An introduction to some theoretical perspectives when analysing representations of femininity

GENDER IN POP MUSIC VIDEOS

Andy Wallis

KEY TERMINOLOGY

• Dominant ideology

• Male gaze

• Voyeurism

• Dismemberment

• Performativity

• Gender fluidity

MEGHAN TRAINOR• Analyse the key signifiers in the three imagers in front of you.

• Question: What messages about femininity and gender does this performer embody?

MALE GAZE• Laura Mulvey believes that women are placed in the media to

be looked at.

• She calls this ‘the gaze’.

• This can be both:

• Voyeuristic – The notion of looking and gaining pleasure from seeing these beautiful objects

• Fetishistic – A more highly sexualised desire to have something, women are placed as objects of desire.

• Therefore ‘The Gaze’ can be voyeuristic and fetishistic – turning women into a fetish (object) that is beautiful and celebrated for her looks but considered as an object.

DISMEMBERMENT

• A theory developed by Jean Kilbourne who said that

dismemberment is used in print advertising to:

• highlight one part of a woman’s body while ignoring all the other parts of her body.

• employ female body parts for the purpose of selling a product.

• leave many women feeling that their entire body is spoiled on account of one less than perfect feature.

LILY ALLEN – HARD OUT HERE• How can we apply Mulvey’s and Kilbourne’s ideas to a study of women in music video?

• As you watch the following video make a note of how the audience is positioned as either male or female. And how we are encouraged to ‘look’ both voyeuristically and fetishistically?

• Does the gaze shift sides in parts? Why is this interesting? Do we have a ‘female gaze’ emerging?

• How is the female body dismembered and for what purpose?

https://youtu.be/E0CazRHB0so

DEBATE

• Is Lily Allen challenging / subverting / adhering to the male gaze?

• How did it position you as the audience?

• Does it reinforce or challenge (or maybe both) objectification?

GENDER AS A CONSTRUCT - BUTLER• Judith Butler says gender is a role we play and we choose to

conform or resist.

• She says there are some set rules that are constructed through the media but we can choose to actively resist these through performativity.

• Sees gender as a PERFORMANCE.

• Gender is socially constructed.

Can you think of any celebrity or musician that actively resists the dominant ideological perspective on gender or who is gender fluid?

LADY GAGA

LADY GAGA & FEMININITY• How does Gaga present modern

femininity?

• Does she conform or resist dominant ideology? Why in each case?

GENDER AS PERFORMANCE

https://youtu.be/T7CCtcoYieI