Miss Representation Questions

1. “You can’t be what you can’t see.” What does this quote suggest about how representations of powerful women are, largely, absent from the mass media?

If people are not exposed to powerful women in today's culture and society they will grow up believing that because they don't see examples of these women that they can achieve any sense of power themselves. This is seen to be one of the main reasons why women are under represented in politics.

2. What does Miss Representation suggest about the way women are represented in the media?

Women are represented in the media either being sexualised or being shown as bossy and rude, this is an incorrect depiction of women. A total of 12% of women are protagonists in films and when placed in this position they can be seen as powerful and strong but usually the story will revert to them chasing after a guy or looking for love as she is complete without a man.

3. What is a stereotype? Which gender stereotypes are being repeated again and again in the media?

A stereotype is a widely held but fixed and oversimplified image or idea about a particular person or group. Women are supposed to be mothers, care givers, submissive, beautiful, domestic. 

4. In terms of representation of women, what is the problem with mainstream Hollywood films?

Hollywood goes off the basis that women will watch films about men but men won't watch films about women, as they purely want to sell whatever they are trying to sell they will follow this. This creates issues because if people are viewing men being dominant and in the main power positions for the majority of media they will start to believe that it's ok and right because they are consuming in all of the time. 

5. What sort of stereotypes are used to represent female leaders?

Female leaders are seen to be as bossy instead of assertive as a man would be seen in the same position. They are constantly scrutinised for what their wearing instead of what they're achieving and usually objectified when being spoken about. Females are 'too emotional' or 'emotionally unstable' to lead. If the media continues to place so much importance on material things rather than the achievements of female leaders only more and more women will decide not to lead. 

Geena Davis Stats

Characters in family films wearing sexy attire:

Men - 8%
Women - 28.3%

• Smaller percentage - get away with it easier 
• Considered normal 

Characters with thin bodies in Prime-time shows:

Men - 13.6%

Women - 37.5%

• Modern family stereotypes:
• Cam - typical gay guy - the arts, dramatic  
• Stereotype homosexuals 
• Gloria & Jay - young vs old
• Phil & Claire - good cop vs bad cop
• Phil - fun dad
• Claire - strict, uptight mum 

Percentage of speaking characters in prime-time comedians by gender:

Men - 68.5%

Women - 31.5%

• Dominance of males in today's society
• Women should be seen and not heard

22% of prime-time shows with gender-balanced casts:

• Phoebe - Stupid, blonde, vegetarian 
• Rachel - Dumb, rich, spoilt
• Chandler- awkward
• Monica - chef, fat growing up - she lost all the weight because someone bullied her.
• Ross- Nerd, obsessed with dinosaurs, failed relationships
• Joey - dumb actor, player - "How you doin'?"

Ratio of male to female characters in children TV shows:

2.25:1

• Grow up with a false representation of the world
• Men are superior
• Females are not relevant 
• Men are shown as the hero, women need to rescued - main purpose of them in tv shows
• Tv shows follow the heroes journey 

Percentage of family films with a male narrator:

73.5%

• Men know everything 
• strong, easy to listen to voice
• Morgan Freeman 
• Authoritative 

The percentage of black characters in prime-time shows that are male or females

Men - 54.7%

Women - 45.3%

• Men are more dominant than men

The statistics tells us that women are:

• Insignificant to the media
• Easy to sexualise
• Less authoritative than men
• Dumb, spoilt

Girl & Women Stereotypes

Overall women are:

• Useless 
• Stupid
• Domesticated 
• Inferior to men
• Emotion & helpless
• Not scientifically and mathematically capable
• Primarily concerned with relationships
• Role is mothers and care givers
• Women MUST value their physical attractiveness - as well as social pressure

Stereotypes

Every time  you go to Australia fair in your uniform - people assume you are rich or a lesbian.

