Analysis Critical Perspectives: Media Essay: Gender -

Critical Perspectives Essay: Gender - 

• “Media simply represent collective identity, they don’t create it.” How far do you agree with this statement?

Collective identity is a group with shared norms and values which could include any subculture within society such as gender. The media as an influential institution within society is often responsible for representing and mediating groups to mass audiences and it has often been a concern of theorists as to whether collective identity is self-constructed or ruled over by ideas of the ruling class in a hegemonic way.

Firstly, magazines well known in Western culture aimed at both males and females help to exemplify the collective identity of gender in media. For instance, Men's Health magazine and Women's Health magazine are both formed by the same company but aimed at the subculture of two genders. It could be argued that the collective identity of the most widely accepted female or feminine construction within society is formed within the mass media whilst the less accepted variations are those created by group refusing to conform to the hegemonic values as coined by Gramsci. For example, the below examples of Women's Health and Men's Health are both old media texts from 2010 and appear as though they would focus on the same ideals due to the head noun of the headline "Health" but structuration ideas in society mean that media representation is more so than just that and is also responsible for constructing the ideal feminine female and masculine male. Women are encouraged to consider their weight and appearance through the use of lexis such as "Shrink" and "Bikini Body". To further this, the use of the word "Body" as opposed to focusing on the whole person places women in a position of sexual objectification as is discussed by Mulvey and her theory of "The Male Gaze". Additionally to this, the females magazine focuses on sex often from the perspective as how to please your male counterpart whilst all other stories on the front page relate again to appearance and how to fit societal ideals of feminine constructions of the female collective identity subculture. This could be due to the owners of the media being predominantly male, 22.6% of reporters were female to 77.4% male, meaning that the media conveys gender collective identity in cohesion with the constructed patriarchal ideas of a male dominated society made for the mass males. Similarly, the males magazine also delves into representations and constructions of the stereotypical male through reference of appearance and sex. This specific magazine constructs the male collective identity as masculine only when muscular, concerned about sex and training. Despite this, the magazine also conforms to Hansen's "The Female Gaze". Buckingham states that "to understand identities, one is required to investigate the ways in which media and technologies are used in everyday life and their effects" as is exemplified by the below magazines in reference to the everyday construction of identities reinforcing the structuration of the period.

The representation in the characters of Westley and Princess Buttercup in "The Princess Bride" both construct ideas on gender within the media and is an example of an old media text from 1987. Princess Buttercup is constructed by William Goldman as an archetypal character representing the stereotypical female gender collective identity. Buttercup is beautiful by definition of the media within the structuration of the period; she is a pale skinned, blonde and slim Princess who serves as the object of desire to be won by the both attractive and intelligent male exemplar Westley. The fairytale structure of the film places the genders in roles in accordance with Propp's narrative theory. Princess Buttercup is under the character type of "Princess" whilst Westley is the "Hero". Buttercup as the "Princess" is the prize to be won by the "Hero" after battling against perils. Also, once the relationship is established they exemplify the collective identity together in that they fit the 'straight white blonde couple' stereotype. Furthermore, the female lead would be expected to be independent and strong willed but instead Goldman employs a stereotypical novel fairytale character in film to exaggerate the cliche and thus challenge the societal structuration and ideologies at the time revolving around feminism as the film was released in second wave feminism. This links to Butler's (1990) idea of gender being exaggerated and "tongue in cheek". Moreover, Westley, as a male lead is the pinnacle of masculinity; he is, as voice by Earp and Katz (1999), the image of "manhood" in his dominance and battle prowess. This construction is a reinforcement of the ideas of the time although the stereotypical ideas are actually used to challenge society and encourage a new structuration which soon introduced the meterosexual male which could be seen in the magazine as outline above. 

In comparison, the protagonists of Ragnar and Lagertha in the modern media text "Vikings" from 2013 - present also convey varied perspectives of gender. Structuration over time changes, as voiced by Giddens, and thus the modern media representations of characters change too. As a result, despite the programme being set in the viking era, the characters are varied to the earlier 1987 text. Lagertha is a sheild-maiden and a farmer in a position of high power after marrying a power hungry, sexually driven and violent male Ragnar Lothbrok. Additionally, there is a scene when the vikings make a deal with King Ecbert in which a christian woman sattes her husband abused her after falsely accusing her of infidelity; the viking state that the female word is taken over males on realms of domesticity to whig the christian King asks "So the pagans are more advanced than us there?". Ragnar is known for his infidelity but is forgiven his cheating due to his position of power first as Earl and then King of the Danish vikings. The power hungry relationship established between Ragnar and his brother Rollo is one of violence and manipulation as they conform to the stereotypical male in their appearance and actions as according to Earp and Katz (1999) idea that within media "a widespread and disturbing equation of masculinity and pathological control and violence"; to elaborate, the male vikings are given right to any female in their service. Although, women are able to rule in positions of power and not concern themselves solely with their male counterparts. The reasons for some gender inequality may be as a result of the setting in the viking era whilst the representations and structuration of modern society can be seen in the dramatisation of some events and representation of the female gender which was not constructed by the media but instead influenced by now ancient history relating to earlier human ancestors. 

To conclude, it can be said as is voiced by Buckingham that "Media does not just offer a transparent window on the world but a mediated version of the world. They don't just present reality, they re-present it -" although it can also be created within the media. The outline media texts above conveying gender exemplify the possibility of construction of the ideal collective identity but collective identity as a concept itself cannot be created within the media.