Lecture notes
Media representation and gender
- Module
- Sociology
- Institution
- The University Of York (UOY)
gendered advertising, overall detailed view of how the media represents gender - research included
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Media representation and gender.Gender and advertising.
Advertising is a common feature of everyday life, and a key source to ideas about
who we are and who we want to be.
Decoding advertisements – understand adverts from a sociological, gendered
perspective.
o Williamson, 1978 – slightly different context but very important.
o Looks at ideology and meaning in adverts, how are patterns of meaning
constructed and how are they made to seem natural?
o She examines in detail why they have appeal, why people buy that product.
o These adverts tend to connect feelings with objects.
o This creates an exchange value, increasing the material worth of commodities
beyond their use value. Another additional value of the feelings and emotion
behind it.
E.g. Rolex, symbol of wealth and status vs. a means to tell the time –
exchange value.
Gender display – Goffman (1979) book – gender advertisements.
o Interested in how femininity and masculinity are portrayed within western
media. How they are naturalised within adverts.
o Looks at the clothes they are wearing, how they are posed – big male and
female difference. 500 adverts.
o Variety of ways in which women are portrayed: soft, fragile, submissive,
vulnerable. Men portrayed in opposition; confident, comfortable, present.
o The message that comes from this image is important.
1) identifies this idea of the feminine touch – holding objects lightly,
touching or caressing themselves – shows them as soft, delicate and
fragile. Poses frequently sexualised, pose touching crotch or breasts.
Could look sexually inviting
Ritualization of subordination – women depicted lying down, chin up,
neck exposed. Men are standing up tall, over the female body.
Licensed withdrawal – women looking away, looking into the
distance, not fully present. Implies she’s not really paying attention,
might be psychologically removed from situation – looks fragile and
vulnerable. Women are ‘adrift’ whilst men see, ‘anchored and
present’
Infantilization – making women seem childlike – blurring line between
womanhood and childhood. This can be done is a few ways – women
and girls together in same pose, doing same activity etc. Or, women
depicted in playful ways, or women putting fingers brought to the
mouth by biting or sucking like children – could imply anxiety or
confusion.
Impact and effect of these images.
Killing us softly (Kilbourne, 1999).
Interested in the affect these had specifically on women, especially digital
enhancement.
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