education

1. MediaRepresentations
Whatis a representation?
Representation ishowmediatextsdeal withandpresentgender,age,ethnicity,national and
regional identity,social issuesandeventstoanaudience.
Whatis a stereotype?
Stereotypes are asimplified representationof aperson,groupsof people oraplace,throughbasic
or obviouscharacteristics - whichare oftenexaggerated.
Whatis a counterstereotype?
A counterstereotype focusesonpositive elementsof agrouptraditionallyrepresentedasbad.
Howeveritisstill anoversimplificationof the enormousdiversityfeaturedwiththe group.
Typical stereotypesforage(youth):
 Don’thave respect
 Unapproachable
 Part of gangs
 Involvedincriminal activity
 Breakthe law
 Wear either“trampy”or revealingclothing
Typical stereotypesforrace:
 Middle Easternraces are ‘terrorists’ andunapproachable
 Scottishpeople playbagpipesand wearkilts
 Englishpeople drinkteaandeatscones
 Black people are Christian,make goodsingers (gospel),goodsportsmen, more likelytobe
involvedincrime
 White menwhoare baldand middle agedare pedophiles/rapists
 Americansare largelyconcernedabouttheirappearance,spendalotof moneyonclothes,
beauty,treatmentsandcosmeticsurgery.
 Chinese people are verycleverandstrictwiththeirchildrenoneducation.
Typical stereotypesforgender(male):
 Businessmen,source of income fortheirfamily,wearsuitsandcarry briefcases
 Concernedwithappearance intermsof groomingandphysique
 Go to the gymall the time,goodat sports
 “Boy look”don’tdo thingsproperly
 Cannotmultitask
 Cannotkeeprelationships,willcheatandlie,have sex all the time
 Part of gangs, criminals
 Don’tcare about education
 Are not organisedorgoodat keepingtime
 Smell
 Drinkbeer,largeror spirits
 Shake handswhengreeting
 Eat junkfoodor a lotof protein
 Nevercryor show toomuch emotion(don’thug)
 Deep/lowvoices

2. Typical stereotypesforgender(female):
 Wivesandmothers
 Do all the housework
 Cook
 Concernedwithappearance
 Buy lotsof clothesandmaterialisticitems,lovetoshop
 Go to the spa
 Get theirnailsandhairdone
 Gossip
 Notveryclever
 Incapable of demanding/practical/complex work (e.g.PM,engineer, builder,electrician,
plumber, banker, surgeon, army,navyetc.)
 Are skinnyandbeautiful,sexualised
 Drinkwine,ginor cocktails
 Aren’tgoodat sports
 Eat healthy
 Cry and complain
 Hug or kisscheekswhengreeting
 Highpitchedandsqueakyvoice
Vern& Bonnie Bullough (1993):
Genderrolesare equatedwithmasculinityandfemininity,male asproviderfemale asnurturer.
These twoconceptscan helpusunderstandhow genderissocial constructiondirectlylinkedto
heterosexual roles.
Identifying genderstereotypes in Miley Cyrus’musicvideo forWrecking Ball:
Here Mileyissexualised