P.Mooney

Final Post

2007-12-16T14:22:00.000-05:00

The magazine our group chose to recreate was ESPN Magazine. We chose this course for our project because it appeared to be a relevant element in pop culture that each group member is familiar with. I, specifically, chose to write a piece about a homosexual professional athlete who had recently outted himself to his teammates and the press. When choosing this topic I thought specifically about the current state of affairs and culture in professional sports and their normalized implications of sexuality. Next, I analyzed the presentation of sports in the media and sports publications (i.e. ESPN Magazine) and also about the kinds of things that are noticeably absent from these sources of media. Once I chose my topic I sought to place myself in the shoes of a professional athlete and assessed how I might act in certain situations.

Competitive sports today are associated, overbearingly, with masculinity and symbols of masculinity. The way the players are trained, the in which they are expected to act are determined by norms of masculinity structured socially through early interactions (Messner 127). Furthermore, once a person is established as an athlete they are expected to embody these norms in all aspects of their lives. This includes the normative belief that athletically adept males are straight. This overwhelmingly believed stereotype makes being gay in sports something against the grain of the game. These people are frequently ostracized and have difficulty fitting in. Sources have cited coaches as a major obstacle to overcome when being characterized as out of the norm whether it be in sexual orientation, the way one talks, or other qualities. The fact that the coaches are so influential displays another way, aside from the media, that the norms associated with athletics is disemmenated to younger athletes. The separation, almost polarization, of male homosexuality and sports would lead many men who are gay in sports to wear a ‘beard’ to avoid unwanted negative attention from the press, or animosity with other teammates. Furthermore, those who do come out publicly usually don’t do so until they are retired.

Press publications of sports: sports programs, sports periodicals, and newspaper representations of sports all seem to accept the status quo of hyper-masculine and perpetuate them in the distribution of their services. TV shows will highlight the biggest hits on the field. Players are shown in their extreme training regiments, before games the cameras zoom in on the players pushing each other around as they soup each other up for the game. Articles in periodicals talk about the game, the physical intensity, and the head to head competition. Advertisements filling these programs and periodicals display men in the most masculine of poses in towels with rippling muscles. All of these publications appear to not only embrace the masculine attributes associated with sports and can even shed a bad light onto non-masculine traits. These shots taken at femininity can be overt, but are more frequently frequently in the form of a wise-crack that is inserted and often overlooked by readers. While it is difficult to measure the actual effects these comments have on the movement to separate masculinity and sports, it is certainly to some degree detrimental. Couple this with the fact that the identity has existed and been transmitted through generations and has formed a rigid bond thus making deconstruction difficult.

When writing my article I sought to take a more understanding and less critical approach to the sexuality of the player in question. Sports authorities are frequently judgmental of players who scratch against the grain of normalized society. I, instead, chose to do nothing more than reports the facts of the story and the wishes of the gay athlete. I also placed myself in the shoes of a gay professional athlete and decided that if I were in that situation I would wish not to be recognized for my sexual orientation anymore than any other player is. Sexual preference is merely one layer of the multi-faceted personality of any individual and has nothing to do with ones athletic prowess. I sought to reflect all of these things in this article in an attempt to reinvent ESPN Magazine and other sports publications as we know them today.

*Messner Article on Boyhood, Organized Sports, and Construction of Masculinities lacked necessary biographical resources

Objectification of Gia and all of our Women

2007-11-27T11:09:00.002-05:00

Angelina Jolie’s character Gia from the self-titled movie portrays a supermodel faced with the trials and tribulations of life in the fast lane. One interesting aspect of the movie that can be empirically related to the lives of other supermodels is the notion that the model’s body as a piece of property. Though “Gia” has fictional aspects, it is based on actual events. However, with that in mind, even limited exposure and experience with the world of modeling and advertising today would reveal that many of these experiences are common. The movie shows that once Gia becomes this piece of property she essentially loses all control of her life and body. Next, we can evaluate the effects of her treatment as a piece of property and the consequences rendered.

