Hyper-feminism

There is way to much sexual innuendo in this advertisement to not point out the hyperfeminist tone presented by this fragrance. The first thing that comes to mind is the rocket (a phallic symbol) launching straight for the girls crotch area....so obviously the women who wear this fragrance will get incredibly metro looking guys, and guys who wear the fragrance will get to have sex with the stereotypical sultry looking female. The brand is also called candies which implies sweet and desired which obviously the woman is because she is beautiful, yet also is very seductive in her stance and make up.

Quiz 2: Question 1...Hyper-Masculinity

Nothing says masculine like the most interesting man in the world. In this ad the man who is seen as the ultimate Man is portrayed with the George Clooney touch of gray in his beard and hair, he is very tan and wears a suit that gives him a vibe of someone who is important. He also has a deep voice with a foreign accent that is seen as an attractive characteristic in males. His surroundings are also important as he is constantly around women, alcohol, or in the wild unleashing a bear from a bear trap. And finally his Chuck Norris-esque jokes being told in the background make him the complete manly man. Not to mention it is lager commercial rather than a light beer commercial which adds even more to his manly aura.

Quiz 2, Question 2

This image refers to our discussion in class about hyper-masculinity, hyper-femininity, and gender insubordination. In class we talked about how it is socially acceptable for a women to dress or take on a male role (via clothing) however, it is completely unacceptable for a male to dress as a female. When we see Harley Davidson, we typically think of males with a long beard, tattoos, and generally a pretty qualified drinker. In the picture above we see a female taking on the role of the standard male. We do not think of this as being unacceptable, in fact many people who view this image would say that this advertisement is sexy. Women are able to take on a mans role and still be sexy but men dressing as women is not sexy, it would typically be classified as "gay."

Quiz 2, Questions 1:Hyper-Masculinity and Hyper-Femininity

The former drill sergeant fits the role of a hyper-masculine male. As we learned in class, men are taught to act like men and portray themselves as men. Although the former drill sergeant who is now a psychiatrist does not visually portray the hyper-masculine male features, i.e. muscular, riding a motorcycle, or driving a truck, he does act as if a hyper-masculine male should act. He is very insensitive, and judgmental, but more importantly we hear him call the patient a cry baby. According to stereotypes for hyper-masculine males, crying is not acceptable. For men it is a sign of weakness, however for women it is much more acceptable and it can be a sign of joy, sadness, remorse, love, etc.

This advertisement is an example of hyper femininity. This advertisement shows a girl who obviously has make up on her lips and also seems to have a make up kit to the side of her. As we learned in class hyper-femininity are the norms for women (make up, long hair, emotional, well maintained, etc.). This advertisement definitely portrays that type of women figure. She is clean, sexy, and is wearing make up.

Hyper Femininity: Mac ad (Image 2, Quiz 2)

As seen here it's the always sexy, big busted Pamela Anderson. Pamela Anderson is an American sex symbol, even without her finger in her mouth. Here she is the ultimate example of what hyper femininity looks like as she strikes a erotic post, exposing the sides of her breasts along with her perfect photoshopped skin and flat tummy. She is also staring right at the camera, which is a symbol of dominance and power. But even though the stair is powerful, her face is soft and reserved showing off her feminine sexual side. her makeup is hot pink (every girls favorite color) and her hair is flowing up into the wind, making her even more desired and beautiful. She is also drowning in diamonds from her neck to her wrists. This screams money and glamor to any on looker. Lastly, let's not forget Pam's breasts. Those bad boys play a part of their own in a top that is ten sizes too small. She truly is a sight.

Heidi Klum:The essence of femininity (Quiz 2 Image 1)

While looking for images that represent hyper femininity I found this picture of Heidi Klum strutting her stuff down the Victorias Secret runway. The way I see it, you cant get more more "girl" then this. She is a strong woman with a beautiful toned body. Her blond hair and bleached smile are bright as she prances down the aisle. But of course their is a pink glow to her, every girls favorite color. To top it off, she is carried by the wings of a perfect bow, as if she is God's gift to "sexy." Her stilettos make her tall body even longer as her perfect flat abs are displayed with pearls that draw even more attention to the hard-to-get muscles. She is a walking breathing barbie doll. Oh, and p.s. She gave birth about a week before she was photographed here... so not only does she look perfect but she is also super woman. Looks to kill, a smile to die for, dipped in pink with a massive bedazzled bow, if that doesn't scream feminine then I don't know what does.

Quiz 2, Question 2 - Butler "Being" a Lesbian

Although Judith Butler's essay, Imitation and Gender Insubordination, is wordy and rather difficult to understand, I found interesting her stance on going to different places to "be a lesbian". She points out that she's been a lesbian since age 16, but she is also currently going somewhere to "be" a lesbian at the same time. Butler refers to it as redoubling. This double-sided aspect of "being" is interesting. One's sexuality, when homosexual, makes up a part of how they are recognized. I believe we are inclined to classify homosexuals separately from heterosexuals in terms of how they represent themselves. When one puts "gay man" into a Google Image search (thank you filters), this image is one of the first to appear-




In reality, gay men don't actually dress like this. This image is just a stereotype of someone "performing" the role of being gay. Maybe it could be termed hyper-homosexuality?

