This literature review examines the influence of teen magazines on young girls' development of gender and sexual identities. Several studies are summarized that analyze the content of teen magazines. They find the magazines primarily promote heterosexual, feminine norms. Messages focus on a girl's appearance, attracting boys, and adapting to male desires. They also lack diversity and portray a narrow definition of acceptable female sexuality. The review proposes future research should explore how messages are interpreted across different races and elicit girls' direct perspectives.
Nadia naffi-Learning About Oneself an Essential Process to Confront Social Me...Nadia Naffi, Ph.D.
Civic educators, social workers, curriculum developers, policy makers and parents concerned with the takeover of social media by hate speech proponents can apply these findings and help youth withstand manipulation and fight racism, hate speech, radicalization, and cyberbullying through the Get Ready to Act Against Social Media Propaganda model generated by this study. The model includes five iterative stages: Question, analyze, design, prepare and evaluate.
American election watching in Myanmar: Consideringsocial media and Buddhist-M...MYO AUNG Myanmar
American election watching in Myanmar:
Considering social media and Buddhist-Muslim conflict.As Myanmar continues to face violence between Buddhist and Muslim communities a number of
voices, from within the country and from outside, have raised concerns about the influence of
social media. After riots in Mandalay during July 2014, for example, international and local
media and government sources identified rumours circulating on Facebook as the cause.2
President Thein Sein has also raised concerns about ‘hate speech’ and other instigating messages
shared online and in her first report the new UN Special Rapporteur for Human Rights in
Myanmar, Ms Yanghee Lee, noted that such messages are fuelling and triggering violence.3 But
less than 5% of the population in Myanmar is estimated to have access to the Internet.4 How can
access to social media be contributing to Buddhist-Muslim conflicts?
To say that low Internet penetration rates proves the irrelevance of social media is too
simple, however, especially because access to the Internet is expanding rapidly. As an empirical
matter, it is likely too early to conclusively determine if and how social media access is
influencing Buddhist-Muslim conflicts in Myanmar. But this does not mean the potential
relationship is unworthy of consideration. Therefore, in order to generate insights that may be
useful in both understanding the contemporary moment as well as anticipating the future, this
chapter will draw from experiences with, and literature on, relationships between social media
and political conflicts in another country context: the United States.
Matt Schissler, in Nick Cheesman & Htoo Kyaw Win (ed.), Communal Violence in Myanmar,
Myanmar Knowledge Society, Yangon, 2015 [In Burmese and English].
"But I'm Not Gay": What Strainht Teachers Need to Know about Queer Theory. ...eraser Juan José Calderón
"But I'm Not Gay": What Strainht Teachers Need to Know about Queer Theory. Elizabeth ]. Meyer .
Introducción
La mayoría de los académicos y educadores se mantienen alejados de la teoría queer porque la palabra "queer" tiene una larga historia de ser un término peyorativo para gays y lesbianas o cualquier persona percibida como diferente. Lo que muchas personas no entienden es que en los últimos veinte años, este término ha sido activamente en reconstrucción y ha recibido nuevos significados y aplicaciones. Aunque "queer" todavía se usa a menudo con la intención de dañar, en contextos académicos ha llegado a representar nuevos conceptos que, cuando se aplican en el entorno escolar, pueden tener una influencia liberadora y positiva en la forma en que funcionan las escuelas hoy en día.
Nadia naffi-Learning About Oneself an Essential Process to Confront Social Me...Nadia Naffi, Ph.D.
Civic educators, social workers, curriculum developers, policy makers and parents concerned with the takeover of social media by hate speech proponents can apply these findings and help youth withstand manipulation and fight racism, hate speech, radicalization, and cyberbullying through the Get Ready to Act Against Social Media Propaganda model generated by this study. The model includes five iterative stages: Question, analyze, design, prepare and evaluate.
American election watching in Myanmar: Consideringsocial media and Buddhist-M...MYO AUNG Myanmar
American election watching in Myanmar:
Considering social media and Buddhist-Muslim conflict.As Myanmar continues to face violence between Buddhist and Muslim communities a number of
voices, from within the country and from outside, have raised concerns about the influence of
social media. After riots in Mandalay during July 2014, for example, international and local
media and government sources identified rumours circulating on Facebook as the cause.2
President Thein Sein has also raised concerns about ‘hate speech’ and other instigating messages
shared online and in her first report the new UN Special Rapporteur for Human Rights in
Myanmar, Ms Yanghee Lee, noted that such messages are fuelling and triggering violence.3 But
less than 5% of the population in Myanmar is estimated to have access to the Internet.4 How can
access to social media be contributing to Buddhist-Muslim conflicts?
