In my introductory blog I mentioned I wanted to focus on gender and media identity portrayal. I defined gender and media identity portrayal as “the way an individual is shaped in the mass media in relation to their gender”. The media primarily focuses on an individual based on their sexuality, appearance, and acceptability. This can be seen most vividly in entertainment news programs and reality television shows. I introduced the problem of gender and media identity portrayal as a multidisciplinary one which deserves much attention given today’s societal mechanisms.
I used my concept application blog to further mold my study. Initially, I was unsure how I could effectively study gender and media identity portrayal given my little knowledge of and access to resources on the topic. However, I was able to find an interesting area to study when I chose to focus on the depiction of the male gender/sex instead of the female. Initially I noticed he gender/sex differences in portrayal on magazine covers based on one’s gender/sex. I then formulated my research around determining how male identity is created or criticized through depictions on magazine covers. I did this through reviewing the GQ covers from the year 2010 and the Sports Illustrated ones from the year 2011. I then printed out the 12 GQ covers and the first issue of each month for Sports Illustrated. These were the images presented to interviewees who were then asked the following questions for 2 particular covers from each publication (GQ: May 2010, November 2010; SI: February 7, 2011, November 6, 2011):
- What is your overall impression of this cover?
- What are any memorable characteristics of this cover?
- Did the text have an effect on your interpretation of the image? What about font, text and size?
- Do(es) this individual(s) appear how you would expect given their visual appearance of a specific gender/sex?
It became evident rather early on in my research that no matter their age, all males had a certain perception of a male sexual identity and often connect this perception to a level of alleged masculinity. One respondent noted, “In GQ, the guys are all done up and wearing sharp, skinny suit outfits. I don't know any guys who would dress that way". I have attached audio recording of these interviews in which I had males of ages 16, 20 and 47 answer the provided questions. After analyzing the results I then turned to the text to better identify the commonalities I found in relation to course concepts.
In chapter 11 of the text, there is a focus on media and its effects on gender and identity. The first concept I found relevant to my research findings was the connection between the media and hegemony. The stances and fame associated with the individuals portrayed on GQ and Sports Illustrated Covers allows them to have power over women in the media. In relation to media and hegemony the text states, “media, as a central institution of civil society, maintain hegemonic understandings of gender even as they create gaps and fissures in representations of gender. For instance, although a few noteworthy examples of masculine women appear in popular tv shows and feminine men, the vast majority of characters tend to abide by traditional gender/sex expectations” (DeFrancisco & Palczewski, p. 239, 2007).
The second relevant text concept I found was the construction of masculinity. The media has been able to display masculinity as destabilized and therefore in crisis. The text even references the magazine GQ which I used in my research. Two quotes I found relevant to this phenomena were:
"whether in the United States or United Kingdom, 'the magazines really show men to be insecure and confused in the modern world, and seeking help and reassurance, even if this is (slightly) suppressed by a veneer of irony and heterosexual lust' . As is true of all institutional discourse, 'The discourses of masculinity which the magazines help to circulate can therefore, unsurprisingly, be both enabling and constraining'" (DeFrancisco & Palczewski, p. 255, 2007).
"It is only in the modern climate, in which we are all aware of the many choices available to us, and are also aware of the feminist critique of traditional masculinity, and the fact that gender roles can and do change, that men have started to need magazines about how to be a man today" (DeFrancisco & Palczewski, p. 255, 2007).
After interviewing my 3 participants and compiling data from GQ and Sports Illustrated magazine covers I was able to conclude a few things. First, I found that all participants identified these publications to be highly masculine in identity. This was seen in the cover individuals attire, demeanor, and known reputation. The second is that these men's magazines were indeed used for obtaining information as to how to be a man in today's society. The participants noted that they often turned to men's magazines not only for pop culture updates, but also to learn something new. Whether that be a fashion tip, recipe, or on-the-go workout tip, these men are using magazines to find information they would not be exposed to on a daily basis through newspapers and television news broadcasts.
Men today do seem to be aware that gender role lines have become blurred. Although they haven't yet reached the point where they go out and purchase as Better Homes & Gardens, or Cosmopolitan to read, they do know that this information is becoming more pertinent to them. This is the reason why men's magazines have been a growing business as of late, and continue to spark interest to more males. Through the media sending a message that masculinity is in "crisis" they are able to then re-mold masculinity by promoting he-man-ness which is inclusive of a wider realm of activities and news than just sports, girls, and cars.
After interviewing my 3 participants and compiling data from GQ and Sports Illustrated magazine covers I was able to conclude a few things. First, I found that all participants identified these publications to be highly masculine in identity. This was seen in the cover individuals attire, demeanor, and known reputation. The second is that these men's magazines were indeed used for obtaining information as to how to be a man in today's society. The participants noted that they often turned to men's magazines not only for pop culture updates, but also to learn something new. Whether that be a fashion tip, recipe, or on-the-go workout tip, these men are using magazines to find information they would not be exposed to on a daily basis through newspapers and television news broadcasts.
Men today do seem to be aware that gender role lines have become blurred. Although they haven't yet reached the point where they go out and purchase as Better Homes & Gardens, or Cosmopolitan to read, they do know that this information is becoming more pertinent to them. This is the reason why men's magazines have been a growing business as of late, and continue to spark interest to more males. Through the media sending a message that masculinity is in "crisis" they are able to then re-mold masculinity by promoting he-man-ness which is inclusive of a wider realm of activities and news than just sports, girls, and cars.
References:
DeFrancisco, V. P., & Palczewski, C. H. (2007). Communicating gender diversity: A critical approach. Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage.
No comments:
Post a Comment