Lesson 2 - Representation, gender and stereotypes
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This document discusses representation and gender stereotypes. It explores the difference between sex and gender, with sex referring to biological characteristics and gender referring to socially constructed roles. It then lists common stereotypes associated with masculine and feminine traits, such as colors, clothes, jobs, and character qualities. The document discusses theorists like Claude Levi-Strauss and their views on binary oppositions and how meanings are produced. It also analyzes representations of men focusing on strength, power, attractiveness, and physique, while representations of women focus on beauty, sexuality, emotions, and relationships.
Lesson 2 - Representation, gender and stereotypes
- 1. Representation and Gender stereotypes To understand the meaning of representation To explore gender stereotypes 21 September, 2017
- 2. Recap • Which two theorists did we discuss in last lesson? • What did they say?
- 3. What is the difference between ‘sex’ and ‘gender’? "Sex" refers to the biological and physiological characteristics that define men and women. "Gender" refers to the socially constructed roles, behaviours, activities, and attributes that a given society considers appropriate for men and women. ...and transgender/pangender/trigender should be part of this too.
- 4. • Colours • Clothes • Jobs • Leisure Activities • Physique • Appearance • Strength MASCULINE FEMININE Colours Clothes … In groups draw up a list divided into two columns and label one side MASCULINE and the other FEMININE and see what gender codes you can associate with each (Use the headings below to help) • Drinks on a Night Out • A Typical Night Out • Typical Character Qualities • Responsibilities in the Home • Favourite Genre of Films
- 5. Claude Levi-Strauss – Binary Opposites • The idea that texts can best be understood through an examination of their underlying structure • The idea that meaning is dependent upon (and produced through) pairs of oppositions • The idea that the way in which these binary oppositions are resolved can have particular ideological significance.
- 6. Representation of Men 'Masculinity' is a concept that is made up of more rigid stereotypes than femininity. Representations of men across all media tend to focus on the following: • Strength - physical and intellectual • Power • Sexual attractiveness (which may be based on the above) • Physique • Independence (of thought, action, finances)
- 7. Representation of Women Representations of women across all media tend to highlight the following: • beauty (within narrow conventions) • size/physique (again, within narrow conventions) • sexuality (as expressed by the above) • emotional (as opposed to intellectual) dealings • relationships (as opposed to independence/ freedom)
- 8. Think about the way girls are often dressed in pink and bought “domesticating” toys like dolls and play ovens and toy vacuum cleaners, whereas boys are usually dressed in blues and non-pastel colours and given toys like guns and construction sets and cars, developing skills that are outside the domestic sphere.
- 9. • It’s not just toys… it’s clothes, birthday cards, girls/boys magazines. • What do these say about what it means to be a boy/girl? What do boys like and what do girls like?
- 11. • Do you think this changes in men’s/women’s magazines? • Spend 5 minutes discussing the contents of ‘men’s magazines’ and ‘women’s magazines’. • What types of articles do they feature? • What does this suggest is important about men/women? • What do you think about this?
- 14. Which of our key theorists can we apply? David Gauntlett’s theoretical perspective revolves around the idea of autonomy of the audience, and how they use and respond to different media products. He asserts that: the media provide audiences and users with the resources to allow them to construct their own identities while, in the past, media products tended to convey straightforward messages about ideal types of male and female identities, contemporary media products offer audiences a more diverse range of icons and characters, allowing them to ‘pick and mix’ different ideas.
- 15. Discussion point Be prepared top discuss the points within this trailer for a BBC One documentary: ‘No More Boys and Girls’.
- 16. Judith Butler – Gender Trouble • The idea that identity is performatively constructed by the very ‘expressions’ that are said to be its results (it is manufactured through a set of acts) • The idea that there is no gender identity behind the expressions of gender • The idea that performativity is not a singular act, but a repetition and a ritual.
- 18. Be critical How stereotypical are you? Consider your own habits: • How you dress • Act • Hobbies • How you do things • How you say things