Feminism

Die Another Day (2012) - James Bond movie scene.

• We are positioned as James Bond in this scene.
• We know this because we are seeing it from his point of view. It is a POV shot, because it is framed with a binocular border, the same prop he is holding.
• We know he is looking at her because she is attractive.
• As the audience we should find her attractive, because of James Bond's facial expression. James Bond says 'great views', which has a double meaning. Both praising the scenery and the girl. It is a polysemic reference because it can be interpreted in different ways, likely differing because of age.
• She is wearing limited clothing, a very revealing bikini. She is toned and has large breasts which is emphasised by the high-angle camera shot. The sea water also makes her look wet so it makes her look attractive.
• We are positioned as James Bond, we are someone who is attracted to women and therefore we are a heterosexual man.
• The issue with this is that the dominant ideology is that she is an attractive woman, and not everyone is going to find her attractive as not everyone is a heterosexual man. 

The Male Gaze - idea  - The idea that every media product is constructed exclusively for a heterosexual man to look at. By extension, the only reason for a woman to be included in a media product is for men to look at.

• She is wearing little clothing, so it is saying that to be an attractive woman and the 'screens hottest new sex symbol' you have to wear little clothing.
• Her body type is deemed attractive by society, so having a fit body makes you a 'hot sex symbol' 

• She is also wearing little clothing, so in order for a woman to be 'exciting', you must look like the image displayed - little clothing, long hair, and an hourglass body shape.
• The woman, her name and reputation is displayed boldly, which objectifies the woman because not much is known about her as a person. It's the idea that sex sells. 

• She is wearing a black body suit with a belt, creating a strong emphasis on her small waist and hourglass body shape. Her legs are also very long so she is idealistic.
• It's suggesting that in order to be the 'best thing' you have to look like this woman and dress/do fashionable makeup to please an audience. 

• The women in this advert are not the main emphasis, but they are wearing swimsuits, showing how in society a woman's role is never to be in the centre but to always dress well. The man looks surprised and happy, so by dressing in minimal clothing you will please men.
• The women at the bottom look like performers so a woman's role is to entertain the audience. 

• 'Bad' contradicts the good reputation women aspire to have, and suggests that men want women who are more scandalous.
• They wear minimal clothing.

The gaze functions in two different ways:

The intradiegetic gaze - where a character looks at another (like James Bond in the clip we just watched)

The extradiegetic gaze - where the audience looks at another character.

Both gazes are potentially voyeuristic in pleasure

Voyeuristic - looking at someone in a certain way without them knowing.

Whenever we watch a TV show we have a voyeuristic gaze.

Key theory 8 - Feminist Theory - Liesbet Van Zoonen

• Men's bodies and women's bodies are encoded in completely different ways in media products, and are constructed through media language
• Additionally women's bodies are used a spectacle to sell media products. Therefore, there is an assumption that the audience is always, without exception, a heterosexual man.
• This theory does not mean:

1. Lesbians do not exist 
2. Women cannot watch films
3. Advertisers do not care about female audiences

Are you beach body ready? (advert)

- has male appeal, so when men look at it they will think it's attractive. Seeing their reaction, women will aspire to look like this, because this body-type is a dominant ideology in society.

- The advert is saying if you don't look like this woman you can't go to the beach.

- At the beach, most people wear bikinis, so when you go to the beach there is a strong focus on your body.

- The advert is controversial because it is implying having this woman's body shape is the only acceptable body shape to show off at the beach.

Three terms 😅

1. Sexualisation - the process of making someone sexual.
2. Objectification - the process of dehumanising someone and making them into an object.
3. Subjugation - the process of removing someone's rights and power. 

Why are women so widely sexualised in media products? Because sex sells.

Hegemony - Where one group wields power over another, not through domination, but through coercion and consent.

Hegemonic power↴

• The school system
• Political hegemony 
• House rules
• Driving laws
• Parents/familial hegemony 
• Financial hegemony
• Social hegemony
• Stereotypical hegemony
• Patriarchal Hegemony - society controlled by men
• Cultural hegemony 
• Hegemonic structure of class

• The male gaze theory; it is constructed by using imagery of multiple women in revealing dresses with a low neck-lines. They are sexually objectified. 
• It is more aimed towards a male audience because of how the women are dressed/presented as very glamourous.
• The woman on the right is subverting the idea of male characteristics because she is killing the man and therefore is in control.