Fashion Popular Pleasure and the Media - Essay Example

The representation of gender in mainstream culture is profoundly asymmetrical Introduction: The basic grouping for cataloging human beings is perhaps gender and is a vital subject for discussion of representation. It is the concept of gender to provide us the fundamental aspects of our own identity, and our assumption of others identities is also based on the concept of gender. Media, importantly the advertising, projects many objects, not only humans, as masculine or feminine. Consequently, we grow with the sense of fitting distinctiveness of each gender. Lauretis in “Technology of Gender” says that sexual difference is an effect of language, which is imaginary and has nothing to do with real. This bind, which is mutual restraint, must be deconstructed. “A strong point may be to think of gender on the lines of Michel Foucault’s theory of sexuality as “technology of sex” and to propose that gender too, both as representation and as self representation, is the product of various social technologies, such as cinema.” (Lauretis, 1987) The following table highlights male/female characteristics as projected in the media Masculine characteristics projected in media Feminine characteristics projected in media. Hard Hardworking Tough Fragile Fragrant Soft Role Model It is undeniable fact that it is media which shapes our notions to demarcate between male or female. Different role models are projected in media but the question is does this role model represent the range of men/women? Or it is a difference of stereotype which later becomes sub-stereotype. Does this projection of role models not harming the individuality? Representation of Femininity. The women were praised for their voluptuous bodies before it was told that to be fat was wrong and interestingly men preferred the women of voluptuous bodies because such women were ideal for child bearing. In animal kingdom the bodies of female are larger but women are the only creatures that are expected and forced to have a fragile figure. It is interesting to note that artists of all ages have been the staunch believer of the fact that women of all figures and size are beautiful. See the works of Botticelli, Renoir and Rubens. Therefore, it is very difficult for a lot of women to achieve the ideal slender figure and it does not liberate them. Different studies shows that only 5% women can attain the ideal role model form but by damaging their relationship with food. (Ware,(1995): THE PATRIARCHAL DOMINATION OF WOMENS BODIES THROUGH ADVERTISING) As Kilbourne is of the view that women are shamed for eating and he does not believe the increasing empowerment of women is directly proportioned to the role model of thin images as represented in the media, especially the “the little-girl look.” Actually, media and particularly advertising is serving as corrective force in the lives of women. Through advertisement such images are created as dictated by cultural trends which are “indicative of the time”. Feminism is a recognized social philosophy and the changes which have surfaced are really phenomenal. But the projection of women in media remains constant which manifests that media does not accept the changed role of women or because the media is dominated by men so it avoids giving the new role to women. As Jonathan Schroeder says, Film has been called an instrument of the male gaze, producing representations of women, the good life, and sexual fantasy from a male point of view (Schroeder 1998, 208). The concept of “male gaze” was actually propounded by Laura Mulvey, a feminist film theorist, in her article ‘Visual Pleasure and Narrative Cinema’ (1975). The article was not an empirical study of cinema goers rather it was to make a political use of Freudian theory of psychoanalysis by following the footsteps of Jacques Lacan. This psychoanalytical study of ‘spectatorship’ pointed out how ‘subject position’ is the product of media texts instead of the specific social contexts. ‘Freud referred to (infantile) scopophilia - the pleasure involved in looking at other people’s bodies as (particularly, erotic) objects’. In the darkness of cinema theatre one can look without being conscious of to be seen either by the people; projected on the cinema screen, or by the audience. Mulvey argues that such features of cinema viewing make easy for the viewer the voyeuristic process of objectification of female characters and also the narcissistic process of identification with an ‘ideal ego’ which is seen on the screen. She says that in patriarchal society ‘pleasure in looking has been split between active/male and passive/female’ (Mulvey 1992, 27). Hollywood not only eulogized the male protagonist in the narrative but also assume a male spectator. ‘As the spectator identifies with the main male protagonist, he projects his look onto that of his like, his screen surrogate, so that the power of the male protagonist as he controls events coincides with the active power of the erotic look, both giving a satisfying sense of omnipotence’ (Mulvey 1992, 28). Traditional films present men as active dominating subjects and women are treated ‘as passive objects of desire’ for men in the narrative and in the audience as well. And women is not presented as sexual subjects so the women, in such films, are objectified in relation to ‘controlling male gaze’ (Mulvey 1992, 33), presenting ‘woman as image’ (or ‘spectacle’) and man as ‘bearer of the look’ (Mulvey 1992. 27). The article of Mulvey created a controversy among the film critics and theorists. The main objection was on the ‘fixity’ with the passivity of females by ignoring the female spectator. The argument of Mulvey was termed as essentialist; that is treating of spectatorship and masculinity as homogeneous essence. E Ann Kaplan (1983) posed a question, “Is the gaze male?” Kaplan and Kaja Silverman (1980) argued that a gaze could be adopted by both the gender as male is not always the dominating or controlling subject and female is not always the ‘passive object.’ Lauretis (1984) argued that female spectator is always involved in “double-identification” with objective and subjective position both. Steve Neale (1983) came up with the stunning question “What of gay spectators?” Neale identifies the gaze male but heterosexual in the Hollywood tradition. He points out a ‘voyeuristic and fetishistic gaze directed by some male characters at other male characters within the text. Stacy notes the erotic gaze between females in particular context.’ ( Chandler) Neale says that ‘in a heterosexual and patriarchal society the male body cannot be marked explicitly as the erotic object of another male look: that look must be motivated, its erotic component repressed’ (Neale 1992, 281). Now it is extensively noted that the male body has been the object of sexual display in main stream cinema and advertising since 1980s’. (Moore 1987, Evans & Gamman 1995, Mort 1996, Edwards 1997). To Jane Gaines gender is not the only vital factor to determine “looking relation” whereas, race and class are also the important factors.  (Lutz & Collins 1994, 365; Gaines 1988; de Lauretis 1987; Tagg 1988; Traube 1992). As Schlesinger in the study Women Viewing Violence found that the ethnicity was the main element to differentiate among different groups of women viewers. (Schlesinger et al. 1992). Judith Buttler in her book Gender Trouble: Feminism and Subversion of Identity (1990) explains gender as “performative practice” Her idea that gender is constructed rather than natural reminds us of Simone de Beauvior’s famous dictum “one is not born a women, but rather becomes one.”(1973:301). For Simone and other feminist critics are of the view that gender is culturally inscribed on sexed body. Although de Beauvior separated a natural sex from a culturally constructed body, but Buttler contends that because de Beauvior viewed body as a “cultural situation”, it might be possible to suggest that both sex and gender are cultural (Buttler 1989, 128-134) Gey Morris in “Style of Flesh: Gender in the dances of Mark Morris.” disagrees with Butler’s point of view by saying that “Gender is, rather, the means by which male and female categories are created. It is an apparatus with out agent, kept in motion through an endless repetition of norms in which all is imitation.” Silvia Bovenschen (1976) question, “Is there a feminine aesthetic?” could not get the satisfactory answer from herself even. But the view point of feminist critics still holds a strong conviction that gender is culturally bound and male gaze is to decide still the role of women in this modern world. Representation of Masculinity Author and academic Susan Bordo (University of Kentucky), while analyzing gender in advertising, agrees that men are usually portrayed as sexually virile, muscular and powerful. Their powerful bodies cover the ads. For women, it is slenderness, and attaining a feminine ideal, which is focused. Women are always presented thin and vulnerable. It is interesting to note that the concept of masculinity is based on more fixed stereotypes that femininity. In media men are presented as having physical and intellectual strength, have got the sexual strength and enjoy independence of thought and action. Male characters in media are projected as lone heroes though the resolution of narrative tries to make us look at him in the context of family. In Hollywood serious actors like Kevin Spacy and Willem Dafoe are expected to be at the level of charmer in their forties. Same is the difficulty with men as with women to live up to expectations of media. To day we have a burgeoning market of men’s magazine (Life style and health both) and the magazines are demanding even from white collar male worker to have the physique of a professional swimmer. And media target the audience to buy the products to improve their skin; hair style and male are expected to come up to the level of the role models as presented in the media which is unrealistic target no doubt. According to the book The Adonis Complex, The membership of men in gyms has rocketed to the $ 2 billion and 900,000 men had to go through the cosmetic procedure in 1996. The sale of protein powders, creatine, fat burners and anabolic steroids is increasing. Tusan Faludi, author of Stiffed: The Betrayal of the American Man asks why men, like women before them – do not rebel against the society that has thrown them into crisis. Reviewer Elizabeth Gleick of Time gathered wrote, while reviewing Faludi’s book “that men are victims of a competitive, consumerist, "ornamentalist" system that strips men of their sense of belonging and their ability to nurture and be nurtured.” These studies suggest as women and their bodies were objectified in traditional advertising for decades to day men are being objectified in the same manner. As revealed in the 2002 study University of Wisconsin that this barrage of fit and muscled bodied is the cause of the anxiety and ‘personal insecurity’ as was felt by women for years. Folowing is an extract of the eating tips from Men’sHealth a magazine for men to help us to know how man is becoming conscious about his eating habits Grain Without Pain A way to make oatmeal edible A steaming bowl of oatmeal (the real stuff, not the packet variety) is just about the healthiest breakfast you can shovel down: Two hot cups contain roughly 50 grams (g) of carbohydrates for long-burning energy, 8 g of fiber to keep you full, and only 5 g of fat. The rub? Hot oats can be as bland as . . . as . . . as oatmeal, for cripes sake. Heres a trick to make your morning oatmeal palatable.   You Oat to Yourself 1 1/2 c apple juice, hot 3/4 c dry quick oats 1 pear, grated (optional) Cinnamon and maple syrup to taste 1/4 c raisins 1/3 c toasted slivered almonds 1 peach, sliced (optional) References Lauretis, Teresa, de (1987) Technologies of Gender: Essay on Theory, Film and Fiction. Indiana University Press. Morris, Gey (1996) Moving Words: re-writing dance. Routledge Mulvey, Laura (1975) Visual Pleasure and Narrative Cinema. Alibris Read More