feminism beyonce

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

A picture of Laura, one of the major protagonists, on the front of a magazine cover serves as our introduction to the show's stars—the stewardesses—in the Pan Am pilot episode. It's interesting to observe that the first image of the Pan Am stewardesses is heavily mediated and created, with the intention of inspiring admiration and aspiration in women while providing males with pleasing visuals.

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

I feel as these reinforce the need of feminism as females are being presented in order to satisfy the male gaze through the media and if seen through the perspective of a third-wave feminist it would be deemed immoral and those feminists would have tried to prevent this for happening however now this has been normalised even by phase four feminists and so i don't think feminists would be necessary for this scenario as they are now okay with it

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

An ideology that gives men the upper hand over women is called patriarchy.

Nostalgia is a sentimental yearning for the past, usually limited to the good things that happened at the time.

Male Gaze: The gaze described in Laura Mulvey's famous book "Visual Pleasure and Narrative Cinema," which contends that mainstream Hollywood movies fragment and objectify the bodies of female protagonists by subjecting them to the "man gaze" of the camera.

Now read The Theory Drop: Gender Performativity (MM69, page 25) and answer the following questions.

1) How does the writer suggest gender performativity is established from a young age?

Children are taught to perform their gender from early on so that they align themselves with certain tastes and behaviours befitting their gender category.my children’s t-shirts.

My son – ‘Mummy’s little monster’– has permission to be a scallywag, to be disruptive and chaotic – monstrous,

even – and the main woman in his life will never disown him.

My daughter – ‘Dancing with my friends makes the sun shine’ – has a duty to be nothing more than agreeable, pleasant and pretty in order to make the world a better, sunnier place.

2) What does the phrase 'non-binary' refer to and how does it link to Butler's theory?

Non-binary individuals may identify as both, neither, a combination of the two, or something else entirely. This concept of non-binary gender identity is linked to Judith Butler's theory of gender performativity. According to Butler, gender is not an inherent quality or identity that we are born with, but rather a social construct that is performed and enforced through language, cultural norms, and societal expectations. In other words, gender is not something that we are, but something that we do.

3) How and why does the media help reinforce gender stereotypes? The writer provides several examples in the final section of the article.

The media often portrays men and women in stereotypical ways that conform to traditional gender roles. For example, men are often portrayed as dominant, aggressive, and successful, while women are portrayed as nurturing, passive, and dependent. These portrayals reinforce harmful gender stereotypes and can limit the way people see themselves and others.Advertisements often rely on gender stereotypes to sell products. For example, advertisements targeted towards women often emphasise physical appearance, beauty, and domesticity, while advertisements targeted towards men often emphasise strength, power, and dominance.

Music video analysis

Finally, write up our analysis of the two music videos we studied in class. This is your opportunity to develop your own opinions on these crucial media debates.

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

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

It could be seen as an example of how gender roles are a performance, as it depicts Beyonce adopting exaggerated, stereotypical gender roles and behaviors. Throughout the video, she portrays a 1950s housewife, complete with an apron, high heels, and retro hairstyles, as she performs domestic duties like cleaning and baking. However, Beyonce's performance is not a straightforward reproduction of traditional gender roles. Instead, she subverts and critiques these roles through her exaggerated and satirical portrayal. For example, she engages in over-the-top displays of emotion, such as throwing dishes and breaking down in tears, which highlights the absurdity of traditional gendered expectations of women.

2) What might van Zoonen suggest regarding the representation of women in this video?

van Zoonen might note that the video portrays Beyonce as a sexualised object of desire, with the camera frequently focusing on her body and emphasising her curves. This sexualisation of women is a common trope in media representation and contributes to the objectification of women's bodies. furthermore, van Zoonen might point out that the video depicts Beyonce as a domestic servant, performing tasks such as cleaning, cooking, and ironing. This reinforces traditional gender roles that position women as caregivers and homemakers, and suggests that women's place is in the private sphere of the home.

3) What are YOUR views on this debate – does Beyonce empower women or reinforce the traditional ‘male gaze’ and oppression of women?

 On the one hand, the video can be seen as empowering women, as it features a strong and confident female protagonist who is not afraid to challenge traditional gender roles and expectations. By using humor and satire, Beyonce's performance can be seen as a subversive critique of patriarchal norms that seek to limit and oppress women. On the other hand, the video can also be seen as reinforcing the traditional "male gaze" and oppression of women. The video's focus on Beyonce's body and sexualisation can be interpreted as catering to male viewers and perpetuating harmful stereotypes about women as sexual objects. Additionally, the video's portrayal of Beyonce as a domestic servant can be seen as reinforcing traditional gender roles and expectations, rather than challenging or subverting them.