Women In Media:third wave feminism

I found this advertisement online for Nike that I feel really connects to Mulvey’s discussion. I liked how her perspective was less critical and more approached the third wave of feminism discussed in Rakow’s article. This advertisement shows the power of women through something usually associated with men: exercise and hard work. i think this ad allows the viewer to see it as more power to women even with somewhat of a feminine touch. The colors in the ad attract a more feminine audience while the words are very powerful and allow independence for women. Just like in Mulvey's article, women do things because they want to; some women read romance novels because it interests them, leaving male influence out, they do this on their own, just like in this ad, the girl describes her arms and shoulders as a product of her hard work, leaving men out of it.

Masculinity

I chose this males Under Armour ad to represent masculinity. First by looking at the ad, one can see that the setting and the colors are very masculine and represent masculine qualities. The man is working out in a very non-ideal setting, an old warehouse. The colors of the warehouse are also very masculine colors, dark. Also, he is working out with non-typical workout equipment; a cinder block and two old tires. All of these visual qualities of the ad represent hyper masculinity. Boys are brought up and formed by culture to be interested in and attracted to different things than girls. Girls tend to be attracted to lighter colors and more dainty things, and interested in activities more associated with the feminine image, family, friends, or socializing. Generally, boys are brought up to be interested in darker colors, sports, and more adventurous and rugged activities. These differences are visually portrayed through these advertisements by using differences in color, setting, clothing, and objects. These differences portray the constructed nature of gender norms and these ads are a performance, trying to reach a male or female audience by portraying different interests associated with the typical man or women that have been constructed through social norms.

femininity : the standard girl

I chose this advertisements to represent the idea of hyper femininity. This Juicy Couture advertisement, which is a women's brand, emphasizes and centralizes on the girl. Also, it represents within the ad typical feminine qualities and colors. Noticing the background is mostly pastels, light pink and blue and purples. All these colors, and the butterflies, are standard things, well, girl. These are objects and colors girls are brought up and formed in culture to like and to represent them. As discussed in class, going to the store, one can distinctly pick out the girls toy aisle form the boys, simply based on the colors. One aisle is bright pink, while the other is more dark colors. This ad simply draws women in by featuring hyper feminine features that women are inherently formed because of culture to like. Also considering the jewelry, fur, along with the colors, are never something one would see in an ad directed towards a male audience.

that is so candies, but is it so right for kids?

n looking through advertisements I found one that particularly struck my interest. This was the Candies Ad. Candies is a clothing line that is aimed for preteen girls, yet it has an extremely sexualized ad that even says “That is so candies”, basically telling girls that they need to be sexy, or slutty, to be beautiful. This is just one ad that contributes for young girls not dressing their age and constantly trying to leave their present childhood behind.

"masculinity"

When looking at advertisements it is extremely interesting to see the differences of how “masculinity” can be portrayed. The first advertisement is the definition of hyper masculinity. The guy in the ad is completely a Marlboro man, someone that all guys want to be. He is a tuff, many, cowboy. This ad tells guys that to be a man, you have to be manly.

Meanwhile, the other advertisement is the complete opposite. This man is in a female pose, with his hair gelled back and in innocent white. This is not a manly advertisement at all. If anything it takes more of a feminine approach, which the guys who will look at this ad might have a little in them if they are indeed buying Calvin Klein cologne.

Radway's Reading the Romance

After Reading Radway's Reading the Romance it was nice to actually see how this ficitional romance novels are created. I usually thought that it was just made up stories from random people. The stories are actually true stories from other people. This ad relates to the reading because the female is looking right at the camera as in to give her attention and experience to the audience; just like these stories are about. It is nice to see that someone is actually going out there to interview other's experiences.

Different Versions of Hyperfemininty

Hyperfemininty is the overexaggeration of stereotypical female behaviors. Such examples include a female who has heels, a lot of make-up, loves to shop, and long hair. This is why the ad to the left with Paris Hilton is a perfect example of hyperfemininity. Paris Hilton is surrounded by pink stuff which is typically associated with "girly" stuff. Paris Hilton also has a lot of make-up on which also applies to the concept of hyperfemininty. This ad also helps give an example of hyperfemininity because for those who know about Paris Hilton would know that she is the stereotypical female that likes to shop and look pretty. Paris Hilton even went to the point to do a show about living in an average lifestyle. Even in the show she could not help but be "girly" in some situations.

In this other version of hyperfemininity we have, Madonna. Madonna is washing the dishes which is very stereotypical of a house mother to do; clean the house, take care of the kids, go out for groceries and etc. The ad of Madonna really shows a different side of hyperfemininity. It displays a more domestic side of hyperfemininty.

Quiz 2, Question 1

To show hypermasculinity, I find this cover from Best Life. It has Jay-Z on the cover who is a very successful rapper and businessman and also is married to Beyonce Knowles who is known for being a very sexy woman. So Jay-Z fits the hypermasculine qualities. What this magazine cover is telling us is that to be like Jay-Z and to have the best life (to go along with the magazine's name), you have to be just like Jay-Z. And how do you become like Jay-Z? Well just look at the rest of the cover. In bold letters at the top, you need to be strong and fit. Not just strong, and not just fit but both. You need the 6-pack abs, you need the strong arm muscles, etc. It even says on the cover that being strong and fit is "What Women Find Sexy". And being super masculine can be so stressful that in this issue, they can help by giving you a "15-minute full-body workout, upgrade your image-instantly and be you healthiest, happiest self". It only says on the left that you need to have a lot of money. Wow.

