Identities and the Media: Feminism

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

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

pan am
beyonce 


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

pan am- stewardess are used as they are considered to be "admired" and "aspired" this can be an example of the male gaze.

beyonce- in her video she winks in her ‘sexy outfits’. This self-conscious address allows Beyoncé to be objectified, welcoming the male gaze but simultaneously also avoiding feminist criticism through this use of parody and humour.


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

i think that feminism still does needs exist the reason for this is because in both examples females of objectives and the theory of the male gaze applies, this therefore suggests that men still see females as objects an therefore objectified. however it can be argued that the intentions were foe this in order to create more awareness among people, it can also be suggested that beyonce in her video wore clothing in order to entice a male audience.


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

Feminism – A movement aimed at defining,establishing, and defending women’s rights and equality to men.

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 longer 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.

Nostalgia – A sentimental longing for the past, often only remembering the positives of the time.

Male Gaze – The gaze referring to Laura Mulvey’s seminal article ‘Visual Pleasure and Narrative Cinema’ which argues that main stream Hollywood films subject female characters to the ‘male gaze’ of the camera, fragmenting and objectifying their bodies.

No More Page 3

1) Research the No More Page 3 campaign. Who started it and why?

it started by Lucy Anne Holmes, she started this campaign "she became sad that the most prominent photograph of a woman in the widest circulation British newspaper is of a young woman in just her pants."

2) What are the six reasons the campaign gives for why Page 3 has to go?


it is considered sexist

children can see page three at any time

It is sooooo… outdated!  – The Daily Mirror used to feature topless Page 3 girls in the 1970s



3) Read this debate in the Guardian regarding whether the campaign should be dropped. What are Barbara Ellen and Susan Boniface's contrasting opinions in the debate?

the article looks at how page three is wrong but at the same time i looks at other factors why its okay , for instance females wanting or it may be there only source of income and therefore stopping this could lead to females being out of work. another debate is the fact other celebrity are posting nudes and are considered okay.

4) How can the No More Page 3 campaign be linked to the idea of post-feminism?

this can link to he fact that women have the right to do what they want and therefore have te ability to say no can choose what they do.

5) What are your OWN views on the No More Page 3 campaign. Do you agree with the campaign's aims? Should the campaign continue?

i think the campaign is a start in the right direction, however taking away page 3 can be seen as taking away jobs for both photographers as well as models, although in some way it can be seen as negative as it is so easily accessible and therefore children can see it can be argued that more measures should be put in place e.g. age restrictions. 

6) Do you agree that we are in a post-feminist state or is there still a need for feminism?

i believe feminism is still needed, the reason for this is because the word "feminism" should not have to be used in terms of fair and equal rights, when the word is no longer used it can eb suggested that equal right are something that it common and no longer something that has to be fought for.