Ads:

Old Spice:

• You can't look like me but you could smell like me - if you don't have looks, you can have the smell and be somewhat attractive
• Men - step up and buy some old spice
• Attractive - Abs, buff, tan 
• Men need to be adventurous, walk on water - almost as good as Jesus, build things, swan dive & then on a motorbike in jeans - doesn't even need safety = unrealistic expectations 
• Misrepresenting every male on the planet 

Solo Man:

• Tough
• Masculine
• Strong 
• Not scared of anything - fights crocodile 
• Sexualising the solo by having it dripping down his face
• Dominant 
• Survive in the wild 
• Intimidating 
• Athletic
• Sloppy
• Targeted predominately at Australian men

Diet Coke Guy:

• Sexualising the coke
• Male sex symbol 
• Mower - Hypnosis wheel
• Women waiting on man
• Man doing the work - mowing 
• Women - sitting around, doing nothing 
• Theres a group of women but it turns to him being dominant because everyone is focusing on him 
• Double standard - if it was a women people would complain
• Targeted at both genders - mainly women 

Lynx Angels:

• Even angels will fall for you
• All the women were either angels, old or housewives
• Typical male - if you use this you will have all of the ladies coming after you
• Sterotypical angels
• Average Joe
• Men will drop what they're doing to stare at women
• No male is good enough unless their wearing lynx 

Calvin Klein:

• Oily
• Strong
• Unrealistic 
• If you buy the underwear you will look like this 
• Advertising the brand - you'll be with someone who looks like this if you buy any of their products
• Catches the eye
• Tough - tattoo 

Azzaro Men's Fragrance:

• Girl's will be drawn to you if you use the cologne 
• The smell will attract them 
• Dominance & control
• Advertising the unrealistic after effects instead of the product itself
• Fully clothed - more classy than the other techniques used
• Object 
• Band wagoning by using Enrique Iglesias - more customers as his fan base would also purchase the product. 

Omega Watches:

• They don't even show the watch 
• You'll look sophisticated 
• Linked to James Bond - every guy wants to be James Bond because he is:
• Strong
• Handsome
• Spy
• Powerful 
• Money
• Luxury
• Appeals to women & men - men want to be him and women want to be with him. 

Twilight:

• Romantic
• Strong
• Attractive
• Brave 
• One had to be the alpha male and win the girl 

Trailers:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S2HIda5wSVU&feature=player_em

Twilight trailer:

• Admirable 
• Weak
• Submissive
• Indecisive 
• Object 
• Prize for the male who 'wins' her
• She couldn't protect herself 

Erin Brockovich trailer:

• Not worthy of a degree - training
• Being a mother is not looked as hard work
• Gets by with 'you have a nice office'
• Not attractive - places importance
• The main characters clothing choices affect her quality of work - 'Re-think your clothing choices'
• You can get anywhere if you put out...
• 'You're a lawyer' - because she is a woman and not officially dressed
• Treated like an idiot who is higher in power - you're either an 'idiot' or rude
• Women put each other down
• "You're emotional, you're erratic" - feels too much because she's a woman 
• Weak at the beginning - ends with her being powerful and heroic 

Cat walk photo 2:

• Revealing
• Dull

Cat walk photo 1

• Negative - constructed idea of beauty with perfect hair, body, skin etc
• Skimpy
• Too short
• Revealing 

Red Carpet photo 2:

• Beautiful 
• Elegant 
• Respectable 

Red Carpet photo 1:

• Positive - confident 

Paparazzi photo 3:

• Positive - sweet, innocent - she's a normal person 
• Negative - not in an attractive pose 
• Sloppy or not classy 
• Teenager - cliche 
• Depends where it was published and the message that went along with it

Paparazzi photo 2:

• Weak - crying 
• Vulnerable 
• Unstable 
• Too emotional
• Negative light 

Paparazzi photo 1:

• What she is wearing - importance on external beauty
• Calm
• Independant - Positive 
• You need to look good at all times

Advertisement 3:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=17yt6tlQxzM&feature=player_embe dded 

• Portrayed as stupid, inconsiderate, oblivious,pretty.
• Stereotypical dumb receptionist 
• A man would have put the fire out with his bare hands 
• Only in the office because she is pretty - eye candy for the males
• Man made her the soup - she is incompetent 
• All the other women were screaming running in all directions - they're over reacting whilst the men are calm and collected. 