To say that low Internet penetration rates proves the irrelevance of social media is too
simple, however, especially because access to the Internet is expanding rapidly. As an empirical
matter, it is likely too early to conclusively determine if and how social media access is
influencing Buddhist-Muslim conflicts in Myanmar. But this does not mean the potential
relationship is unworthy of consideration. Therefore, in order to generate insights that may be
useful in both understanding the contemporary moment as well as anticipating the future, this
chapter will draw from experiences with, and literature on, relationships between social media
and political conflicts in another country context: the United States.
Matt Schissler, in Nick Cheesman & Htoo Kyaw Win (ed.), Communal Violence in Myanmar,
Myanmar Knowledge Society, Yangon, 2015 [In Burmese and English].
"But I'm Not Gay": What Strainht Teachers Need to Know about Queer Theory. ...eraser Juan José Calderón
"But I'm Not Gay": What Strainht Teachers Need to Know about Queer Theory. Elizabeth ]. Meyer .
Introducción
La mayoría de los académicos y educadores se mantienen alejados de la teoría queer porque la palabra "queer" tiene una larga historia de ser un término peyorativo para gays y lesbianas o cualquier persona percibida como diferente. Lo que muchas personas no entienden es que en los últimos veinte años, este término ha sido activamente en reconstrucción y ha recibido nuevos significados y aplicaciones. Aunque "queer" todavía se usa a menudo con la intención de dañar, en contextos académicos ha llegado a representar nuevos conceptos que, cuando se aplican en el entorno escolar, pueden tener una influencia liberadora y positiva en la forma en que funcionan las escuelas hoy en día.
1. What are your ideas for your Research Topic inspired by Jac.docxambersalomon88660
1. What are your ideas for your Research Topic inspired by Jacqueline Woodson’s Another
Brooklyn?
Women’s Rights Movement and how Mary Tyler Moore (The Show) helped.
2. Why are you interested in this research? What does it matter to you?
Women’s Rights is an interesting topic for me I’ve always been interested in this particular topic.
I don’t have a specific reason, but maybe because of the lack of women’s rights in the Middle
East.
3. What is the purpose of your research? What question(s) do you want to answer?
The purpose of this research is to show women’s power and inspire other. The questions I’d like
to answer are:
-When and how did the movement started?
-Who started it?
-How did Mary Tyler Moore helped (The Show) changed women perspective about themselves?
-How did it change the US?
-What rights did women accomplished?
-How is it different from now?
4. What are the key words you will use to research your topic? List the words:
-Women’s Rights Movement
-Mary Tyler Moore
-Women’s rights
5. What is your working thesis?
Women’s rights movement is important because it promotes women engagement in political
affairs, sensitizes on social relations and promotes gender equality.
6. What ‘Pattern of Organization’ do you envision as best-suited for your paper? (Note
these ‘Pattern of Organization’ for your research will also be reviewed in class)
Problem and solution.
7. What are likely sources of information (peer-reviewed academic journals, major general
interest newspaper geared toward college educated audience include: New York Times,
Washington Post, Bloomberg Business, Time Magazine, TRADE Publications focused
on
your filed? LIST AT LEAST THREE sources, include data and author or authority:
● Baxter, Judith. Positioning Gender In Discourse. Palgrave Macmillan, 2003.
● Hollows, Joanne. Feminism, Femininity, And Popular Culture . : Manchester University
Press., 2000.
● Klein, Allison. What Would Murphy Brown Do? . Seal Press, 2006.
● Porizkova, Paulina. "America Made Me A Feminist." The New York Times , 2017,
Accessed 15 Nov 2018.
8. What are your concerns (personal and/or professional) as you approach this project?
The key personal concerns are;
Is the government doing enough towards the women’s rights movement sustainability?
Are women engaged in these movements as much as they should?
What is the role of institutions in fostering women rights?
HUM 2313 – Cultural Identification Essay
Due October 23, 100 points
1. This assignment asks you to confront your own sense of identity as well as your prejudices. Write a 3 – 6-page essay discussing your identification as a participant in a culture or in various overlapping cultures. Please indicate some of your own personal connections to major themes from readings of the course such as, but not limited to: home, family, heritage, beliefs, etc. Generally, how do you connect to some of those.