Once Gia was discovered and signed to an agency she became the property of that agency. These people were in charge of booking her shoots and marketing her to others to facilitate the sale of various products; it is important to note that Gia was not given speaking roles in any of these advertisements. Keep in mind that these images, being advertisements, were widely distributed and in the public eye. Later on in her career some of her drug problems become apparent to people and on sets, however their reaction to her drug abuse is not as one might expect, she is not admonished, but rather praised because it helps to keep her thin, something we all know is necessary for models. A similar situation arises during a binge when she is so strung out that she is unable to move, yet they continue to prop her up and take pictures. The pictures made for more submissive photos, another motif of female depictions in advertising (Crane 315-318). It appeared that Gia had fallen victim to this sort of treatment her entire life. Throughout the movie she failed to have a stable and positive figure in her life. People seemed to come and go often times more worried about Gia’s career and money than her the person that she was (save her female lover Linda). These characters included her mother, T.J., and her agent Wilhelmina Cooper. This lack of intimacy and connection with others coupled with the fast life of modeling is certainly linked to her experimentation with drugs. Perhaps the drugs allowed her to exercise the control over her body that she is unable to do in other aspects of her life as a result of her profession, a situation described by Abra Chernik in her narrative of a struggle with anorexia may also be applicable to Gia: “controlling my body yielded an illusion of control over my life” (Chernik 131).

Though Gia is a movie containing some potentially embellished situations the messages being sent through the industry of modeling and advertising as a whole results in objectification of women. This is evident through the treatment of the models themselves and the pressures endured in their seemingly charmed yet dichotomously difficult lives. The images of these models are then associated with a brand or product and disseminated into public for their interpretations. Unfortunately, these images and ideals are to be considered the norm by many and are thus interpreted as acceptable and value is placed in association with these ideologies. Gia’s story tells of the consequences of one model’s hegemonic experiences and objectification into a life of no self-worth, a lack of validation from others, and drug addiction which ultimately results in her downfall. This story leaves the audience to weave their own potential tales of the effects of today’s treatment of women, or perhaps we are to reflect upon our own experiences, actions, and interpretations as they relate to this type of treatment of women.

Crane, Diana. “Gender and Hegemony in Fashion Magazines”. Gender, Race, and Class in Media. Ed. Gail Dines. California: Sage, 2003. 314-331.

Objectification of Gia and all of our Women

2007-11-27T11:09:00.001-05:00

Objectification of Gia and all of our Women

2007-11-27T11:09:00.000-05:00

Angelina Jolie’s character Gia from the self-titled movie portrays a supermodel faced with the trials and tribulations of life in the fast lane. One interesting aspect of the movie that can be empirically related to the lives of other supermodels is the notion that the model’s body as a piece of property. Though “Gia” has fictional aspects, it is based on actual events. However, with that in mind, even limited exposure and experience with the world of modeling and advertising today would reveal that many of these experiences are common. The movie shows that once Gia becomes this piece of property she essentially loses all control of her life and body. Next, we can evaluate the effects of her treatment as a piece of property and the consequences rendered.
Once Gia was discovered and signed to an agency she became the property of that agency. These people were in charge of booking her shoots and marketing her to others to facilitate the sale of various products; it is important to note that Gia was not given speaking roles in any of these advertisements. Keep in mind that these images, being advertisements, were widely distributed and in the public eye. Later on in her career some of her drug problems become apparent to people and on sets, however their reaction to her drug abuse is not as one might expect, she is not admonished, but rather praised because it helps to keep her thin, something we all know is necessary for models. A similar situation arises during a binge when she is so strung out that she is unable to move, yet they continue to prop her up and take pictures. The pictures made for more submissive photos, another motif of female depictions in advertising (Crane 315-318). It appeared that Gia had fallen victim to this sort of treatment her entire life. Throughout the movie she failed to have a stable and positive figure in her life. People seemed to come and go often times more worried about Gia’s career and money than her the person that she was (save her female lover Linda). These characters included her mother, T.J., and her agent Wilhelmina Cooper. This lack of intimacy and connection with others coupled with the fast life of modeling is certainly linked to her experimentation with drugs. Perhaps the drugs allowed her to exercise the control over her body that she is unable to do in other aspects of her life as a result of her profession, a situation described by Abra Chernik in her narrative of a struggle with anorexia may also be applicable to Gia: “controlling my body yielded an illusion of control over my life” (Chernik 131).
Though Gia is a movie containing some potentially embellished situations the messages being sent through the industry of modeling and advertising as a whole results in objectification of women. This is evident through the treatment of the models themselves and the pressures endured in their seemingly charmed yet dichotomously difficult lives. The images of these models are then associated with a brand or product and disseminated into public for their interpretations. Unfortunately, these images and ideals are to be considered the norm by many and are thus interpreted as acceptable and value is placed in association with these ideologies. Gia’s story tells of the consequences of one model’s hegemonic experiences and objectification into a life of no self-worth, a lack of validation from others, and drug addiction which ultimately results in her downfall. This story leaves the audience to weave their own potential tales of the effects of today’s treatment of women, or perhaps we are to reflect upon our own experiences, actions, and interpretations as they relate to this type of treatment of women.

