2. Key Words:
• Gender: This is the state of being male or female typically used as a social
term not biological.
• Stereotype: A widely held but fixed image or idea of a particular person or
thing. E.g. The stereotype of all British people loving tea.
• Archetype: A universal type or model of character that is found in many
different texts e.g. hero, temptress, loyal friend, wise old lady etc.
• Mediation: Is a process media companies go through to alter information
that is within them. An example of mediation is the alteration of an album
released by a popular band through the studio process and editing by
producers the end result has been edited and does not sound like the band
playing their instruments without editing.
• Hegemonic Norms: This describes the domination of a culturally diverse
society by one social class who manipulate the culture of that society.
3. Laura Mulvey, The Male Gaze
• This theory explains how the audience or viewer is put into the perspective
of a heterosexual male due to the representation of women.
• She states that in film women are typically the objects rather than the one
in charge because the control of the camera.
• Also, a female character in a narrative has 2 functions either an sexual
objects for the characters or a sexual object for the audience.
• The theory emphasises how women are only presented in media in a
certain way to please the male eye.
• All forms of media do this to women through the use of camera shots,
clothing and body language/poses.
4. Marjorie Ferguson’s facial
expression theory
• Marjorie Ferguson has separated the facial expressions that cover models
use into 4 sections: The chocolate box, the invitational, the super-smiler
and the romantic/sexual.
• The Chocolate Box: This expression suggests innocence and kindness
through a friendly, warm smile.
• The invitational: This expression highlights mischief and mystery usually
the model is facing away with a slight smirk/smile.
• The Super-Smiler: This expression shows an arrogant ‘look at me’ attitude
through a care-free, toothy smile.
• The romantic/Sexual: This expression never includes smiling. Usually with
two people.
5. Gender Representation
• There are many things that are associated with being feminine or being
masculine to highlight the contrast between them.
• Representations of women across all media tend to highlight: beauty,
size/physique, sexuality, emotional dealings and relationships.
• Representations of men across all media is made up of more rigid
stereotypes than those of females. Such as: strength, power, brains, sexual
attractiveness, physique and independence.
• Gender inequality is present in tv today as in children’s television and
animated programs male characters appear at roughly twice the rate that
female characters do.