Thesis Statement Narrative Essay. 009 Essay Example Thesis Statement For Narr...Nicole Heinen
What is a Narrative Essay — Examples, Format & Techniques. How To Write A Thesis Statement For A Narrative Essay - Almost all .... Personal Narrative Essay Sample | Templates at allbusinesstemplates.com. 009 Essay Example Thesis Statement For Narrative ~ Thatsnotus. Narrative Essay: Sample thesis essay. Descriptive essay: Thesis statement examples for narrative essays. Thesis statement for a narrative essay essay service. 004 Thesis Statement For Narrative Essay Example ~ Thatsnotus. Reflective Essay: How to write a thesis statement for a personal narrative. ShowMe - writing a thesis statement. 006 Personal Narrative Essay Examples Wwwgalleryhipcom Example L Thesis .... How to Write a Thesis for a Narrative Essay | Synonym - What is thesis .... How to use Narrative Essay Examples - Essay Basics. 003 Mla Format Narrative Essay Example Inspirationa Report Template For .... 33+ Thesis Statement Examples Narrative Essays Image - Exam. Narrative essay: Narrative statement example. Fascinating Narrative Essay Thesis ~ Thatsnotus. 002 Thesis Statement For Narrative Essay Example ~ Thatsnotus. How to write a thesis statement for narrative essay - How to Write a .... 007 Thesis Statement For Narrative Essay Example ~ Thatsnotus. 017 Personal Essay Thesis Statements Awesome New Tip Narrative Smart Of .... PPT - Personal Narrative Essay PowerPoint Presentation, free download .... Writing a Narrative Essay. Narrative Essay | PDF | Essays | Narrative. Sample narrative essay. 27+ Thesis Statement Narrative Essay Examples Image - scholarship. Narrative Essay Thesis Statement Examples - How to make a thesis ... Thesis Statement Narrative Essay
MEDIA AND WOMEN (Analysis on Gender and Sexuality in Mass Media Construction)AJHSSR Journal
ABSTRACT: Mass media plays a very important role in the introduction of values in society, it includes the
issues on sexuality. Sexploitation is a term introduced by feminists that demonstrates how the media has been
unfairly exploiting women by violating their respectability in purpose of giving a boost to the circulation of
newspapers or magazines. Applying gender studies and muted group theory, there be found the following three
entities: First, the ideological construction of women in media. Second, the domination and attractiveness of
sexuality in media. Third, the position of women in media.
Respond to another student’s post by reiterating what they have saidmickietanger
Respond to another student’s post by reiterating what they have said (not just “I agree!” or “great point” but a substantive response). Your response should be courteous as well. If you disagree, state why politely.
The first post;
1) Kellner said “Cultural studies shows how media culture articulates the dominant values, political ideologies, and social developments and novelties of the era.”pg. 8.Kellner defines cultural studies as the ability to identify media manipulation and to analyze how the media forms society. Being able to analyze the impact of media on society is valuable Kellner said on page 8, because it allows individuals to understand and interpret culture critically. Kellner discusses the components of analyzing cultural studies which he names the threefold project, production and political economy of culture, cultural texts, and the audience reception. My definition is cultural studies is analyzing how media shapes the way of what society thinks, acts, and dresses.
2) Kellner says Political economy has to do with the cultural texts when referring to cultural studies because of the production and distribution cycle. Political economy can control what will be produced, what will be shown, who will be shown to and how it will be shown. Political economy is important when discussing cultural studies and the media because it has a lot of power over the media. Kellner uses the example of media corporate business like twitter, twitter only lets you type a certain amount of words in a post which is limiting the users. He also gives the examples of radio stations, the music that is distributed is always three - five minutes. Political economy controls the media.
3a) Radway writing has to do with cultural studies because of the messages of manipulation and gender ideology that is being put out. The main points that stuck to me while reading Radways writing was the women felt like they were escaping from the real world and rebelling against their current lives while reading. We can identify the impact of the romance books and how the political economy has so much power over the female audience that are reading them to make them feel they are escaping and rebelling. The messages that are being put out in the romance books are important but the focusing on who is buying the books are as well.
3b) Radways findings were that the women reading the romance novels were just trying to escape their lives for the moments they were reading. “the cultural value attached to books permits them to overcome the guilt they feel about avoiding their responsibilities” (Radway, 59). Radway discussed her findings by saying that the women were unhappy about their lives and that is why the romance books let them escape from reality. The women when reading feelings had changed even towards their husbands because they felt their husbands were more sensitive to their feelings. In all reality they were just reading the romance book.
The second post ...
