Throughout the 21st century we have been immersed in a world in which is almost wholly dominated by the media. It is appropriate to say that many ideologies have been indeed challenged by the media, including the ideology of feminism, which I aim to focus on in this essay. Firstly, it is necessary to think about what the founding concepts of feminism actually are and how the ideologies of post feminism and antifeminism are using the contemporary media to question feminism. Texts such as Bridget Jones’ Diary and Desperate Housewives are fitting examples of how post feminism has penetrated through the media challenging feminism. Similarly elements of anti-feminism are evident when looking at films such as the new adaptation of Cinderella . …show more content…
The article “Post-feminism and Popular culture” by Angela McRobbie(2004) befittingly deals with post-feminism, defining it as ‘’an active process by which feminist gains of the 1970’s and 80’s come to be undermined.’’ In this insightful article, McRobbie envisages post-feminism in a positive way, raising feminism and achieving equality. She associates 1990 as a year of change, “the moment of definitive self-critique in feminist theory” (McRobbie, ). In this period, post-colonialist feminists interrogate the claims of the second-wave-feminism, and popular feminism could express itself. Ultimately McRobbie suggests that by means of tropes of freedom and choice that are now connected with the category of ‘young women’, feminism is decisively aged and made to seem redundant. McRobbie demonstrates how 21st century post –feminism challenges the ideology of feminism by using the example of the “Wonderbra” advertisement (1994) picturing the model Eva Herzigova, to emphasize the work of the “undoing” feminism (post feminism) or third wave feminism. In this advertisement, Eva admiringly looks at her body and is inviting the audience to look at her. She does it out of her own choice, not caring about anything or anyone. She seems to be in an active position and makes her a subject rather than an object. In doing so, this advertisement gives a sense of seeing feminism as a past matter, not being relevant anymore. The advertisement provocatively presents sexism. To me it seems that women present themselves in an ironical way and consequently, they are the subjects with power, or their body is the sight of power. Women have control over their body and hence, are
Rampton, M. (2008, September 1). The Three Waves of Feminism. - Fall 2008. Retrieved May 28, 2014, http://www.pacificu.edu/magazine_archives/2008/fall/echoes/feminism.cfm
Like a blueprint or instruction manual, the objective of a rhetorical analysis is to dissect a written argument, identify its many parts, and explain how all of them come together to achieve a desired effect. Susan Bordo, a professor of Gender and Women’s Studies at the University of Kentucky, wrote “The Empire of Images in Our World of Bodies”, published in 2003 in The Chronicle of Higher Education. Her essay examines how the media plays a pervasive role in how women view their bodies to the point where we live in an empire of images and there are no protective borders. In “The Empire of Images in Our World of Bodies”, Bordo not only effectively incorporates numerous facts and statistics from her own research and the research of others; she also appeals to emotional realities of anxiety and inadequacy felt by women all over the world in regards to their body image. Ultimately, her intent is to critique the influence of the media on self-confidence and body image, and to remind her audience of the overt as well as subconscious messages they are receiving on a daily basis.
In Rereading America excerpts by Jean Kilbourne’s “Two ways a Woman Can Get Hurt”: Advertising and Violence” and Joan Morgan entitled “From Fly-Girls to Bitches and Hos,” both authors focus on gender inequality in America. In doing so they are trying to explain to the audience about the status of women in the men dominated society. Both articles discuss the violence and exploitation of women and demonstrate the power of media and the entertainment world based on our attitudes that influence our behavior as men and women. Both selections also make readers think about the current status of women in the society and the media’s role in a way of effective gender roles among society. Kilbourne and Morgan provide the different examples in their own ways to support their selections and ensure to make their essay successfully persuasive by demonstrating their point of view, while still reaching the same conclusions. Kilbourne takes a calm approach to explain to the readers how the objectification of women in advertisements constitutes a form of cultural abuse, while Morgan adopt a very aggressive way to express her point of view. Comparing Morgan’s tone with Kilbourne, Morgan’s aggressive approach might leave readers disinterested to read her selection.
In Gaga feminism, Halberstan identifies how men are fashioned to be dominate and obsess sexually over the physical female form whilst woman are fashioned towards a submissive role where perfection is glorified as woman are constantly on display in order to gain male desirability. Our ideals about sexuality and gender have been socially constructed by popular culture as well as mass media. This essay demonstrates how this phenomenon occurs as well as highlights its effect on ones identity.
What is Feminism? How does feminism affect the world we live in today? Was feminism always present in history, and if so why was it such a struggle for women to gain the respect they rightly deserve? Many authors are able to express their feelings and passions about this subject within their writing. When reading literary works, one can sense the different feminist stages depending on the timeframe that the writing takes place. Two such works are ‘The Yellow Wallpaper’ by, Charlotte Gilman and ‘Everyday Use’ by, Alice Walker; the feminist views within each story are very apparent by the era each author lives in. It is evident that a matter of fifty years can change the stance of an author’s writing; in one story the main character is a confident and strong willed young woman looking to voice her feminist views on the world, while the other story’s main character is a woman trying to hold on to her voice in a man’s world which is driving her insane.
...present powerful characters, while females represent unimportant characters. Unaware of the influence of society’s perception of the importance of sexes, literature and culture go unchanged. Although fairytales such as Sleeping Beauty produce charming entertainment for children, their remains a didactic message that lays hidden beneath the surface; teaching future generations to be submissive to the inequalities of their gender. Feminist critic the works of former literature, highlighting sexual discriminations, and broadcasting their own versions of former works, that paints a composite image of women’s oppression (Feminist Theory and Criticism). Women of the twenty-first century serge forward investigating, and highlighting the inequalities of their race in effort to organize a better social life for women of the future (Feminist Theory and Criticism).