Crane, Diana. “Gender and Hegemony in Fashion Magazines”. Gender, Race, and Class in Media. Ed. Gail Dines. California: Sage, 2003. 314-331.

Sex Sold Here

2007-10-21T11:29:00.001-04:00

Advertising has used sexual images to bolster sales of many different products. This is overtly evident through the different images depicted in a variety of advertisements. Furthermore, the images of sexuality reflecting normalized beliefs of masculinity, femininity, and misogyny will differ depending on the intended gendered audience.

Men’s advertisements in a selection of magazines appear to frequently display personifications of masculinity. Notice the athlete in the collage: wrapped in a towel with muscles, clearly an athlete. Other ads of sexuality intended towards men are pictures of women in sexually vulnerable situations or overtly sexual positions. The ads in the collage that are intended for a male audience are the ones where the model seems to be ‘making love to the camera’ with direct eye contact. These women generally embody the normative ideal in today’s society: voluptuous, frequently blonde, scantily clad, and ready for sex at the whim of the male. It is possible that this is linked to the dated Esquire induced ideology that “women as women have no legitimate social role to play” (Breazeale 234) and are, instead viewed as sexual objects and marketed as such. Though the progress of women has moved against some of these stereotypes advertising clearly continues to perpetuate ideologies of misogyny and sexual objectification.

The images intended for females also contain images of sexuality, but with some differences in presentation and message dissemination. Women are exposed to the same sexually charged images of the ‘perfect’ woman, but often with less overtly sexual images. The women in the ads are not seducing the camera, but instead, perhaps, displaying that beautiful women use these products thus enticing others to purchase the product in an effort to become more ‘beautiful’. They are bombarded with images of beautiful women and the models are frequently in a glamorous setting selling beauty products or expensive clothes. Women are supposed to aspire to the beauty of these models. This is in the same vein as the ‘Cosmo Girl’ who: “could always be reworked and improved upon, and even dramatically changed” (Ouellette 120). Using sex and virtually unattainable expectations for beauty, companies are able to use sex to advertise to women as an image of aspiration.

What may be most interesting is that the sexual images being displayed have little or nothing to do with the product it is selling. The product itself is often displayed in the bottom corner, or in the hand of the model, but the focus of the ad is clearly on the embodiment of masculine or feminine sexuality as it is normatively defined in order to persuade consumers to purchase the goods. Men are shown with beautiful women around them, or link the products to beautiful women. Women are exposed to a specific type of women that they believe are desirable to men.

Ouellette, Laurie. “Inventing the Cosmo Girl”. Gender, Race, and Class in Media. Ed. Gail Dines. California: Sage, 2003. 116-128.

Breazeale, Kenon. “In Spite of Women”. Gender, Race, and Class in Media. Ed. Gail Dines. California: Sage, 2003. 230-243.

Advertising to the Male Consumer - Class Work

2007-10-18T15:03:00.000-04:00

Toys and Normalized Gender

2007-10-01T18:32:00.000-04:00

There is no doubt that American society today casts onto us different gender identities. Men and women are expected to look, act, and interact in certain ways depending on their gender. These niched identities are derived and perpetuated through different mediums. This socialization process takes place as a result of early experiences with parents, television, and toys, just to name a few. Toys make for an interesting case study on the gender cues they provide to children. First, it is important to determine whether or not toys are actually gender specific. Next, we seek to identify examples of these toys in large, accessible, and frequently used market places, specifically those designed for girls. Finally, the messages borne within these selected examples, as they pertain to gender, must be exposed. After the above have been completed the effects of toys can be assessed in an attempt to tie them in as a contributing factor into America’s current state of dichotomous gender interactions.

When looking through toy websites for children it quickly became apparent that toys have very specific target audiences. These target market segments are not only differentiated by things such as age, price, and brand, but also, noticeably, by gender. The Toys –R-Us website has its own narrowing application that allows one to view toys by “boys” and “girls". Exploring this application reveals a stark different in the toys that are designed for boys and those for girls. The pages of girls’ toys are generally pink or purple in color or packaging, consisting of different types of dolls and toy houses. The page of boys’ toys, on the other hand, consists mostly of trucks, construction vehicles, and action figures. The distinction between genders in toys is not only blatant in the labeling of toys, but also in the appearance and types of toys available. Newman would argue that: “toys and games remain solidly segregated along gender lines. Decades of research indicate that ‘girls’ toys’ still revolve around themes of domesticity, fashion, and motherhood and boys’ toys emphasize action and adventure” (Newman ch4). Let’s now take a look at possible messages within some available toys.