Here is the second advertisement I found about hypermasculinity. This is an ad for Gucci's 2010 campaign. On the right hand side is a dominant male (a hypermasculine male to be more exact) who has good hair (parted to the side that gives us an image that he is a businessman) and dressed well (with a nice jacket and turtleneck). With his dark hair and dark clothes, it gives off a "mysterious" look that women "just die over". Which, ironically, is what the women on the car look like; they look almost dead. It looks like the women (not just any women, attractive women) just died because the male is just so masculine that they couldn't handle it. With his nice clothes, nice hair, nice body and expensive car (which are all qualities of being hypermasculine) that the women fell in love with him and died.

Hyper-femininity

This advertisement for herbal essences hair products is very hyper-feminized. The model (Mischa Barton) is surrounded by flower petals, has long flowing hair and painted nails, and is wearing a frilly white dress. The background is also pink. These are all elements associated with females and girls. The model is performing the idea of a gentle, graceful, smiling woman. This leads to a concept of gender insubordination, because girls are trained to like pink usually from the moment they are born. However, not all women like the color pink, or choose to dress in dresses and skirts.

Different Types of Masculinity

This advertisement shows a form of masculinity to be a sophisticated, successful, upper-class male. The man performs this not only through his suit, but also through the image of a clean shaven face and clean cut hair. This performance is suggested as highly masculine in the way it attracts the woman, and that is spoken through the words, "A custom-tailored suit is a natural aphrodisiac." In this advertisement, the woman is wearing the jacket to his suit, which suggests that the suit helps to give him a dominance over the woman. The ad very bluntly suggests that if you have one of theses suits, you will get the woman.








The second advertisement on the other hand represents a different, more rugged form of masculinity. Rather than a custom-tailored suit and a clean face, the man is wearing jeans and a plain shirt, and his face is not shaved. The location is also important because it implies that he is an "outdoors man" which is stereotypically very masculine.

Quiz 2, Question 2

I saw this Newsweek cover and it really got me thinking. On the cover it says, "MAN UP! The Traditional Male Is an Endangered Species. It's Time to Rethink Masculinity." When I first saw this, I almost agreed with this. I agree with some stuff such as the traditional male is endangered. Guy don't have to have business jobs anymore, girls don't have to be housewives, etc. I mean, what is masculinity now-a-days? This article is saying that men don't have to be those really masculine guys anymore; they don't have to have 6-packs, you don't need to be fit, you don't need that expensive car or clothes to get girls, etc. But is that really true? Look at the picture now and not the words. It is a male with short, dark brown hair and also has a very good body (probably has a 6-pack). If they are saying that the "traditional male" is becoming extinct, why did they choose that model? Why didn't they choose a "regular" guy who isn't in incredible shape?

Quiz 2, Question 1 - Hyper-masculinity

I found another great Dolce and Gabana advertisement displaying hyper-masculinity as well as a video ad for the Slendertone ab flex belt. The D&G ad features 5 over-sexualized, dominate men with immaculate bodies and ripped muscles. They all have bodies that are nearly impossible to obtain without an extremely intense workout schedule and steroids. Furthermore, they are portraying a gang-rape scene where one of the men is pinning the women to the ground as if he were about to seduce her or have sex with her. The woman is actually portraying a hyper-feminine female with her tight dress, long legs, high heels, and makeup. The scene here is rather disturbing. Each male is looking at the woman as if they are waiting for their turn to put their hyper-masculine bodies to work.

The video ad for the "Slendertone" is absolutely hilarious. You don't even need to watch the full 3 minutes to know where the ad is going. The advertisement features a product that allows you to obtain an amazing stomach with ripped abs without having to do "traditional"workouts. In the first scene of the ad, two men are in a pool as an attractive lady walks by. This scene sets up the mentality that if you want a strong, sexy, midsection and the ability to attract beautiful girls, then you need the Slendertone! The ad frequently cites statistics that don't carry real weight, before and after photos that are ridiculous transformations, and a constant theme of "it's so easy!". In general, the models in the ad have bodies that are not obtainable by simply using the Slendertone. The hyper-masculine models all have bulging pectoral muscles as well as biceps. It's ridiculous.

Quiz 2, Post 2: "Shiloh Jolie-Pitt wants to be a boy"

Since Angelina Jolie and Brad Pitt began their relationship in 2005, they have become one of the most reported celebrity couples worldwide. They are particularly known for their large family consisting of six children: three biological children and three adopted children. However, the child that has provided the most controversy is Shiloh, four years old. Since she was three, tabloids have been interested in what appears to be her interest in cross dressing. The magazine cover above even claims that Angelina Jolie herself is turning Shiloh into a boy. In an interview with Vanity Fair Jolie said the following "She wants to be a boy. So we had to cut her hair. She likes to wear boys' everything. She thinks she's one of the brothers." She seemed very casual about the matter. Like Angelina, I too see no problem with Shiloh wanting to dress like a boy. I grew up with two older brothers and so I know what it's like to want to be "one of the guys." Also, it's surely not uncommon for littler girls to through tomboy phases.The fact that the media is even criticizing the way a FOUR old year dresses is absolutely ridiculous. So what if she doesn't want to dress like the rest of the little girls her age; perhaps she's independent and has a mind of her own. If so, good for her. Even if her current attire is somehow indicative of her sexuality in the future, why should the rest of America care?

