Representation

Levi Strauss and his idea of binary opposition. 

Laura Mulvey and her idea of the male gaze, the theory that woman are objectified and seen as objects. 

Propps theory that suggests that each character has a ‘type’ (villain, princess etc.).

Angela McRobbie believes that there are gender stereotypes being reinforced through the media, woman are weaker, more likely to be victims, carers and mothers. Yet, men are aggressive, strong and are natural leaders. 

Stanley Cohen believes that groups are demonise through negative representations. 

Bell Hooks (spelt lower case), wrote a book called “Ain’t I a woman?”, intersectionality and black woman being the lowest social status. Stereotypes will not die. The safety of black woman is not as important as other members of society. 

Liesbet Van Zoonen, a dutch woman. The media is full of different representations of woman’s bodies’ against men’s bodies’. Gender is performative - we construct our ideas about masculinity and femininity from “what we do” rather than “what we are”.