Identities: Feminist theory and blog task
A current debate in feminism is whether we are in a post-feminist state: is feminism still needed?
It's important to have your own opinion on this debate and, crucially, be able to support it with reference to feminist theory and current examples.
Feminist theory: key notes
Judith Butler: gender roles
Butler believes traditional feminists are wrong to divide society into ‘men’ and ‘women’ and says gender is not biologically fixed.
By dividing men and women, feminists accidently reinforced the idea of differences between the two genders
Butler believes gender roles are ‘a performance’ and that male and female behaviour is socially constructed rather than the result of biology.
Butler and the media
If gender is a ‘performance’ rather than biological, we then need to think about what is influencing that ‘performance’.
And that’s where the media comes in. How might the media influence our behaviour in terms of gender roles?
Angela McRobbie: empowering women
McRobbie is a British cultural theorist known for her work analysing magazines aimed at women and teenage girls in the 80s and 90s.
McRobbie highlights the empowering nature of magazines such as Cosmopolitan and Glamour, taking a different perspective to traditional feminists.
This idea of ‘popular feminism’ fits into the idea of post-feminism and challenges the radical feminism of the 1970s.
2) Would McRobbie view Beyonce as an empowering role model for women? Why?
3) What are your OWN views on this debate – does Beyonce empower women or reinforce the traditional ‘male gaze’ (Mulvey)?
It's important to have your own opinion on this debate and, crucially, be able to support it with reference to feminist theory and current examples.
Feminist theory: key notes
Judith Butler: gender roles
Butler believes traditional feminists are wrong to divide society into ‘men’ and ‘women’ and says gender is not biologically fixed.
By dividing men and women, feminists accidently reinforced the idea of differences between the two genders
Butler believes gender roles are ‘a performance’ and that male and female behaviour is socially constructed rather than the result of biology.
Butler and the media
If gender is a ‘performance’ rather than biological, we then need to think about what is influencing that ‘performance’.
And that’s where the media comes in. How might the media influence our behaviour in terms of gender roles?
Angela McRobbie: empowering women
McRobbie is a British cultural theorist known for her work analysing magazines aimed at women and teenage girls in the 80s and 90s.
McRobbie highlights the empowering nature of magazines such as Cosmopolitan and Glamour, taking a different perspective to traditional feminists.
This idea of ‘popular feminism’ fits into the idea of post-feminism and challenges the radical feminism of the 1970s.
Feminism: blog task
Watch the Beyonce video for ‘Why Don’t You Love Me?’
1) How might this video contribute to Butler’s idea that gender roles are a ‘performance’?
There is the reinforcement of the ideas that men and women are divided, also linking to the traditional idea that women belong in the domestic household to cook, clean e.t.c. The idea of the roles being socially constructed rather than biological is emphasised by the obvious failire to do some acts such as cooking.
2) Would McRobbie view Beyonce as an empowering role model for women? Why?
McRobbie may view Beyonce as an empowering role model for women as she is showing an unsuccesfull attempt at conforming to stereotypical roles such as cooking a cleaning. Possibly highlighting to the audience that these attributes don't make or break a woman. Furthermore in terms of objectification, this isn't an example of a man viewing the women as a sexual object, she is sexualising herself with the use of body language, costume and camera angles herself whilst also showing alternative roles typical of a domestic housewife.
3) What are your OWN views on this debate – does Beyonce empower women or reinforce the traditional ‘male gaze’ (Mulvey)?
I think that this video reinforces the traditional male gaze as I think that some shot angles and costumes were unnecessary and had no real connection to the video if it was to subvert stereotypes. Sexiallity is still a prevailing factor used to appeal to a wider audience using the appropriate gaze. Furthermore there is the constant questioning of 'Why don't you love me?' which suggests that women need to be recognised, loved by and approved by men which should definitely not be the case.
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