This document discusses representations of gender in media. It notes that stereotypes are socially constructed and reflected dominant ideologies that can be reinforced or challenged through media representations. It provides examples of how some blockbuster sci-fi films in the 1990s created new "countertypes" or positive stereotypes of black male heroes that countered previous negative stereotypes. The document also discusses how femininity and masculinity tend to be represented through common stereotypical characteristics and genres, and how these representations can reinforce gender stereotypes, particularly through techniques like camera shots, mise-en-scene, editing, and sound. Activities are included for analyzing gender representations and stereotypes.

1. REPRESENTATION

2. Dominant Ideologies
• Stereotypes are ‘socially constructed’ and exist as
‘myths’ and are neither ‘true’ nor ‘false’ but simply a
reflection of dominant ideologies.
Stereotypes can be. reinforced challenged or even
constructed by the media through representation
• The group of ideas that make up the dominant ideology in
Britain are not something that remains static- they change
as new ideas enter the are encountered and people
discuss them. For example one of the dominant
ideologies in Britain is that youths are thugs; there is an
anti-youth culture

3. Changing representations – Countertypes
• In the Sci-Fi blockbuster film Independence Day there is a character
played by Will Smith who is clearly intended to be a positive and
strong hero. As such, he goes against many of the previous negative
stereotypes of black people in American films. In one crucial scene
from the film we see him responding to the danger of an alien's attack
by simply kicking it.
• In another blockbuster Sci-Fi film - Mars Attacks - there is also a
black hero who also responds to the attack of a bunch of aliens by
punching one of them. Both of these films were made virtually
simultaneously.
• The directors wanted a change from the ‘norm’ and they have in fact
created a new positive stereotype, a countertype
• A counter-stereotype is the reverse of a stereotype. Although
counter-stereotypes arise in opposition to stereotypes, they may
eventually become stereotypes themselves if they are too popular.

4. Returning to Mediation
• Mediation…what is it?...
• The fact that any representation is not a reflection of
reality but someone’s version of it
• Another way to look at it is through the following theory:
• Encoding and decoding model (Stuart Hall)
• The media encodes the representation
• The audience decodes it…
• Therefore your job as media students is to decode TV
dramas to understand the encoded message

5. Activity 1a
Draw a table with the following headings and compile a list of what you
consider to be characteristics/adjectives that reflect each gender
(strong, dependent, fragrant, vein, soft etc)
• Male • Female

6. Activity 1b
Add to your table a list of objects you associate with each gender
• Male • Female

7. Feminine Representation
• Feminism
• Representations of women across all media tend to highlight
the following:
• beauty (within narrow conventions)
• size/physique (again, within narrow conventions)
• sexuality (as expressed by the above)
• emotional (as opposed to intellectual) dealings
• relationships (as opposed to independence/freedom)
• Women are often represented as being part of a context
(family, friends, colleagues) and working/thinking as part of a
team.
• In drama, they tend to take the role of helper (Propp) or object,
passive rather than active.
• Men are still represented as TV drama characters up to 3 times
more frequently than women.

8. Stereotypical?!

9. A Countertype?!

11. Masculine Representation
• 'Masculinity' is a concept that is made up of more rigid
stereotypes than femininity. Representations of men
across all media tend to focus on the following:
• Strength - physical and intellectual
• Power
• Sexual attractiveness (which may be based on the above)
• Physique
• Independence (of thought, action)
• Male characters are often represented as isolated, as not
needing to rely on others (the lone hero).
• If they submit to being part of a family, it is often part of
the resolution of a narrative, rather than an integral factor
in the initial equilibrium.

12. Past Representations

13. Current Representations

14. Reinforcing Gender Stereotypes
• In advertising

15. Activity 2
• Write down a list of the different technical approaches that
might be used to construct stereotypical representations
of gender:
• Camera shots, angle, movement and position
• Mise en scene
• Sound
• Editing

16. MASCULINE GENRES
• Dominant males
• Subservient females
• Masculine ‘action’
• Lack of emotion
• ‘Serious’ storylines
• Romance controlled
• Patriarchal ideology
(narrative closure)
• Male heroes
• Sole characters or
characters with one/two
side kicks

17. FEMININE GENRES
• Female interaction
• Males as ‘partners’
• Relationship issues
• Emotive storylines
• Shared feminine
identity
• Narrative openness
• Confirmation of
patriarchal ideology
• Female ensemble
dramas

18. Textual Analysis: Gender

19. Textual Analysis: Gender