David Gauntlett Handout - Representations of Gender in the Past

Notes:


Chapter is about the overview of representations of gender in the Media.
Internet and World Wide Web brings more information and ideas into our lives.

1950'S, 1960'S AND 1970'S only 20-30% of characters were female.
Mid 1980's there were more women leading roles, but there were twice as many men on screen.
Mid 1970's (Miles, 1975) found that nearly equal proportions of men and women in situation comedies, however, gender roles and humour could still be traditional and sexist.
Only 15% of women wereleading characters in adventurous and action shows.
In 1987, study found female roles to be most common in comedy programmes(43%).
1970's, marriage, parenthood and domesticity were shown to be more important to women than men.
Study by McNeil (1975) concluded that women's movement was largely ignored by television, with married housewives being the main female role.
Studies in the 1970's found men to be the more dominant characters
Men were seen as assertive or aggressive, and women were seen as passive.
Men were also seen as active and victorious and Women were also seen as weak and victimised or merely "Token Females". (Gunter, 1995).
Tuchman-Women don't count for much, underrepresented and "Symbolically annihilated". However, these are only the views from the American Society. Men were shown solving both emotional and practical problems, leaving women with little value.
Dyer-Game shows didn't bother to change their "Degrading and trivialising" views of women, News programmes are accused of "Tokenism" or "Window Dressing", by including some women in key positions whilst retaining a male dominated culture.
Sharon Smith- Roles of Women revolve around their physical attraction and mating games she plays with the male characters
E.Ann Kaplan-Women are refused a voice, in Hollywood films, their desire is subjected to male desire.
Kathi Maio-Hollywood's ideas about gender were "often reprehensible". She stated that "Women are not only given less screen time, being portrayed as "Powerless" and "Ineffectual".
Maio also stated that films such as "Dead Calm"1989), and "Heathers"(1989), present women as Strong and Victorious.