Quiz 2, Question 1: Hypermasculinity

Hypermasculinity is the exaggeration of stereotypical male behavior. For American society, things generally associated with masculinity include big muscles, sports cars,motorcycles, and constantly being surrounded by women. Feminist author and philosopher Judith Butler likens this exaggeration of gender to a performance, claiming that it society who has created the idea of what it means to be feminine and what it means to be masculine. She further explains this idea in her article entitled "Imitation and Gender Insubordination"; "but gender is a compulsory performance in the sense that acting out of line with heterosexual norms bring with it ostracism, punishment and violence." Thus, making it difficult for those who act opposite of the gender they were born.

On the cover of Men's Health to the left, actor Ryan Reynolds is displayed on a motorcycle. In addition, he is wearing a leather jacket. Since the magazine is about health, the message being displayed seems a tad confusing: Are the creators of Men's Health implying that in order to be healthy one must ride a motorcycle? And why would a magazine supposedly focused on the well-being of men focus so much on fashion and "the best clothes in the world?"Perhaps the indication is that dressing in fashionable clothes and riding motorcycles will not only keep you healthy but also get you girls. Men's Health in general seems to have more of a metrosexual feel to it; Ryan's clothes, facial expression, and hair all have a feminine flair. His leather jacket is also very tight, the way a woman would wear her jacket. In contrast, however, the Muscle and Fitness magazine isn't feminine at all. The man on the front has clearly used steroids to get his ridiculously ripped arms and abs. In addition, he looks like he's yelling out some kind of deep grunt, making him look animalistic. His posture and facial expression make him appear powerful and fearless. Just as notable as his physically ripped figure are the words on the magazine; all of them are telling the readers how they too can achieve this man's ultra-ripped body. While the Men's Health magazine seems to focus more on the things men need to be masculine (leather jackets, motorcycles), Muscle and Fitness focuses more on what men actually need to look like to attract females. Both advertisements, however, are expressing how men must perform or act in order to attract the attention of females. Perhaps the positive aspect of these covers is that they do display two very different ideas of masculinity. But, it is important to understand that there are many more definitions of masculinity and they should not be confined to either wearing nice clothes and riding motorcycles and doing steroids until you look ridiculous.

quiz 2 question 2

After discussing Butler's reading of "Imitation and Gender Insubordination," I understand it much better and appreciate it more. I wish our culture practiced more gender insubordination and the ads I put in my previous blog weren't the only few, narrow options of femininity. Because of Butler's discussion of homosexuals, it made me really think of their prevalence in our culture, which is hardly at all, except as some comical relief (like the gay tough guy in the elevator in the French Axe commercial). This comic relief is also pictured here left. These commercials and ads really play the "role" of gay or lesbian, usually in an extremely exaggerated form.

I found it really interesting how she described gender as a performance. We really aren't born a "man" or "woman," we are trained to become that way and act as that role. Especially when I think of the Herbal Essences ad I posted, I think of how that model is just performing the sexuality she is "supposed" to embrace. I wish we could as an experiment raise a boy and girl in an environment closed off from our gendered culture and see what happened.

quiz 2, question 1: versions of femininity

I chose to analyze different versions of femininity. The first ad I found is on the left, from Herbal Essences, a hair/body company. This version constitutes the over-sexualized female vision. The female is naked, lathering herself with soap, soaking wet, and her big laugh suggests an orgasm. It is not just the visuals that suggest this hyper-sexuality. The writing says how their new body wash will make her say "ohhhh," imitating the noise of an orgasm. This ad follows the stereotype of women being extremely sexual human beings, and not being afraid to expose it. I doubt someone could find an ad displaying a man exhibiting this much sexuality.

The next ad is on the right, from Dannon yogurt. This ad exhibits less hyper-femininity and shows a female athlete, Gabrielle Reece. She does not have the super-skinny built common to female ads and has a strong, muscular build, but she still is very fit and has a body hard to strive for. There are never overweight women in ads. She is also made up and put in attractive lighting to still appear very feminine. Therefore, she is the perfect "female athlete:" fit and muscular, yet still thin and pretty enough. Also, the ad is for light yogurt, a very feminine product. A male would never be used to "light" foods.

Even when ads exhibit a "strong" female, the stereotypes of women remain. Sexuality is still a huge part of the female image. It would be so refreshing to see a woman not having her body so emphasized, or a male expose a more sensitive side. We need to break down the stiff roles of what men and women can be or be seen as.

The Reception and Experience Approach

The Reception and Experience Approach "focuses on the readers and viewers of cultural products, their experiences and perceptions".  Women typically interact with different social cultural items that they may feel as though they can relate to it some how. For example I chose the image of the Desperate Housewives because some women can relate to the stories of each individual character. Let's take Lynette for example, she's a mother of three children who started off as being close to the top at her job then got pregnant and had to change her life completely. Some mothers can relate to this because she has three kids. These women also go through divorces, which is another concept that women can relate to.