Surname 2
Name
Instructor’s Name
Class information
June 5, 2015
Studying In America
Each pursuit for a dream starts with a conviction that there is a tall tale holding up toward the end. On one day when the daylight filtered through the green leaves on the trees, in my high school years, my American classmate told me tales about his family in the United States, tales about the great house with a swimming pool, and a vineyards that was trotted on with gallant horses back in California. My friend’s depictions of America painted an imaginary wonderland in my head, more like a promised land of orts. At that tender age, my fantasies about America marked the epitome of my brimming dreams about the invaluable opportunity it would be to study in America. Fantasies from my classmate’s depiction of America highlighted the height of my aspirations to attain an education in a foreign culture.
Being the first child among five siblings, my father, a man who held foreign culture at high esteem, made it his sole endeavor to make sure that I secured an American scholarship in one of the American Learning Institutions. My father was particularly interested in learning about foreign culture, considering the fact that he actually studied in England. I grew up, gaining my father’s zeal of learning foreign cultures such as Japanese, Spanish, Italian particularly American, all by myself.
As fate would have it, I got a scholarship in mechanical engineering. This was particularly an added advantage for me, towards a successful stay in the United States. I had a particular interest in the fields of science such as, chemistry, physics, math, anything identified with science. Also, I had general education classes, which was mostly about sociology, psychology and history. I particularly appreciate learning dialects, and truth be told, I contemplate fitting in perfectly in the American Culture.
However, my perspective of the American culture and people seemed to have been inaccurate. What I had once believed to be the land of plenty, was not what it seemed to be from the outside. From the frequent walks I took down the streets on my weekend when I did not have any classes, I realized that not everybody was living a good life here in America, the land of dreams. As time progressed, the occasional sight of a homeless man sitting by the alley corner next to a trolley of junk was not as surprising as it was in the first days. I was at first struck with utter dismay having seen these were American citizens who had no roof and shelter over their heads. Days in the General Studies classes only helped me to understand the American Culture even more. Both at school and in the streets, I saw adult individuals who did not give the slightest care about their parents and their family relations. These observations only made my heart quiver in disappointment, as what I had long considered to be the land of free, was like any other country in the world. It is such distressed feelings ...
Sources of my IdentityIntroduction My personal identity deal.docxrafbolet0
Sources of my Identity
Introduction
My personal identity deals with the philosophical questions that arise about humans by the virtue of being individuals or people. However, this argument contrasts with any questions that entail the virtues of human beings as conscious beings or material objects. Many people will seek to understand their identity by asking the questions of what am I? When did I come to being? What will happen when I die? It is such questions that probe possible other questions that seek to have several answers regarding the indemnity of an individual. The sources of identity will mostly differ differently from one person to another, as they are influenced by a wide range of external factors throughout one’s period of growth(Payne 17).
Human beings have an unchanging need for uniqueness, and quite often, the search for this happens through the use of meaning and symbolism with the help of products and brands such as surroundings, time, and exposure to other variables. The mentioned meanings and symbolisms are at times not necessary as the brands of products, and wares may be inherent making one person to be completely different from the other in terms of behavior, thinking, or reasoning. This augment concedes with that of McCrae and Costa, which suggests that one’s cultural meanings take part in making up for one’s identity, which is the personality (Payne 17). Culture anticipates for use of symbols for identity working outwardly to construct the social world and inwardly to construct self-identity. In this way, personal identity plays a vital role when it comes to dictating one’s inner and outer circumstances. Every human is different from the others as anticipated his or her personality. This can be justified by the way people communicate socially.
The study of the psychology of personal identity has existed as organized entity since 1940s. There have been two major theories of human personality; one was dispositional or trait theory and the other one is person-situational theory. The trait theory did account for the centralist approach and internal constructs with governed behavior in a given or a particular situation derived mainly from internal characteristics of personality. In the west that is the western world, a layman’s understanding of personality is related tothe trait approach, and this laid its basis or roots from the 19th-century liberalism
The trait theory posted broad stable factors, traits, or behavioral dispositions as its fundamental units. Its primary goal was to characterize individuals in terms of a comprehensive nevertheless, preferably and finite small set of stable dispositions that have always remained invariant across situations and that were distinctive for a person determining a wide range of important behavior. In the recent years, the trait theory has been personified in the big five-model of human personality. This model reduced the large numbers of adjectives that described personal ident.
Assignment: Gender Stereotyping
Gender stereotyping reflects the perceived psychological traits and characteristics of males and females, and the related roles that are thought to be appropriate for each gender in family, work, school, and society as a whole. Gender stereotyping impacts individuals in terms of how they view themselves and their place in society, as well as how society views the respective gender and the appropriate behavior and roles for each. The implications can be far reaching.