Specific gender roles and stereotypes exist in society. These stereotypes are then disseminated and perpetuated through the toys kids play with, thus creating specific divisions between genders. According to Henley and Freeman: “[women are constantly reminded] that home maintenance and childcare are her foremost responsibilities and that being a sex object for male voyeurs is her greatest asset” (Henley & Freeman 84). This very ideology of the ‘normal’ woman is reflected in the toys that are commercially made available. For example: a toy named ‘My First Purse’ (pictured) has the following toy description: “Just like Mom's purse! My First Purse is a soft purse in every little girl's favorite colors--pink and purple! My First Purse includes pretend play accessories too. There's a wallet, debit card, lipstick, keys, soft unbreakable mirror and play cell phone. Great for role play! Ages 2 and up” (ToysRUs.com). This toy is designed to appeal to little girls and would probably raise some eyebrows if a little boy were playing with it. Another example of a gendered toy is ‘The Little Tikes House Keeping Set’. The description for this toy is: “It is fun to help around the house with the Little Tikes Housekeeping Set! This 15 piece set is a great, interactive way for boys and girls to role play with mom and dad or on their own. The durable Little Tikes Rinse Bucket comes with a dust pan, Scrubbie Brush, Gloves, Big Sponge, Dish Detergent Brush, Scrub Brush and Broom with Mop and Duster attachments.” (ToysRUs.com). Both of these toys appear when searching for girls' toys online. It may be obvious by looking at the descriptions these toys provide important gender cues, but perhaps it is better to identify these messages.

‘My First Purse’ and ‘Little Tikes House Keeping Set’ are two great examples of gendered toys sending cues on gender identity during a very formative period in a child’s life. First, let’s start with ‘My First Purse’ and some of the inherent messages being carried and transferred. The colors of this purse, pink and purple, are normative favorites for females. This may send the signal that a girl ought to like these colors best, and those that do not are different. Each piece within the purse seems to represent important symbols of gender identity as it pertains to women. The wallet with debit card may represent the normative belief that women spend a great deal of time shopping and spending money. The lipstick and mirror are symbolic of the focus and obsession on the looks of women in American society, a concentration Naomi Wolf would say is: “a violent backlash against feminism that uses images of female beauty as a political weapon against women’s advancement” (Wolf 120). The next toy, ‘Little Tike’s Housekeeping Set’ appears to be a throwback to the stereotype of the domesticity of women. A toy consisting of all the necessities of housework, this set teach young girls the tools of the domestic trade. Though the description includes “boys and girls” and “mom and dad” this toy was conspicuously absent from the “boys toys” page. It now becomes clear that there are some obvious messages about society’s portrayal of women in toys. Now that some possible messages and images involved with toys can be seen, we attempt to understand the effects of these images.

If toys carry these stereotypes of gender within them they must have some sort of effect on the children who play with them. These toys, being exposed to children who are in an important formative period of their lives, inject children with an idea and reference point of what genders are, as well as the binary differences between the two. If little girls at a young age have toys emphasizing beauty and superficial characteristics, they will place value into these things. Furthermore, the housekeeping set and toys like it place an impression on girls about what society believes women should be doing with their time, which is frequently a marginalizing stereotype. If we tell our children they can be anything we must avoid predisposing them to limiting and oppressive roles. If these predispositions are transferred through certain types toys it becomes necessary to look for better-suited androgynous toys.

REFERENCES

Henley, Nancy and Jo Freeman. "The Sexual Politics of Interpersonal Behavior." Women Images and Realities. Ed. Amy Kesselman, Lily McNair, and Nancy Schneidewind. New York: McGraw Hill, 2003.

Newman, David. Identities and Inequalities. New York: McGraw Hill, 2007.

“Toys ‘R’ Us – Toys”. Geoffrey, Inc. 2007. Sept 29 2007.

Wolf, Naomi. “The Beauty Myth.” Women Images and Realities. Ed. Amy Kesselman, Lily McNair, and Nancy Schneidewind. New York: McGraw Hill, 2003.