According to Lana Rakow, "approaching popular culture from the standpoint of women's experiences with cultural forms presents feminists with a central tension in feminism. That is, it presents feminists with the challenge of respecting other women's understandings of their own lives, though that understanding may be different from a feminist reading of their situation. It also, however, presents feminists with a central objective of feminism, the opportunity for activism and change as feminists come to better understanding how other women function in partiarchy. " These soap operas that women can relate to helps understand what other women feel about a topic. Not every women may necessarily agree with what is being presented in media, but it allows those who are interested to have some kind of identification with other people.

The Images and Representation Approach

After reading Lana Rakow's "Feminist Approaches to Popular Culture: Giving Partiarchy Its Due" has really made me see some things about how feminists might feel about certain images out there in the media. In just about every magazine that I read there are always ads that have women in them. At first glance it just looks like a everyday ad, but after getting a better look at the ad you'll see the connotations that women have, typically sexual. Ads these days will have women barely clothed or posing in a sexual manner. Let's take this ad with Cher in it; she's wearing heels, black leotard and black stockings. She has wild hair and sticking her butt out. If the women is not posing sexually, she'll be possible seen doing something that "Women" do such as cooking, cleaning, or taking care of the kids; All of which if a feminist was to look at them would most likely not be happy. From now on it will be hard to look at ads the same way.

Feminsts Advertisements

These image also relates to Rakow's section in Feminists Approaches to Popular Cultures. This picture is very sexually suggestive, but also relates to the belief that women should provide for their family by cooking, and cleaning. The advertisement has a plate of pasta with a gorgeous girl on top. For me, this ad is saying that both things are good enough to eat (gross I know, but true). Although I think the girl is gorgeous, I think an advertisement portraying this type of message is highly unacceptable and inappropriate. I think that both the company and the woman posing for this advertisement are at fault for this.

A Young Girl's Dream?

Ok come on really? Is this supposed to be a young girl's dream? To have a house with only cooking, cleaning, and washing supplies. But wait there is also the added bonus of procreating! I don't agree with many aspects of extreme feminism, but even I can see how absurd and wrong this portrayal of the ideal female life is.

The Images and Representation Approach

This image is marketing and old tobacco company. This picture portrays the message that despite how offensive an action one may do, women will continuously come back to "their man." This image depicts that fact that in many advertisements, women are commonly seen as secondary to males. The caption in the advertisement says "blow in her face, and she will follow you anywhere." As many know blowing smoke in anyones face is disrespectful, unacceptable, and overall just disgusting. However, this picture makes it seem as if it is acceptable. In the section called "The Images and Representation Approach," they talked about how women are seen to be totally passive, ever-suffering, and second-class citizens whose greatest fulfillment in life is having their collective psyche divined by the out-of-touch men. I believe that this image fully portrays all of these descriptions.

Images and Representation Approach

This image marketing BMW cars takes the male point of view, but exemplifies what Rakow describes when talking about male perception of females in imagery. On the surface this image portrays women as not just objects, but objects that are less important than the male's car. From a feminist point of view the image displays men, however perfect they may appear, as simply more interested in other aspects of their life instead of the beautiful half-naked female in front of them. Another aspect of the picture is the text in the back ground that reads, "The Ultimate Attraction", which of all the things in the picture, the car is probably the least attractive thing. The man is a stereotypical dream guy for females, and the woman is a stereotypical dream girl for males, yet the ad is suggesting that neither of those things are near as interesting as the car on the male's mind. It is obviously directed more towards males though because it is only the female's face that is replaced by the car advertisement. I feel like the same effect would have been even more wide spreading if both of the faces were replaced by the car ad, then the audience would have had a bigger range.

Images and Representations Approach

These two images relay the importance of the feminist approach dealing with images and representations, mostly within popular culture. The image on the left is a famous cover photo of former president Bill Clinton with his hands on his knees making them look abnormally large. This reflects how much masculine power he holds, and he looks as if he is ready to take on the world and its problems. Halle Berry, a well-known sex symbol in our society, is mocking this cover shoot of Clinton in the same suit, but in a more provocative style. Her hands are instead resting on her thighs, and a woman's thighs are the body part that is the focus of womanly power. However, although Halle Berry may be seen as solely a sex symbol to some, this image could be seen as oppressive, as it would ignore the reality of her life. The main controversy over this image as well as Esquire as a whole, is whether or not it should be seen as a feminist magazine. As one views this image, they are led to believe it is feminist and that feminism is what of the characteristics the magazine stands for, but it takes more than one strong and unique woman on the cover of one issue to make it a feminist magazine.

Considering about 60% of women in America self-identify as feminists, is feminism really all about the emasculation of men? Aren't they more subtle than "wanting to blame you for everything?"

Images and Representation Approach

The show "Desperate Housewives," on ABC, relates to Rakow's Image and Representations approach. In this image, the characters appear to fulfill the stereotypical image of a housewife from around the time of World War II that Rakow mentions in her article, even though this series airs in today's society and is a weekly obsession for many. "Houswifey, passive, wholesome and pretty (187)" women are depicted in this picture, who as a whole represent America's modern, yet traditional housewife. The fact that these women still appear very similarly to women in the ads of the past supports and proves Fishburn's myth that the American woman have remained constant throughout the years to be somewhat true. However, the myth only addressed "white" women in the past, but this image marketing a TV show today represents all races as fitting into the stereotypical housewife to avoid racial objection. It is interesting that the women in this picture actually are far from the stereotypical housewife when in character in the actual show. This image is almost a facade, hiding their true personalities and flaws.