It is evident by studying history that gender stereotypes have changed over time. One obvious example is in the history of women's suffrage. It was believed in the U.S. that women were not sufficiently mentally astute to vote on the important issues impacting society. The belief was that a woman's place was in the home raising children and taking care of the domestic needs of the family. With women's suffrage in the early 20th century and the century that has followed, this stereotype has been changed. Not only do women vote but they hold every office at all levels including heads of state and presidencies across the globe. The 2016 presidential election even featured the first female nominee from a major political party.
As a foundation for the study of gender, this Application Assignment asks you to explore gender stereotypes in some depth, including a consideration of the numerous stereotypes for both men and women; how stereotypes differ by culture; and how stereotypes impact individuals of that gender, the opposite gender, and society as a whole.
To prepare for this assignment:
Review Chapter 3 of the course text,
Gender: Psychological Perspectives
, focusing on the definition of gender stereotyping, the impact it may have on society and individuals, and cultural differences and similarities in gender stereotyping. Remember that culture includes age, religion, sexual orientation, etc., as well as race and ethnicity.
Review the article, "Stereotypes as Dynamic Constructs: Women and Men of the Past, Present, and Future."
Review the article, "Bimbos and Rambos: The Cognitive Basis of Gender Stereotypes." Focus specifically on how the media perpetuates gender stereotyping.
Review the article, “Young and Older Adults' Gender Stereotype in Multitasking.” Focus on how this recent research suggests gender stereotyping is alive and well today.
Think about the following questions:
What are common stereotypes for men?
What are common stereotypes for women?
How have these stereotypes changed over time? What stereotypes have not really changed? Be sure to take into consideration different types of media such as film, TV, and literature as you prepare for this assignment.
What impact do these stereotypes have on individuals of that gender, the opposite gender, and society as a whole? Think in terms of the life of the individuals; the families; school life and the educational journey; work life and career options; health and wellness issu ...
Love Marriage vs Arranged Marriage Argumentative Essay Example. love marriage vs arranged marriage advantages and disadvantages. Arranged vs Love Marriages in India - PHDessay.com.
006 Apa Essay Format Example Paper Template ~ Thatsnotus. sample apa essay paper. Apa College Paper Format : FREE 6+ Sample APA Format Title Page .... Conventional Language: Sample APA essay with notes. 007 Essay Example Best Solutions Of Apa Format Sample Name Essays .... 021 Essay Example Apa ~ Thatsnotus. Example Of A Expository Essay In Apa Style | PDF. College Paper Apa Headers Format / Apa Style Research Paper Example Pdf .... Sample of essay in apa format - Common Style. APA Essay Help with Style and APA College Essay Format. Essay Cover Page Writing Help - Cover Page Format, APA Cover Page, MLA .... How to write conclusion of essay in apa Henderson. How To Write In APA Essay Format: 3 Easy Steps - PoemXtra. How to Cite a PDF in APA Style | Format & Examples | APA Citation Basics. 009 Apa Sample Document Essay Format ~ Thatsnotus. 005 Essay Example Apa Format 6th Edition Template ~ Thatsnotus. 005 Apa Format Essay Example Sample New How To Write Response Paper .... 016 Apa Format Example ~ Thatsnotus. Apa Style Subheadings Example - What Is The Proper Apa Formatting For .... Sample research essay apa : Fast Online Help : attractionsxpress.com .... Apa Style Essay Structure. Online assignment writing service. | PDF. Sample Apa Essay Paper – APA Format Examples. 001 Apa Short Essay Format Example Paper Template ~ Thatsnotus. 008 Apa Sample Document Style Essay ~ Thatsnotus. 007 Essay Format Apa Example ~ Thatsnotus. 001 Apa Essay Cover Page Presentation1 ~ Thatsnotus Apa Essay Samples
1. Emily Morone
literature review
Introduction:
When a gender identity is shaped, it is crucial to identify the influences that assist in the process,
particularly the influence of the media’s reinforced conventional values in regard to masculinity and
femininity. The following is an overview of numerous sources seeking to identify the significant role the
meanings within teenage magazines play during the development of young girls’ social heterosexual
gendered identities. Also, to explore how girls use and understand these meanings to ultimately become
gendered adult women. Girls are the focus of this paper because, “currently trends indicate that girls are
becoming more avid media consumers than boys […] because girls are more negatively impacted by
cultural attitudes about sex than boys” (Durham, 2007, p. 30). In the examined information, there was a
recurring definition of feminine attractiveness and the sources collectively stressed the level of
importance feminine external beauty is to the young girl reader regarding male-female relationships.
