The document discusses representations of gender in contemporary media. It claims that while women are increasingly portrayed as "sexual subjects" rather than "objects", men are still often depicted in terms of power and force. These representations shape people's sense of identity and how they see themselves. Students are asked to analyze how gender is portrayed in various TV dramas, the role of techniques like camerawork and editing, and how typical these portrayals are of TV drama and media in general. They are also tasked with taking alternative approaches to typical representations of female and male characters.

1. worksheet 12
Contemporary
representations
of gender
It is often claimed that women are
represented as ‘sexual subjects’ rather than
‘sexual objects’ and that men are no longer
represented in terms of power and force.
The way gender is represented in the media
seems to affect all audiences – it shapes
people’s sense of themselves. Choose
contrasting TV dramas and explore how
women and men are represented.
How are women and men represented in the
following:
Desperate Housewives or Footballers’
Wives
Wire in the Blood or Ultimate Force
Green Wing or Extras
Doctor Who
The OC or Totally Frank
Desperate Housewives:
Sexual subjects or G Do you think all audiences will respond in the same way to the
sexual objects?
representations?
G What role does camerawork, lighting, editing and costume in
particular play in underlining these representations?
G How typical do you think that these representations are of (a) TV
drama in general and (b) other forms of media you experience?
Take one female and one male character from a TV drama who is
represented in what, for you, are typical ways. Play the following
roles:
G As broadcaster: Justify why these characters should be in your
TV drama and why this particular sequence/storyline should be
included? If you had to change it, how would you do that?
G As writer: Take a female character represented mainly in terms
of sexuality and a male character represented as insensitive,
self-oriented and potentially violent. Create an alternative character
for your drama and the storyline she/he will be involved in. How do
©British Film Institute 2007
they challenge dominant representations? Why challenge dominant
representations of gender?
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