At the core of the course is the question how feminism has become a demonized and ridiculed “F-word” in an age when issues of gender and sexuality are at the center of constant, often explosive political debates. These debates often connect media representation and political representation but tend to do so in simplistic ways that bypass or distort decades of sophisticated feminist theory and practice. We will trace back such representations through the decades around case studies that encompass film, video, television and new media practices. The case studies come from the United States and beyond, taking into full account the global interconnectedness of media production and consumption as well as the transnational travel of feminist ideas. The main goal of the course is to evaluate how useful feminist thinking is to understanding the relays between media and political representation; and to develop a lasting critical apparatus to analyzing the politics of gender and sexuality in the media.
Wednesday, December 4, 2013
Female Representation in the Media
I recently came across this video which I think nicely explains why it is so necessary to take a class like this one. I hope you guys enjoy it too!
I saw this too and instantly thought of posting it, but you've beaten me to it! :) This video is produced by Jennifer Siebel Newsom, the woman who wrote, directed, and produced Miss Representation, a film doc (that we mentioned in our presentation) about women in the media, particularly with regards to politics and print media. Totally worth watching, especially if you enjoyed this video.
A friend of mine from high school sent this to me again today and was concerned about how much the comment at 2:20 sounds like some of our guys friends at home. Granted, they are (usually) kidding when they say things like "women, sandwiches!" and "male activity only" or, most annoying, in third person while women are present "but would the females like it?" Just ask us if we'd like it directly! Despite these phrases, I am comforted by the fact that we as a group are fortunate enough to come from a town with a whole lot of talk about politics, media, and both liberal and conservative views. Therefore, I know everyone is getting exposed in some way to the arguments for and against representations.
However, though I would easily say most if not all of my girlfriends are feminists, I would have a difficult time calling more than maybe two of my guy friends feminists. Why? Because some of them genuinely seem to believe that women are more or less physically or emotionally unsuited to do or like doing things men do. How do you convince a close friend that he is being ignorant and silly and to look at the bigger picture? The people closest to you might be the hardest to convince, but I told my friend who sent me the video that as long as we keep asserting ourselves and, most importantly, BEING ourselves (versus acting bro-ish to try and keep up) they will either come to understand that that sort of thinking is regressive or at least respectfully agree to tone down the occasionally misogynistic and frankly unnecessary vernacular.
I saw this too and instantly thought of posting it, but you've beaten me to it! :) This video is produced by Jennifer Siebel Newsom, the woman who wrote, directed, and produced Miss Representation, a film doc (that we mentioned in our presentation) about women in the media, particularly with regards to politics and print media. Totally worth watching, especially if you enjoyed this video.
ReplyDeleteA friend of mine from high school sent this to me again today and was concerned about how much the comment at 2:20 sounds like some of our guys friends at home. Granted, they are (usually) kidding when they say things like "women, sandwiches!" and "male activity only" or, most annoying, in third person while women are present "but would the females like it?" Just ask us if we'd like it directly! Despite these phrases, I am comforted by the fact that we as a group are fortunate enough to come from a town with a whole lot of talk about politics, media, and both liberal and conservative views. Therefore, I know everyone is getting exposed in some way to the arguments for and against representations.
However, though I would easily say most if not all of my girlfriends are feminists, I would have a difficult time calling more than maybe two of my guy friends feminists. Why? Because some of them genuinely seem to believe that women are more or less physically or emotionally unsuited to do or like doing things men do. How do you convince a close friend that he is being ignorant and silly and to look at the bigger picture? The people closest to you might be the hardest to convince, but I told my friend who sent me the video that as long as we keep asserting ourselves and, most importantly, BEING ourselves (versus acting bro-ish to try and keep up) they will either come to understand that that sort of thinking is regressive or at least respectfully agree to tone down the occasionally misogynistic and frankly unnecessary vernacular.