In "Where the girls are: Growing Up Female With the Mass Media," Susan Douglas analyses the effects of mass media on women of the nineteen fifties, and more importantly on the teenage girls of the baby boom era. Douglas explains why women have been torn in conflicting directions and are still struggling today to identify themselves and their roles. Douglas recounts and dissects the ambiguous messages imprinted on the feminine psyche via the media. Douglas maintains that feminism is a direct result of the realization that mass media is a deliberate and calculated aggression against women. While the media seemingly begins to acknowledge the power of women, it purposely sets out to redefine women and the qualities by which they should define themselves. The contradictory messages received by women leave women not only in a love/hate relationship with the media, but also in a love/hate relationship with themselves.
The social normality of the world is that men are required to be strong, determined and career driven, but for women, they ought to be weak, acquiescent to their male counterpart, and domestic. As of late, women have been acting against this stereotype. Rather than being complacent, women are beginning to stand in solidarity and dismantle the patriarchy that reigns over the nation. With this new-found empowerment for women, countless obstacles in the form of other social groups, particularly men, face them, working against women from allowing true equality to be achieved. Women in literature and media are beginning to be portrayed as women in power, something that was a rarity to previous generations. Contrary to traditional feminine gender
Gloria Jean Watkins also known as Bell Hooks, she is an American author, feminist, and social activist. In this book, Hooks give readers a better understanding of feminism and its purpose through updated information and an easier to understand writing style. Hooks argues that the misrepresentation of women in the media negatively affects both men and women. For Hooks, awareness is a vital element in feminism; if women are aware of their op...
Feminism is not only a theory but it is also a cultural movement for change and equality. Feminism has been defined as ‘the advocacy of women’s rights on the ground of equality of sexes’.1 Feminism offers representation to all kinds of women, highlights the inequality within society regarding women and challenges these inequalities. Feminism has changed along side the changing position of women in today’s modern society and emerging from these changes are new theories such as post feminism and antifeminism. In this essay I will discuss how both antifeminism and post feminism has challenged the founding concepts of feminism in today’s modern society. I will highlight my points through contemporary media examples such as the work of Miley Cyrus and Lady Gaga.
At the end of the 19th and start of the 20th centuries, a series of events occurred that would be known as the feminist movement. During this time, many women were starting to change the way they thought of themselves and wanted to change their social roles. In his views on feminist analysis Donald Hall says, “Feminist methodologies focus on gender.and explore the complex ways in which women have been denied social power and the right to various forms of self-expression. In this context the many perspectives that fall under the heading ‘feminism’ vary wildly”(Hall 199). Since women were denied social power and self-expression, they went against what society saw as acceptable, a patriarchal world.
Popular cultural theory argues that ideology is insignificant in comparison to the audience reception and interpretation of media content. Fiske (1986) believes that to preserve the minorities and serve the wider interest of the peoples whose differences will be a source of possible social change we must take the ideologies and power of the dominant groups, use them for different social purposes, and strip them of their hegemonic powers. Thwaites, Davis & Mules (1994) debates how media text can create an argument about social identity. The example given poses the question “are you are good wife?” which in itself brings into question female gender roles both in the family and in society and suggests that the woman in not fulfilling the expectations established by the dominant ideology enforced. The authors argue that “ideology limits and contain its polysemic structure by using such stereotypes and myths such as good, obedient wives and patriarchal authority. The possibility of a positive understanding of woman’s social identity has to be read through a male-defined position.” (p.161) Thus, it is argued that the connection between polysemy and social and political freedom does not place the audience in an equivalent position of power to authorities and mass media institutions portray the
Feminism is a movement that supports women equality within society. In relation to film, feminism is what pushes the equal representation of females in mainstream films. Laura Mulvey is a feminist theorist that is famous for touching on this particular issue of how men and women are represented in movies. Through her studies, she discovered that many films were portraying men and women very differently from reality. She came up with a theory that best described why there is such as huge misrepresentation of the social status quos of male and female characters. She believed that mainstream film is used to maintain the status quo and prevent the realization of gender equality. This is why films are continuously following the old tradition that males are dominant and females are submissive. This is the ideology that is always present when we watch a movie. This is evident in the films from the past but also currently. It is as if the film industry is still catering to the male viewers of each generation in the same way. Laura Mulvey points out that women are constantly being seen as sexual objects, whether it is the outfits they wear or do not wear or the way they behave, or secondary characters with no symbolic cause. She states that, “in traditional exhibitionist role women are simultaneously looked at and displayed, with their appearance coded for strong visual and erotic impact so that they can be said to connote it-be-looked-at-ness.”(Mulvey pg. 715). Thus, women are nevertheless displayed as nothing more than passive objects for the viewing pleasure of the audience. Mulvey also points out through her research that in every mainstream movie, there is ...
Popular media such as magazines and television shows like Sex and the City and Nigella portray contemporary core feminist beliefs that can strongly impact the consumer culture of their target audience. A common trend, although represented differently in each medium, is how identity is expressed through consumer culture and the politics of consumption. This paper will investigate how media depicts and exploits the changing feminist identity through consumption and independence.
In conclusion, David Lodge managed to embody the concrete term of feminism. Through the character of Robyn Penrose, he creates the breakup of the traditional Victorian image of woman.“ `There are lots of things I wouldn 't do. I wouldn 't work in a factory. I wouldn 't work in a bank. I wouldn 't be a housewife. When I think of most people 's lives, especially women 's lives, I don 't know how they bear it. ' `Someone has to do those jobs, ' said Vic. `That 's what 's so depressing. ' ”(Lodge