Monday, May 26, 2008

Final Project: Representations of Class in Sexualized Media

To understand how issues of class play out in sexualized media it is first helpful to understand how sexualized media functions on multiple levels. In order to accomplish this it is necessary to understand the fundamentals of media literacy and use these to deconstruct the various levels in which we interact with media on a daily basis. There are three basic components of media that we would like to explore before we explicate how issues of class play into the general function of sexualized media messages.

The first is the relevance of media as an instrument of social construction. In her article, “Prurient Interests: Sexuality, Ideology, and Popular Communication,” Jane Banks (2003) reminds us that, “The social construction of media is important for all kinds of reasons…First sexuality is a stand-in for other issues, so that discourses about sexuality may also (or really) be about race and ethnicity, social class, upward mobility, money, gender relations or social stratification” (p. 7). She states that it is in this way that popular texts dealing with sexuality function as strategies for social control (p. 7). Next it is critical to realize that the media are influential storytellers, and mediated communication is a powerful tool. Ubiquitous in our society, the media have the ability to set personal and public agendas (McCombs & Shaw, 1972; Brown, 2002). This ability to define, or limit what people think about is particularly important when thinking about the social implications of sexualized messages in the media. In her article, "Mass Media Influences on Sexuality," Jane Brown (2002) states that the media reinforce a relatively consistent set of norms, and “The result often reinforces stereotypes and helps define what is considered appropriate and inappropriate behavior in the culture” (p. 44).

Finally, one cannot understand the full impact of contemporary media without taking into account the social elements of political economy within sexualized media. Especially when discussing issues of class representation in contemporary media, we must always take into account who produces and distributes the mediated images and messages that we consume, why are they produced, whose interests do these messages serve, and who benefits from these messages (Dworkin, 1992; Jenkins, 2005; Jensen and Dines, 2004; Mayer, 2005).

Understanding the above criteria, we can then turn our attention specifically to issues of class representation with in sexualized media, with the understanding that class representations in sexualized media almost always functions as a political tool. Class representation can be effectively used as a mirror, to reflect upon one’s own social position, or it can serve as a vehicle of social critique, elucidating class differences in a way that empowers the lower-class, by mocking bourgeois sensibilities. Most frequently, however, we must look past the manifest messages to the latent content; it is here where we see the repetition of certain norms and patterns that serve as vehicles of social control, affirming the hierarchal status hegemony of the dominant class.

In Laura Kipnis' article "(Male) Desire and (Female) Disgust: Reading Hustler", she creates an analogy between the lower hemisphere of the body and low social class, "the reference to the body being invariably a reference to the social" (Kipnis, p. 376). The "grossness" of the lower stratum is pit against the "classical" or orifice-less body that represents the bourgeois where all that is unpleasant to the eye is neatly tucked away as if it didn't exist. There is a "strong tendency of the bourgeois to want to remove the distasteful from the sight of society" (Kipnis, p. 377) This element (the lower stratum of the body representing low social class) is an element that we found throughout our examples of representations of class in sexualized media, particularly in examples one and two.


1. Too Posh to Push?

http://www.time.com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,993857,00.html


Vaginal birth compared to Cesarean birth photos:



Cesarean birth MR


2. Puppetry of the Penis, live theater show

http://www.puppetryofthepenis.net/



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Go to fullsize image


Another element we discovered within our theme is the use of language and humor to poke fun at social class. This is particularly prominent by those of lower class making fun of upper class (example 4) and those of low social status differentiating themselves from and poking fun at those of lower social status (example 3). In Constance Penley's article "Crackers and Whackers: The White Trashing of Porn", she talks about the necessity of those from low social class to differentiate themselves from what they believe to be lower social status. The example she uses is the need for white trash to distinguish themselves from blacks. This, she says, is an attempt to "express some minuscule, if pathetic, measure of your culture's superiority" (Penley, p. 310). The use of humor also provides comic relief in what may otherwise be an awkward situation as well as minimizing degradation into a form that is normalized and culturally accepted. Class distinction can also be used as a scapegoat for one social class to put all that it does not like or represent onto another group in an attempt to rid itself of what it believes to be undesirable.

3. Jerry Springer

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=886sAIv8L1Y




4. "Wynona's Big Brown Beaver" by Primus

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dzhL-0_pC3E


Despite the fantasies that are generated by repetitious Cinderella fairytale narratives – or the general mythology surrounding the rags-to-riches theme of the American Dream popularized by seventeenth-century writer Horatio Alger – most people never break through class boundaries. Transcending class barriers, even temporarily, therefore, becomes another privilege for those of the dominant class. As artifacts for Hooters and for the burlesque demonstrate, sexualized forms of entertainment, especially in what might be considered the lower-class venues of camp and trash, have become mainstreamed to the point that they appear normative, without offering any real challenge to the current status quo. When speaking of the themes presented within Hustler magazine Kipnis (1992) reminds us that, “there is no guarantee that counter-hegemonic or even specifically anti-bourgeois cultural forms are necessarily going to be progressive” (388). The privilege of the dominant class is such that they can engage in lower-class behaviors, attend a “masturbate-a-thon,” laugh at lewd and obscene jokes (even those expressly intended to mock their upper-class status), safe in the knowledge that they will retain their position of dominance, and power. This is part of the political economy of sexualized media; those who produce and distribute most of the sexualized media that is consumed, realize that the stereotypical narratives presented, even when masked as counter-cultural items, more frequently function to serve to reinforce demarcations of class and cultural status, actually strengthening hegemonic ideas of class superiority (Hillyer 2004; Jenkins, 2005; Mayer, 2005).

