Thursday 3 November 2011

Representation

"Rock is masculine, pop is feminine... real men aren't pop and women... don't rock" Norma Coates, 1997


This is one of the general themes seen a lot when talking about representation, it looks at the idea that certain genres of music are only suitable to by played by one gender being that male or female. For example in rock/metal music, the artists are generally male performers and so their music promotes ideology of male dominance. The music itself from this genre also reflects of the ideas of representation by reinforcing the idea of masculinity, with the power chords and extreme vocals, the stage performances, the use of guitars and other instruments and the stereotyping of females as a sex object. 


This all came about by music video producers representing girls by 'borrowing' a dated stereotype from the showgirls of silent films and burlesque girls. Due to this, influence has been put of girls in the real world, as from their exposure to this image, they try and match it as they feel that is what is excepted. 


Messages of Representation 

  • The objectification of woman and girls 
  • Women and girls are disposable and interchangeable 
  • Women's own sexuality only exists in relation to men
  • Women and girls are passive and acted upon- there to be watched
  • Women and girls only have ascribed meaning in relation to men (directly or implied)

Values of Representation 
  • Women and girls are 'cheap' and 'easy' 
  • Women and girls are their bodies
  • Women and girls are powerless 
  • Women get rewarded for sexual behaviour 
  • Women are commodities on the open market 
  • Women who don't fit the stereotype are not women

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