Recap

What is femininity?
What is patriarchy?
What theory did Laura Mulvey write
about?

Femininity
femininity is culturally determined and
matter of choice it refers to the pattern of
behaviour and qualities of behaviour that
we normally associate with being female.

Patriarchy
A system where men have power and
control society.

The Male Gaze

Laura Mulvey (1991) argues that in film
women are objects to be gazed on as the
camera acts as the masculine eye from a
male viewpoint looking at women in a
way that reflects masculine desires

GTA V: 8 Reasons Why Its

Blatantly Misogynous

1=NO5. VERY SEXIST

Other points?

Arguments against?

Representations of Men

Objectives
To explore masculinity and how it is
represented in the media
To understand the stereotypical
representations of men in the media
To understand how representations
change over time.
To explore the representation of men in
case studies - GTA

Definitions
Sex biological grouping what makes
us male and female
Gender this is effected and created by
social and cultural influences (what is
means to be a man and or a woman)
Not fixed - This changes over time think
back to representations of women
(traditional to modern)

Introduction to Representation
Media is a powerful means by which
messages are transmitted to the
public. How masculinity or
maleness is shown in those texts
can have the power to help define
what masculinity is.
These stereotypes are found in
fictional and non fictional formats:
film, TV, games, magazines, adverts,
music, newspapers.

1960s:
Feminist
movement

Traditional Representations:
1950s housewife stereotype

Femininity

Post Feminism: Lady

Gaga, Action Heroine
and Convergence

Continuation of Sexual
Objectification/Beauty
Myth

Male Stereotypes
Masculinity is often represented in media
texts through using stereotypes or set
characters (archetypes): encoded via a
range of semiotic codes dress, speech,
performance, etc.

Masculinity
Task: What do you think it means to be
masculine?
Can you think of examples from the media
who represent what masculinity is?

Masculinity as defined in the

1970s/80s:

Rugged features
Moustaches and stubble
Long hair
Demin
Open shirt and medallions
Being rough and ready
Action, violence and general toughness

Masculinity
As you have probably noticed. Those
images (70s/80s) are now somewhat
dated!
Contrast with modern images of
masculinity

Contemporary Representations
of Masculinity:
Modern characters are seen as in being
touch with their feminine side, showing
emotions, shopping and taking care of their
appearance.

The Metrosexual and the New

Man
In the mid 1990s development of
representations of masculinity shift
The young, single man with a disposable
income, living in the city
The Meterosexual man is not gay but
often confused with being homosexual
He is objectified and sexualised (turned
into a sex object) which goes against
traditional representations of masculinity.

 Demonstrates that representations of

masculinity has a tendency to change
over time
This leaves us with a rather mixed bag of
the features of masculinity in the media!

The Female Gaze

The female gaze
Females are now being placed in a
position of the subject, and males are
more frequently being placed in the
inferior position of the object. Women are
more often taking on a position of power
when placed in advertisements with men.

Case Study: 1
Alternative Representation of men the
Metrosexual man (heterosexual men with
feminine characteristics)
Gavin and Joey Essex Makeover
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Qqdcd6
Af6EY

Changes over time

Although it is clear that representations of
masculinity have changed over time, the
dominant representation of masculinity still
focuses on:
Body image
Physical strength
Sexual attractiveness and relationships
with women
Power and independence

Alternative Representation of
Men Lifestyle Magazines
One media area that has developed
dramatically is mens lifestyle magazines.
Aspirational role models
Concentrating on representing body
image the perfect body!
Images manipulated
Magazines refer to sex rather than
relationships

Case Study 2: Representation

of Men in magazines

Representation and Violence:

Hypermasculinity
Some writers have talked about a Crisis of
Masculinity as women are adopting roles
and qualities once occupied by men, men
are said to be confused about what they
should be like now.

Hypermasculinity
An extreme macho identity aimed at
making men distinct from women, e.g. The
Lad
Tough Guise

Representations and Violence

Area which has been researched males
and violence in the media.
Earp and Katz (1999) argue that media is
responsible for a steady stream of images
which define manhood as connected with
dominance, violence and control.
The media appears to show that this it is
normal and accepted part of masculinity.

Representation of Men in Action

Films: Present Day

Captain America
Trailer
A challenge to
the stereotype, Juno Trailer

 Research conducted in 1999 by pressure

group Children Now, found that there
were 7 common stereotypical
representations of men in the media.

The Strong, Silent type

Decisive
In control
Independent
Unemotional
Reliable

The Joker

Funny
Immature
Emotionally retarded
Assexual
Flippant

The Big Shot Businessman

Professional
Successful
Rich
Powerful
Arrogant

The Lovable Buffoon

Well Meaning
Unintelligent
Clumsy
Irresponsible
Socially Inept
Childish

The Action Hero

Aggressive
Violent
Independent
Sexual
Strong

The Outdoors Man

At one with nature

Instinctive
Knowledgeable
Practical
Strong
Fearless

The Geek or Nerd

Quiet
Thoughtful
Shy
Technically capable
Poor social skills
Introverted
Loner
Intellectual

Key terms
Reinforcing stereotypes
Subverting stereotypes

Common Representations
of Masculinity?
Men are active agents (women
passive -male gaze). Men do things.
(the heros journey).
Men can be physical, rational and
problem-solving archetypes.
Men can be unemotional or averse to
empathy.
Men cannot show weakness or
emotion.

Conclusions?
Men are overwhelmingly represented
positively or sympathetically
Where men are represented
negatively they are usually given
traits that are often stereotypically
feminine. e.g. physically weak,
emotional, untrustworthy, etc.
Men/boys are therefore encouraged
to think that certain attributes are
inherently male:- strength, power,
control, rationality, authority, lack of

Stretch and Challenge

GTA 5
Analyse the representation of men:
Answer the following questions:1. How are men represented?
2. Is it a positive, negative or complex
representation?
3. Why do you think men are being represented
this way?
4. Are stereotypes being used? How? Why?
5. Effects/ debates?

To Help
Pick one of the three main characters. Using the
information you have been given, focus on
information which will help answer the following
questions examples Handout/ Gameplay videos/
Game cover
How are they represented? What roles do they
play and what characteristics do they exhibit? e.g.
are they hyper masculine
Highlight any stereotypical traits you can identify in
the representations. Reinforce/ subvert traditional/
modern reps?
Are these traits problematic in any way?

 http://gta.wikia.com/Trevor_Philips
http://gta.wikia.com/Franklin_Clinton
http://gta.wikia.com/Michael_De_Santa