2. After analysing many trailers and movie posters within the horror genre, I have noticed clear
stereotypes within the way certain genders are represented. Different genres represent these
genders and age groups in very many different ways.
In media women are presented and seen as ‘objects’ sexually and emotionally orientated.
Throughout media they are presented to be beautiful (in a stereotypical way) and more
emotional then men who are stereotypically seen as being more tough and less emotional.
The females are represented as part of a group such as a group of friends or a family, their
roles are usually the ‘helper’ they are generally never the reader. If they are the helper the
leader is usually a male character where both soon fall in ‘love’. Showing the woman to be
very sexualised and dependent on the male character.
The presentation of female visibility in horror films is different compared to other media
forms. The main female protagonist can turn into the ‘final girl theory’ and are there present
till the end of the film. However, if this is the case, they usually are apart of a team, which
involves a male character.
3. Men are usually the heroes in typical media forms, they tend to take on the active roles
whereas women tend to take the passive roles and there is a definite lack of female role models
compared to the amount of male role models. As horror movies tend to be centred around
action and pursuit this means that male characters tend to take the lead. They are seen as the
protectors.
Males are more dominant in within the media and it has been that way for a very long time, if
women are within the media they are seen as sexual objects presented as being nude or
wearing revealing clothing, whereas we never really see men in the nude, showing the
difference between male and female representation.
4. Age can affect the presentation od women. We tend to see all variety of males; age, class,
race whereas we tend to only see young females of the white race, who are considered to
be young pretty and sexy. Many film stars who are male tend to be a mixture of young and
old such, whereas we never really have any older woman actresses.
5. Gender representations are challenged within the horror genre; this is shown in change in
the roles, which is usually related to horror movies as there is a sufficient amount of role
reversal. We are often presented with a ‘final girl’ a girl who is seen as virginal and in a way
quite masculine . For example; their names may be unisex, and they may wear very
masculine clothing, compared to other girls that are presented in the film who fit the more
stereotypical female conventions who will in the film get injured or killed as they are
presented to be weak. In horror films there appears to be an imbalance with the
presentation of women as they are usually either extremely weak or strong varied
protagonists do not tend to occur within horror films.
