is in power she is "bossy" But when a man is in power he is assertive.
- When Sarah Palin was in Parliament she was portrayed as this object of desire, a feminine woman, who had a family. She was called 'hot' and 'sexy' and disrespected by the media.
- When Julia Gillard was in power she was disrespected and called a bitch and awful. It was a big deal when she fell over (while it wouldn't be for a man) And she was thought of as stupid although she was very intelligent.
6. What does Caroline Heldman argue about representations of women like Lara Croft which, on the surface, may appear empowering?
- She argues that although on the surface they seem to be powerful, capable and strong they are often dressed in very sexy attire that would not commonly be used for fighting. Again they are objectified.
7. What, according to Gloria Steinem, is the side effect of representations created in a patriarchal system?
- The side effects from males, from a young age, watching violence happen in TV shows and video games is that it will normalise the abuse of women and make them think its fine. There have been studies to prove that this exists yet nothing has been done to stop it.
8. During prime time television, what age group do the majority of female characters belong to?
9. What does Jennifer Pozner claim about the representation of women on reality television?
- Women on reality television are often the afore mentioned stereotypes and because of the growing popularity of reality television this is a problem for young and impressionable viewers.
- When a woman has a melt down on reality television they are portrayed as dramatic and annoyed. If a woman has a melt down rather than a man then the woman would be on the advertisement.
- Women on reality television are especially sometimes, spoiled, bratty and nasty and this is a terrible portrayal of women.
10. Explain how the following factors may influence the representation of gender in the mass media: cultural attitudes, media ownership, advertising, media regulation.
Cultural attitudes:
- This depends on the cultures beliefs. If the culture believes in a more traditional (old) place of women then women may be predicted in TV shows as being 'seen and not heard' 'in the kitchen' and housewives.
- If a culture is more modern and want to uplift and empower women then we could be seeing a change with strong females who are independent and strong. Hopefully this can happen soon.
Media ownership:
- As much of the mass media is owned by men this could seriously effect what we are watching, we could watch shows with the same old female stereotypes. This will seriously misrepresent women on TV. But if there are men who decide that this is not okay then we could have a change and also se stronger women and less emotionally inapt men.
Even better if more women owned more media then they could represent themselves in the characters truly, as strong, independent and smart.
advertising:
- Right now in advertisement women are often being objectified and put in place as objects of desire. They are also often being depicted on ads as the afore mentioned stereotypes. However it is much more likely for women to get angry and frustrated about the unfair representations of themselves than men.
- For some reason when men are objectified and used as objects of desire everyone seems to think it is okay, its just a 'cheeky ad'. Often in ads you will see the strong macho man, who takes his shirt off and is strong and brave, but no one can focus on the fact he is string and brave because they are too busy staring at his abs.
- Maybe this is we are much more conditioned to seeing a man with his shirt off rather than a women but I find it strange how one is okay and the other is objectification.
- Men are often despited in other stereotypes, being the incapable husband who's wife wears the pants, being a macho bloke, who drinks beer and watches the game, or being a fat lazy slob. All of these I think are unfair stereotypes of men who are often so much more than just this.
Media regulation:
- If the media was regulated more carefully then we would be able to weed out these unfair stereotypes of both men and women. Unfortunately this is not what is happening right now and the stereotypes are often more 'popular' and 'prevalent' than ever in todays society. Therefore men and women are being misrepresented.
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