Feminist theory

Media Magazine reading

Read Playing With The Past: Post-feminism and the Media (MM40, page 64 - our Media Magazine archive is here).

1) What are the two texts the article focuses on?

- Pan Am

- Beyonce's music video "Why don't you love me?"

2) What examples are provided from the two texts of the 'male gaze' (Mulvey)?

Pan Am: One of the main characters is on the front of a magazine cover, the image is highly constructed and mediated, the image can be visually enjoyed by men. Another example is when Laura was having her weight and appearance checked and being humiliated. Women use their looks to empower themselves and use their uniforms to gain access to places. In the series women are seen to be exploiting themselves in order to lead a lavish lifestyle and to get what they want. In the last scene where the stewardesses are walking in slow motion is a great example of male gaze because men stop to stare at them because of their makeup and legs being visible from their uniform.

Beyonce-Why don't you love me?: Beyonce parodies the stereotype of the 1950s housewife with a highly sexualised dress code in order to appeal to men. Beyonce is seen wearing exaggerated make up, high waisted tight knickers and a vintage style bra which allows the audience (men) to appreciate her 'credentials' and the vintage style. Beyonce objectifies herself and welcomes the male gaze but avoids feminist criticism with the use of humour and parody. 

3) Do texts such as these show there is no longer a need for feminism or are they simply sexism in a different form?

These text show that sexism still exists and that both these texts provide criticisms of representations of women but also objectify them too. I think feminism will always be needed because people still don't understand the concept of feminism and misunderstand the idea of it.

4) Choose three words/phrases from the glossary of the article and write their definitions on your blog.

Post-feminism: An ideology in culture and society that society is somehow past needing feminism and that the attitudes and arguments of feminism are no loner needed.

Third wave feminism: was a movement that redefined and encouraged women to be dominant and sexually assertive.

Patriarchy: an ideology that places men in a dominant position over women 

Male Gaze: The gaze referring to Laura Mulvey's seminal article 'Visual Pleasure and Narrative Cinema' which argues that mainstream Hollywood films subject female characters to the 'male gaze' of the camera fragmenting and objectifying their bodies. 
Music video analysis

Watch the Beyonce video for ‘Why Don’t You Love Me?’: 

 

1) How might this video contribute to Butler’s idea that gender roles are a ‘performance’?

Beyonce is seen working on a car fixing the engine which highlights the fact that gender roles are socially constructed and are not fixed. This suggests that women are capable of doing things that men do. Gender roles are seen to be a 'performance' in this video because Beyonce is seen to be acting a certain way in order to get attention from her partner.

2) Does this video reinforce or challenge the view that women should perform certain roles in society?

I think that this video reinforces the idea that women should perform certain roles in society because Beyonce is seen doing different things as a housewife would do. Beyonce is seen cleaning the floor and cooking in the kitchen whilst singing 'why don't you love me?' further reinforcing the fact that Beyonce is doing what she is supposed to do as a female. 

3) Would McRobbie view Beyonce as an empowering role model for women? Why?

McRobbie is known for analysing magazines aimed at women and teenage girls and would view Beyonce as an empowering women. This is because Beyonce has a lot of confidence to challenge the stereotype that women should look a certain way in order to get attention from men. The lyrics ' I got beauty,...money in my bank account' all reinforces the fact that Beyonce is a strong independent women who does not need to rely on men because she has everything she wants. 

4) What are your OWN views on this debate – does Beyonce empower women or reinforce the traditional ‘male gaze’ (Mulvey)?

Although in some sense Beyonce could be seen as empowering because she is a confident female, I think this video reinforces the traditional male gaze more than empowers women. This is because Beyonce is seen to be wearing revealing clothing and exaggerated makeup in order to get attention from men. This means that the male opinion is the most important to her and everything she does if for him. The fact that Beonce is seen crying and drinking singing ' Why don't you love me?' reinforces the fact that women are reliant on men and that females need men's attention.