Examining the overall content of teen magazines:
First and foremost, because “teen magazines may play an important role in teaching young girls
in our society the rules of femininity” the content of the magazines is most important to evaluate (Labre &
Walsh-Childers, 2003, p. 381). What messages are being repeated, how are these messages being repeated
and what meanings are being internalized by the readers. In the article Friendly Advice? Beauty Messages
in Websites of Teenage Magazines, Labre and Walsh-Childers’ seek to answer the same questions.
Several websites created by popular teenage girl magazines were reviewed. Using a qualitative
media analysis method, the goal was to revile patterns, emphasis, and common themes to understand the
organization of information and how it is presented on the websites’ page. Labre & Walsh-Childers
considered the gender polarized society that the girl readers are a part of; suggesting our entire social life
is structured around the social distinction between men and women: boys play with boys, girls play with
girls. “This internalized lens helps children become conventionally gendered and sex typed because
2. 2
Morone
children learn to evaluate different ways of behaving in terms of their cultural appropriateness and to
reject any way of behaving that does not match their sex” (Labre & Walsh-Childers, 2003, p. 381). This
observation can be compared to the Social Learning theory developed by Bandura and Walters; the claim
that individuals “learn to be masculine and feminine primarily by imitating others and getting responses
from others to their behaviors” (Wood, p.48). One of the major messages teenage magazines are
reinforcing on it’s readers are the suitable behaviors that are socially expected according to biological sex;
which helps explain how the girls are creating their own understanding of the magazine’s messages.
It is important to note that sex and gender are two separate concepts. Sex is “a designation based
on biology” and that aspect alone; whereas gender is “socially constructed and expressed,” like in a
magazine (Wood, p. 20). Gender is what we create. “It [gender] is defined by society and expressed by
individuals as they interact with others and media in their society” (Wood, p.23). However, in society sex
and gender are considered to be synonyms. Without a clear distinction between what we are born with
and what we can create, there will be no recognition of the differences in the media; which creates a
hierarchy for the heterosexual messages.
Underlying meanings:
The meaning of a message is created by an encoding process. From When in Doubt Choose “B”,
Pattee’s overall goal was to use Hall’s model of communication to examine the encoding and decoding of
the messages found in the quizzes that are published teen magazines; because quizzes are found at the end
of almost every teen magazine and promotes a high value on heterosexual relationships this topic could
not be over looked. Pattee’s objective is to examine the “femininity encoded in the texts, to examine the
meanings readers make from the texts” (Pattee, p. 194). I consider the underlying feminine messages in
magazines to be somewhat hidden and to play a huge role in girls’ overall understanding of gender
scripts.
3. 3
Morone
Pattee begins by personally categorizing each quiz and then comparing their structures to
psychological assessment tests. Next, a group of college students recorded raw thematic descriptions of
the quizzes that Pattee then used to generate single statements that portrayed the reoccurring themes
found within the quizzes. The themes are the interest points for the topic of gender identity influences:
“(1) appearance and beauty, (2) behavior and guidance for those in romantic relationships, (3) behavior
and guidance for those contemplating romantic relationships, and (4) general discussions of personality”
(Pattee, p. 200). The quizzes all insisted it was possible to define the readers as a type of a person;
implying that every reader could accurately fit into four or five gender based categories and would benefit
by taking the quizzes’ advice. The underlying message understood from these quizzes was simply “you’re
not ok as you are” and that there will always be room for improvement (p. 201). The four categories were
created from seven quizzes, analyzing more quizzes may offer more categories to study and a better
understanding of the quizzes overall purposes. However, her research supplied the influence of
heterosexual dominance displayed in teen magazines based on the four themes that were generated.
Sexual limitations:
I wish to acknowledge the profound sexual paradoxes found in teenage girl magazines. Not only
are these messages contradicting, but they’re also confusing. Durham argues, “Sexual double standards
still exist by which girls face condemnation and punishment for sexual activity while boys are being
celebrated for the same behaviors” (Durham, 2007, p. 3). Obviously, this is known knowledge for anyone
who is even vaguely familiar with this topic, but can sexual identity be influenced by the media’s double
standard messages? It cannot be ignored that “pop culture and mass communication are significant
sources of their [girls’] sexual information and cultural codes;” because the media is such a strong model
of conventional social scripts, the media plays the biggest role in a teenage girl’s sexual life and
experiences (Durham, 2007, p. 3).
