David Gauntlett - Media, Gender and Identity

Media, Gender and Identity

"Femininity on the other hand is not necessarily seen as the state of 'being a woman'; instead, its perceived more as a stereotype of a woman's role from the past" - Many magazines/adverts use the traditional role of the woman as the representation, instead of using a more up-to date one as "Femininity is not typically a core value for women today." (p.g. 12)

When discussing the role of masculinity, Anthony Clare 'On Men: Masculinity in Crisis' states that "Men used to know their place, as provider for their family, says Clare, and this was a role to be proud of. But today, as women show that they can do everything that men can, the provider role becomes diminished." - he then later states that the mass media and popular culture aid men to "adjust to a contemporary life." (p.g.10)

Women's Magazines in the past

"Today there is a well-known, comical stereotype of the ways in which women''s magazines and adverts used to address women as simpering housewives whose dream was to impress their authoritative, working husbands" (p.g 41)

"The advice offered to women was not about how to fulfil their own potential, but was instead focussed on bringing happiness to their family." (p.g. 41)

The 'cosmo' Factor

"Cosmo was playing playboy at its own game, seeing sexual pleasure as  important, and suggesting that women were entitled to it" (p.g. 44)

"cosmo does not bother being consistent : one article would encourage readers to be happy with their body size, whilst another would encourage slimming." (p.g. 44)

Men's Magazines + Modern Masculinities - Chapter 8

"Magazines like Loaded, FHM and Maxim are an attempt to override the message of feminism, promoting a 'laddish' world where women are sex objects" -  (p.g. 164)

Lads mags have "found a way to combine traditional male pleasures with a post-feminist discourse" - (p.g. 166)

Reinscribing Sexism

"The view that they are sexist is often based on the observation that the magazines usually contain several pictures of women wearing clothes which are small, or not there at all" -(p.g. 182)
"Some magazines for women do the same thing back to men" - (p.g. 182)

"Alluring pictures of semi-naked women could specifically be said to be sexist because this feeds into the objectification of women" - (p.g. 183)