Does feminism have the same meaning today as it did during World War II? Are women fighting for the same respect and rights today as they were then? How has the stereotypical housewife and how they are depicted changed in today's society?

Mulvey Question

I was wondering, since women sex appeal can be offensive an disrespectful, yet also plays such a big role in entertainment, is it something that feminist would really want to eliminate altogether in film?

Have we really changed?

How far have women come since World War II? Lana Rakow mentions that post World War II, there was a term called the 'feminine mystique' which was "the fulfillment of femininity through women's roles as housewives as women's highest value and only commitment"(187). The 'feminine mystique' is definitely still in full swing but has it changed at all? On the left is an image of a housewife during the 1950s. She is cooking for her husband and on the bottom it says "Life can be wonderful". On the right is a recent image of a current housewife. She is a working mom who does just about anything. She has kids (and is holding one), has a briefcase (so she works) and she is carrying groceries (still does the cooking, cleaning, etc. around the house). I believe it has changed. The world (society) keeps changing, upgrading so we try to keep up and change as well.

Rakow also mentions (in cultural theory approach) that "men and women live in two different spheres and have two different cultural experiences"(195). Do you agree? I think that in the 1950s it was true. Like in the image (left) above it is clear who is in control and that men and women had separate duties and separate tasks. But now, like in image on right, women and men are not separate anymore. Sure there are "traditional" families like in the 1950s but now moms work, dads stay at home, both work, etc. What is traditional anymore?

Representations Approach

This advertisement represents the "feminine mystique." When you look at this photo you see an attractive women, wearing a mans coat while sitting beneath him, and a desirable car at a pleasant setting. Although the caption is supposedly what the women in the photo is saying, it is undeniably trying to appeal to men. Saying that the man didn't get her want she wanted but instead got this car, and not only did that not make her mad it "brought them closer together." Now she has the privilege of buying stereo tapes and cleaning the nice interior. With a final caption saying, "catch of the year" alluding to having the perfect submissive women to go along with the perfect life.

(Question #2) Cosmopolitan magazine: Feminist or Anti-Feminist?

The "male gaze" described by feminist writer Mulvey encourages the sexualization of women by viewing them as objects. Women's magazines like Cosmopolitan claim to support the idea of a "fun, fearless female." However, all of their covers are donned by slender women with "come get me" facial expressions.

Are women's magazines like Cosmopolitan actually supporting the "male gaze?"

Images and Representations Approach

This image by Skyy Vodka is what Lana Rakow describes as 'feminine mystique'. It is taken by the man's point-of-view. When you first look at the ad, your eyes go straight to the woman which is what the advertisers want the viewers to do. The woman is there to be an object (or trophy) and gets the viewers to think that if you drink/buy this, you will get these kind of women. The woman in the image is almost naked (wearing a very skimpy bikini) and even though you can't really see her whole body, you can tell that she has all the sexy characteristics and is every man's fantasy with the big breasts, skinny waist, etc.

This also goes with what Rakow is saying about images that men are the ones in power. In the image, the man is straddling her in a position that makes him look like the one in charge (in control). The man is also fully dressed (in a business suit) that shows even more power while the woman is just in a bikini.

Overall, this ad suggests that if you buy their product (Skyy Vodka) you will be seen as attractive by these kind of women. Also, since it is an alcohol ad, it suggests that you can get very sexy woman drunk and take them home with you. In the image, the man is holding two glasses that suggests that they will be drinking the bottle of Skyy together. This image also suggests that woman should look like this. That if they want successful, wealthy businessmen, they have to have huge breasts, skinny waist, sexy blonde hair, etc. and then the men will find you. This ad suggests that the men are the ones in power while the women are just trophies on their shelves.

The Recovery and Reappraisal Approach vs. The Images and Representations Approach

It is interesting after first examining and evaluating the Images and Representations Approach to the feminist theory to then examine the Recovery and Reappraisal approach to the feminist theory. In the first approach, the questions asked seemed much more critical, blaming the male audience on the objective view of women in the media and concentrating more on women's rights and such. The Recover and Reappraisal approach, Rakow states, seeks answers to four different questions.

1. Given a male-dominated culture, how have women managed to express themselves?

2. Why has women's creativity been overlooked, undervalued , or ignored?

3. How do men's and women's creativity differ?

4. What are women's stories and myths?

Although these questions can also be seen as critical, they allow a much more open minded approach to analyzing the portrayal of women in the media. This approach, instead of a direct and critical analysis, allows the person evaluating to examine many more aspects put into the portrayal and form an opinion, whether negative or positive. For example, instead of viewing women in high heels as being sexy and being viewed through the eyes of men, one can instead see them as a symbol of power, in a high position job, or being worn to look taller and be more equal with men.

The Images and Representations Approach

The images and representation approach to the feminist theory discussed by Rakow concentrates on the characteristics of women's images in popular culture. Rakow discusses the devotion of feminists study to images of women considering the change throughout the years of the image of women in media. Freidan discusses the image of women post -World War II and how different it had become. The media then more objectified women as a typical house wife. Rakow states that the work in this area has sought answers to several related questions:

1. What kind of images are present and what do those images reveal about women's position in the culture?

2. Whose images are they and whom do they serve?

3. What are the consequences of those images?

4. How do such images have meaning?

I chose to examine an advertisement I see on TV almost every time I am watching; the Dolce and Gabanna Light Blue ad. As seen in the video, the advertisement shows a barely clothed women and man. Approaching this image for the four general questions, the image of the barely clothed women reveals an objectified view of women and that it is typically a males image of a women and serves to appeal to an audience of men. The consequence of this image, in my opinion, is forming girls to believe that if they look similar to the girl in the ad, having a good physique, blonde hair, pretty face, etc., they will achieve an ideal man, such as the one in the advertisement. This image had the meaning of putting this impression of girls that view this advertisement, and may not be healthy for their body image, portraying this as an ideal woman.