4. 4
Morone
Durham borrows Roland Barthes’ term “myth” to define the social beliefs that are not proven to
be true but are reinforced at such a high degree that they are internalized and believed; if a popular
teenage girl magazine says all boys like blondes enough, eventually the magazine’s followers will be
believers. “Myths are expressed in a wide variety of ways, through these multifarious ‘speech’ acts,”
speech refers to verbal and visual artifacts” (Durham, 2007, p.5). The myths that are being generated by
the teen magazines are often recoded and changed to reappear again as new messages; even though the
same messages are repeated over and over. Often these messages are being internalized at a very young
age, “because of the media […] all girls live in one big town […] with puberty girls face enormous
pressure to be fake […] thus, it becomes important to examine the ways in which the media
construct and inscribe ideologies of adolescent female sexuality in order to understand the
impacts of such inscriptions and to identify strategies for resistance” (Durham, 2007, p. 5).
Because these messages are becoming “myths” so early in the girls’ lives, it seems almost impossible to
surpass them; when there seems to be no alternative options regarding sexual expression or outward
appearance. Adams, et al. also used the term myth “Enormously popular and highly successful, women’s
magazines represent the largest segment of the U.S. consumer magazine industry […] readers encounter
and then may imitate cultural myths of identity” (p. 59). This statement provides evidence that the cultural
identity myths are a concern to researchers.
Durham’s method is to examine the myths of female sexual behaviors exhibited in the magazine
Seventeen and provide examples of how these socially accepted standards are inaccurate in their portrayal
of real-life girls. Durham examined all issues published in 2006 to identify a few consecutive myths
regarding the representations of female sexuality. Note that the majority of girls that are portrayed in this
magazine are white, and are a part of the upper to middle social class. Even with these diversity
handicaps, the author explains the reoccurring myths and how the myths support traditional views of
sexuality that interfere with the real girl reader’s ability to accurately express her gender identity and
sexuality.
5. 5
Morone
A significant myth that was listed is the notion of sexuality being a function of body hierarchies.
All of the photographs that were examined conveyed a very similar message, “sexuality [is] visually
yoked to particular body dimensions: that of the slender, long-legged, full-breasted girl” and, “’sexiness’
was the province of the conventionally slim yet voluptuous [girl]” (Durham, 2007, p. 9). Being slim and
voluptuous at the same time is contradicting; this message is another reoccurring paradox that is tossed
around so delicately amongst the pages of teenage magazines.
The next two myths narrow the spectrum of female sexuality, they are: “sexuality as a spectacle”
and the “idea that sexuality is defined by the hetero male gaze” (p. 11). Durham found a correlation
between the headlines of Seventeen magazine and the desirability that was asserted from the pages. Also,
when the magazine did a featured story with interviews of young men describing their ideal girl, the “men
described the ideal girl in terms of sexuality, many of which focused on body display”; which can also be
used to demonstrate the dominant heterosexual messages in Seventeen and how sexuality is defined by the
heterosexual male (Durham, 2007, p. 11).
Sex & sexual relationships:
Adams, Garner and Sterk, examined what messages from teen magazines were given to young
women about social and cultural norms of heterosexual sex and sexual relationships. “For teenage girls, it
could be argued that magazines are one of the most accessible, inexpensive, and readily available media
for information about sexuality” (p.60). For this reason, five different magazine distributors, print dates
ranging from 1970’s-2000’s, were surveyed for sex advice; 175 articles were found and examined.
Adams, et al., first evaluated the messages to create a base by using Bormann’s Symbolic
Convergence theory. The theory implies that “mediated messages symbolically reflect and shape attitudes
and values;” concerning the magazines, “narratives act symbolically to create meaning for those who live,
create or interpret them” (p. 62). The individual meanings of messages that create shared reality were
called Dynamic Narratives. Like Durham (2007), the use of “myth” can also be described as a narrative.
6. 6
Morone
“Narrative can shape what people see as possible, even as real, if it is attractive enough and repeated
enough” (p. 62). With using the concept of a narrative, the terms setting, characters, and actions were all
terms used to analyze the articles.
Within the magazine articles, the topics seemed to be recycled year after year; and the “…articles
and columns for younger and older teens rarely addressed the teen’s own sexual needs and concerns” (p.