Advertisement 2:

• Sexualising perfume 
• You will look like this if you use it 
• Links with Adam & Eve
• Bad girl - hypnotise & poision people
• Red - death 
• Eye drawn to the woman - trying to hypnotise the audience 

Advertisement 1:

• Bandwagoning - using someone who is known, a model - works with Chanel 
• Unrealistic expectations - you will look like this if you drink this, boys will like you 
• Pink - stereotypical - feminimity  
• White - purity, innocence 
• Object of his desire 

Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs by Grimm Brothers

1. Qualities important to women:

• Beauty - most fairest in the land
• Ability to cook and clean - only work in the house
• Marriage
• Submissive 

2. Traits/Qualities that are undesirable for women:

• Old/ Country women - seen as unattractive 
• Single
• Messy
• Ugly
• Vein 
• Kill joys 

3. Traits important for men:

• Marriage
• Handsome
• Unable to look after yourself
• Confident
• Show dominance 
• Strong
• Work while the women clean the home
• Free to speak their mind - always right 

4. What is the story trying to teach the audience?

• Women & men roles in society during the time period. 
• Beauty is everything - if you're not beautiful or the most beautiful in the land you are worthless. The Queen attempted to kill Snow White 4 times so she could be the most beautiful in the looking glasses eye. 
• Marriage - You need to have a counterpart to survive in the world and be viewed in the social class.
• Women belong in the kitchen or are evil witches - seen and not heard. 
• Men work for a living - the bread winners & women stay at home and maintain the household. 

5. Snow White's relationships: 

• The wicked Queen - bearable until she is older and more beautiful than the Queen. Once she is older it turns nasty and the Queen attempts to kill her several times.
• The Dwarfs - They all get along quite well, this is evident as they allow her to live with them, tries to revive her every time and when she passes away they place her in a coffin to lay peacefully. 
• The prince - A confusing relationship to the audience- based purely off looks and social class. They have never spoken before and all of a sudden they are planning to marry and go through with it.

6. Does it provide a realistic view of men & women?

No. Today, men & women provide for a family and a household as they both work - the story depicts men as being 'the breadwinner' but this is not the case. It creates unrealistic expectations for young girls as they will grow up believing that they are required to be beautiful in the eyes of others or they will not achieve the main goal in life - marriage with a handsome prince which is not a priority in today's society. 

7. Any modern stories that promote similar messages?

• Romantic Comedies 

Character Development

You can inject your own personality into a character without character development.

Gender Stereotypes

Aurora:

• Beautiful - a priority shown by one of the fairies blessing her with beauty - creates the image of an 'ideal' woman.
• Unproportioned waist
• Sensitive / overt emotion - collapsing into tears when she finds out she is not marrying her true love.

Prince Phillip:

• Strong
• Brave
• Handsome
• Determined - went after the love of his life even though he faced setbacks and struggles
• Athletic

The Queen:

• Beautiful
• Name is never mentioned - only King's because the male is dominant 
• Only speaks during bad times - e.g. when child is taken away

The Prince's Father:

• Old
• Wise
• Supportive of his son - even if he wanted to marry a peasant girl
• Would do anything to be move up in class

Sleeping Beauty Facts

1. Prince Phillip is said to be named after a famous prince of that time; Prince Phillip, Duke of Edinburgh.
2. Disney was afraid it would be too similar to their earlier movie Snow White.
3. To save time when making Beauty & The Beast Disney reused animation from Sleeping Beauty.
4. Famed Opera singer Mary Costa voice Aurora.
5. In the original ending of the fairytale the prince raped her and didn't awaken her until she gave birth to twin babies who then sucked the needle from her finger - A far cry from "true love's kiss"
6. Aurora's look was taken of Audrey Hepburn.