This approach may allow one to evaluate this ad from a more critical standpoint. From this images and representation approach, the ad seems to be somewhat objectifying the woman. Viewing this advertisement from the point of view of the uneducated consumer, this advertisement just seems to e one with two attractive people making seem that if your wear this fragrance, you will look like this and get girls that look like this.

Quiz: Rakow, Question #1

APPROACH:

The Cultural Theory Approach

The preceding image taken from the classic Disney movie Tarzan displays Jane being carried through the woods by Tarzan. To a child viewer, specifically a female viewer, this image would simply be a representation of part of the film. Perhaps the child would fondly remember when Tarzan rescued Jane from the pack of dangerous baboons. However, from a feminist approach this image reads much differently. In fact, Lana Rakow explains in her article “Giving Patriarchy Its Due” that it is popular images like this that “set implications for women’s position and experience.” From Rakow’s perspective, this type of image displays women in a subordinate light. In the image, Jane is dressed in a skirt and blouse, an outfit unfit for the jungle. Implying that, women are often unprepared and frankly even unintelligent. After all, most people going to the jungle would know beforehand that they should dress more casually. Also important to note, is the way that Jane is clinging on to Tarzan; he swings freely, holding onto the forest-rope with only one hand while Jane clings to his body, fully embracing him as her protector. She, of course, is behind him because in a patriarchal society men lead the way. His facial expression implies than he is fearless; his confident grin and sharp bone structure make him the ideal example of masculinity. Jane, on the other hand, is delicate, even when flying through the air. Her small waist is visible even as she is clinging to Tarzan and is accentuated by her high-waisted skirt. Her facial expression is that of wonder and awe as she is flying high through the woods with her rescuer. Her feet are pointed and small and her legs are shapely, further emphasizing the “ideal feminine body.” Elizabeth Janeway, who was referenced in Rakow’s article, believes that these types of cultural images are becoming examples to women. Images like these teach women of all ages what it means to be a woman. Undoubtedly, Disney, being the largest entertainment company in the world, is going to have an immense amount of influence on popular culture. Janeway argues that ideas about women’s positions are “socially determined, not innate or inevitable.” Further implying that culture has a large influence on the way woman view themselves. The most notable theme of this theory is “that men and women live in two different spheres and have two different cultural experiences.” Oddly enough, Tarzan and Jane come from two completely different backgrounds, Tarzan one of independence and even violence, and Jane’s background being one privilege. Their differing cultural experiences make Jane’s submissive behavior even more appropriate and almost expected.

Feminism vs. Scopophilia

According to Visual Pleasure and Narrative Cinema by Laura Mulvey, film takes on the male gaze. This means that the camera is shot at a male point of view. For example, when a woman appears on the screen, the stereotypical camera shot is one where the camera begins at the legs and pans upward, just like the path a male’s gaze would follow if he were to be viewing the woman as a sexual object. This applies to the idea of visual pleasure in film, known as scopophilia, or the pleasure of looking. Scopophilia also applies in a narcissistic manner, as viewers watch the characters on screen in a way compared to how a baby first views him or herself in a mirror. The viewers identify with the people in the movies, and use them in order to help develop their own ego.

These two aspects combined can cause tension when it comes to the beliefs of feminism. Women are using the characters on screen as characters to identify with, even though those characters are developed from a male point of view. Thus, women are made to believe that they should identify as sexual objects and inferior in a phallocentric society.

Images and Representations Approach to Advertising

I decided to use this video to show the impact of advertisements on the minds of girls as they are growing up. This applies to the images and representations approach to feminism in popular culture. This video gives the implication of how advertising of beautiful models on billboards and television can impact the way a girl thinks and feels, and set how they believe they are supposed to look in order to be considered "beautiful." These images are the construction of the male fantasy, however, and not from a female point-of-view. The video then shows the self-esteem workshops, which work to change the girls' ideas of what makes someone beautiful and change the representation of beauty.

When looking at the images and representations approach to popular culture, four main questions are asked.
1) What kind of images are present, and what do these images reveal about women's position in the culture?
2) Whose images are they and whom do they serve?
3) What are the consequences of those images?
4) How do such images have meaning?

When applying these questions to the images the video focuses on we discover they reveal a woman's position in culture to be one of looking beautiful and fulfilling the male fantasy. The images are created by men and lead to women striving for the ideal look and cause low self-esteem when they cannot reach that goal. The images imply that a girl should look a specific way.

The Change of the “Feminine Mystique”

According to Lana Rakow, the “feminine mystique” has been around in women’s magazines both before and following World War II. However, it is extremely interesting to see how this mystique has changed throughout the years. In the years surrounding World War II the ideas of what women should be was all about the perfect housewife. The advertisements had women decked out in traditional clothing, cleaning, cooking, and catering to their husband’s needs all while having a perfect smile on their faces. Now, the feminine mystique is all about sexiness, with the big butts, big hips, big breasts, big lips, and everything over sexualized. Who knows what the next feminine mystique will look like in the years to come. (Quiz 1 Blog 2)

Gisele, The Normal Girl?