69). Instead, the dominance of heterosexual male-female relationships were amplified. The magazines
almost always offered relationship advice that fixed the girls if there was a problem within a heterosexual
relationship. The girl representation in the magazine needed to reevaluate herself and after that she could
then coach her male partner in helping him solve his own problems. Like Pattee’s quiz analysis, girls are
never ok the way they are and it can be implied that girls are considered to be the root of any internal
problem that heterosexual couples can face, because “… the advice columns overtly guided young
women to accept men as they were” (p. 68). Overall, men or “guys” were characterized as “users and
controllers within the community [magazine],” whereas “women or “girls” were characterized as
negotiators of their own use” (p. 65). I do not wish to use this information to solely demonstrate the
dominance men have over women. Instead, I hope the information demonstrates the dominant
heterosexual messages that are conveyed in the magazines’ articles, “other than brief mentions […] we
found no representations that homosexuality can be appropriate expression of sexuality […] the absence
can be seen as very limiting or isolating to young women with these interests” (p. 73). With this in mind,
there is no question that girls’ feel the need to be heterosexual and openly desirable to men because the
precise engraved message that is being carried across the media.
Final mentions:
Also, when searching for “ways to attract men”, a quick guideline meant for teenage girls was
discovered. Lussiner explains that when girls wish to speak with their crushes they should “research his
likes and dislikes so you can be knowledgeable in the subjects he is interested in” (2006). This act
7. 7
Morone
discredited girls’ interests socially and sexuality because of the male heterosexual dominance of our
society. Also, I examined the Seventeen magazine website during the month of October 2010, and studied
the drop down menus with typical titles such as: Beauty, Celebrities, Love life, and Health; I chose to
preview the College Life tab. The menu was as follows: Hairstyles for School, College Match Quiz, Cute
College Boys and Boyfriend Quiz. The Seventeen magazine website insisted that 50% of college concerns
should/will be boys/men and 25% of college concerns should be associated with feminine beauty. These
messages direct the readers to the potential heterosexual relationships.
Also, a brief touch on the heterosexual idols young girls idolize, such as Brittney Spears, “Flaunt
your sexuality, even if you don’t understand it. And that’s the message that matters most; because
Britney’s most loyal fans are teenage girls” (Durham, 2005, p. 5). This quote is important because it
demonstrates the iconic influences that are being printed in the pages of teen magazines alongside the
other pictures and fictional stories.
Conclusion:
Within the pages of teenage magazines, “sexuality [is] conceptualized in terms of attracting male
attention;” this is the same struggle girls’ have with deciphering their sex between their genders (Durham,
2007, p. 12), because the “teen magazines’ columns, stories, and features on sex and heterosexual
relationships present a simple, clear rhetorical vision: The sexual community belongs to men, and women
survive by containing themselves and by adapting and subjugating themselves to male desires” (Adams,
et al. 72-73). These gender struggles are not publicized on the pages of Seventeen; nor are they a headline,
but perhaps they became a hot new topic- what would the reactions be. How would this topic alter current
ideologies and perceptions, what if a quiz was called “what gender are you?” instead of, “what kind of
girl are you”; and what if a study regarding the heterosexual dominance was conducted amongst multiple
races, classes and ages?
8. 8
Morone
The gaps found in my research were primarily caused by the missing diversity amongst the girls’
races. Also, there were no direct studies of the heterosexual dominance that was found regarding the girls’
thoughts and feelings; only scholarly analysis concerning magazine overall content. For these reasons I
would like to propose the following research questions:
RQ 1: Do teenage non-Caucasian girls identify with traditional heterosexual messages differently from
those who are Caucasian?
RQ 2: Do these girls feel differently about heterosexual messages based on race?
RQ 3: Can teenage girls of all races recognize the heterosexual dominant influence that is presented in
teen magazines?
9. 9
Morone
References:
Adams, S., Garner, A. & Sterk, H. (2006). Narrative analysis of sexual etiquette in teenage
magazines. Journal of Communication, 48 (4), 59-
Durham, M. (2004). Adolescent girls and the homospectatorial gaze: queering teen pop culture.
Conference Papers (2-15). International Communication Association.
Durham, M. (2007). Sex and spectacle in Seventeen magazine: A feminist myth analysis.
Conference Papers (3-25). International Communication Association.
Labre, M. & Walsh-Childers, K. (2003). Friendly advice? beauty messages in websites of
teenage magazines. Mass Communication & Society, 6 (4), 379-396.
Pattee, A. (2009). When in doubt, choose “b”: encoding teenage girls’ magazine quizzes.
Feminist Media Studies, 9 (2), 193-204.
Lussiner, N. (2006, June 9). Ways to attract a teenage guy. Retrieved from
http://worldvillage.com/ways-to-attract-a-teenage-guy
Wood, J. (2007). Gendered Lives: Communication, Gender, and Culture (8th Ed.), Belmont, CA:
Thomson/Wadsworth.