There are numerous images that help support the feminist theories discussed by Lana Rakow. The image I choose was one that was definitely over sexualized with Gisele Bundchen modeling for a perfume advertisement. Even though this advertisement is aimed at girls, for a perfume called “The One”, it still has all the ideals that men try to portray as. This ad most definitely has the “feminine mystique”. She is all wet and sweaty with overly sexualized features, even though very few men will ever see this ad, unless they enjoy flipping through the pages of Glamour and Cosmopolitan. This further proves how in most all areas of media, instead of a realistic version of women, it is through the eyes of what men want women to be, and hence what women think they should be as well. The ideas and theories that Rakow discussed have been around ever since World War II and is still going to strong, but hopefully one day women would be portrayed a little less sexy and a little more real. (Quiz 1 Blog 1)

Mulvey Questions

Laura Mulvey's "Visual Pleasure and Narrative Cinema" reading confused me a bit when she referenced the psychoanalytic aspect of film and women. On multiple occasions, she referred to the woman's lack of a penis and castration anxiety. I understand that Freud stuff can get pretty crazy but I'm having difficulty what the significance of a woman's lack of a penis is. The same thing goes for castration anxiety complex. Is there some fear here that I'm not aware of?

Upon further analysis, the castration anxiety is relevant to the phallic stage of a male's sexual development. In this stage, he recognizes that he has a penis whereas women do not. According to Freud, the male perceives that the woman's penis has been cut off. In theory, he is anxious due to the fear that he may also get his penis cut off by his "rival" father (Oedipal complex).

Dolce and Gabbana - Lana Rakow

This D&G ad features 5 women strewn about a room in very seductive and interesting poses. The ad is directed at women as it features clothing for women. However, the image is taken from a male's point of view. One woman is lying on the ground in a seductive pose as if she is in a bed. Another is hanging off of a rope as if it is a stripper pole. Each woman wears copious amounts of makeup and has extravagant hair styles. The image as a whole is almost like a man's fantasy. It follows a color scheme of red, brown, and black. This dark color scheme gives a feeling of seductiveness and that D&G is sexy. According to Rakow's "Images and Representations Approach", this image gives women a model of how they should dress (and pose) to be seductive sexy women. This image also suggests that these women are almost "waiting" for a male to join the picture as if they are saying "come play with us". When rethinking this image, it is really saying, "Hey you normal woman- if you want to be hot and sexy like we are and attract men, buy seductive D&G clothes and pose like this." This image instills the concept of a male-dominated society where the woman is dressing and acting in a way to please the man.

Response to "Reading Reading the Romance"

This reading confused me at some parts. I don't quite understand the concept of "ethnographies of reading vs. textual interpretation," or the "preoedipal mother" and the "oedipal father." I comprehended something like grown women, particularly wives and mothers, lack a maternal nurture they once had from their mothers? It's no surprise that most of the romance readers were wives and mothers, but it did surprise me that they said it's a "declaration of their independence," because romance novels seem so stereotypically feminine. I do agree though that it addresses their needs and desires, and maybe even as far as Radway's claim of their dissatisfaction of their heterosexual options. I have noticed that the male hero always has a sensitive side and usually caters to the female heroine, which could be an escape for wives who live in the common stereotype of serving their husbands and families.

Image according to Lana Rakow's theories

I chose to analyze an image in Seventeen magazine. It's an advertisement of Katy Perry's new fragrance, "Purr." The image is of Katy, a famous singer, crouched like a cheetah in a skintight pink and purple cheetah suit, and making a "come-hither" face. She is holding a string of pink yarn and seductively is biting one of her fingers. The bottom of the ad reads "earn my affection."

Using the the images and representations theory, I see that this image represents a male's point of view, ironically enough because this magazine's demographic is teenage girls. Katy is over-sexualized, and the "earn my affection" line is an invite to a male, not a female. However, this image gives teenage girl readers a message on how they should carry themselves and act. This image is stereotypically hyper-feminized. The image has only two main color schemes: pink and purple. The yarn, floor, and Katy's lipstick are all pink, the wall is purple, and Katy's outfit is both pink and purple. Katy's sexuality is very strongly represented in this picture, telling girls that they need to make a sexy appearance in order to attract attention and entertain the males, because that is the main idea of the image: we are living in a male-dominanted society, and the females' job is to entertain them, like a "pet;" Because it really is not about the males "earning Katy's affection" at all, it is always the female trying to attract the male's attention.

At first glance, I don't think much of the picture. This is essential Katy Perry, who is known for her strong sexuality. However, after using the images and representations approach, I realize just how harmful this ad really is. It uses so many female stereotypes and gives an implicit message of how females should treat their sexuality.

Welcome to the course blog!

Hi everyone, I thought it might be useful to post my YouTube tutorial channel online, which doesn't have all that many videos on it yet, but a few that might be helpful. See in particular the "Creating and Editing Blog Posts on Blogger" video, which is also above. Enjoy!

P.S. There's a useful video on how to use the wiki on the main wiki page, as well, but it isn't on YouTube for privacy issues.