5.
http://stripers247.com/images/Hooters_logo.jpg

http://www.hooters.com/

http://www.hootersmagazine.com/


6.




The commodification and objectification of women is another method by which one is able to mark class distinction in sexualized media. This is seen in the power to/powerover dynamic, both of which are represented in the music video examples seven and eight. Sexual power over women by men suggests that there are limited choices for women, a characteristic of low social status. This type of objectification is popular in rap music videos, where black women are reduced to one body part (their butt) and used by men for the fulfillment of sexual fantasy. "Women have become so accustomed to their objectification by men that they have learned to not only accept this role, but also how to use it to advance their own agenda" (Jenkins, p. 498). It is more rare for women to be shown in the power to role, in charge of their own sexuality and as the subject of the gaze rather than the object of it. "Research has shown that music video tends to be presented from a male point of view, with female characters often featured as sexual objects" (Andsager and Roe, p. 94). Although some women (like Madonna) are able to succeed in the power to dynamic, it is more typical for men to do so.

7. Madonna "Hanky Panky"




8. Nelly's "Tip Drill





Finally, some scholars argue that no matter what class status or social privilege a woman may have, she is always in a subordinate position within a patriarchal system (Attwood, 2005; Dworkin, 1992; Jensen and Dines, 2004). While Belle Hooks states that African Americans occupy the lowest class status in a ladder of social oppression, Dworkin reminds us that, “The oppression of women occurs through sexual subordination. It is the use of sex as a medium of oppression that makes the subordination of women so distinct form racism or prejudice against a group based on religion or national origin (p. 526). Evidence of this fact can be easily identified throughout the texts, imagery and overall narratives within the media artifacts that we have explored throughout the term. Whether it is a photograph of a woman selling a purse in a high fashion magazine, or women selling themselves within a music video, the objectification and commodification of women is ubiquitous within contemporary media. Considering the media’s ability to “define what is considered appropriate and inappropriate behavior within a culture” (Brown, 2002, p. 44), the most recurrent, and therefore normative message, is that whatever class or social status a woman may hold, her value is predominantly defined by her ability to arouse and sexually please men. Thus, in contemporary media, class representations are usually reduced, or reconstructed to validate the current hegemony. Thus, those who hold the positions of economic, social and political wealth within our culture (generally white, upper-class, males) are the primary producers and distributors of sexualized media; and, as such, will continue to produce messages that confirm the status quo, and existing social structures of power.


Sunday, May 18, 2008

Sexual Health Issues in the Media

Studies have shown that embedded health messages in media are effective in influencing attitudes and behaviors in viewers (Jensen and Jensen, 2007 p. 275). We see examples of this in television shows that have dialog about issues such as STD's and condom use, among others. More often than not, when sexual issues are represented on television, rarely are consequences and risks the focus. When they are the focus, this provides opportunities for the viewer to re-visit their own views and attitudes about these issues and to dialog about them with other viewers. An example of this is the "masturbation talk" featured on the cable television show "Weeds". In this scene, a friend of this maturing boys mother talks to her son about masturbation. The act of masturbating is normalized and dealt with in a very matter of fact way, as if everyone does it and the kid just needs to lean the rules of the game. The topic of masturbation is rarely talked about in mainstream media and by normalizing it, it provides opportunities for dialog where before virtually none existed.
The recent influx of Gardasil commercials, a new vaccination for HPV, has initiated a cultural awareness of this issue that was rarely mentioned before. Whether or not you feel the vaccine is a good idea for you or your daughter, the fact that there has been an increase in awareness is a positive step towards better sexual health for women.
Examples three and four show the paradox that exists within our culture regarding the ways that men and women's bodies are used and how they are put on display. It is common for women to be over-exposed, shown in scantily clad outfits that leave little for the imagination, and narrowed to only parts of their bodies such as breasts bubbling out of shirts, bras and bikinis, and butts hanging out, as in this Lifestyle condoms ads. Men, on the other hand, are rarely shown as purely sex symbols and minimized into just a body part (although increasingly men have also been more recently exploited). Men are usually depicted with action, whereas women are depicted in the submissive role of being, a reflection of our cultural values regarding gender. To emphasize this point, compare the Lifestyles commercial to the Viagra commercial, which shows a man doing push-ups. The shot is taken from above the figure and portrays his entire body, not just one part. He is shown in an active stance, doing push-ups, whereas the women in the ad is minimized to just one body part. The Viagra commercial does not show any sexualized parts of the mans body, but instead alludes to his sexualized part (his erect penis). The fact that this commercial was banned is telling of a culture where the portrayal of highly sexualized women's bodies are the norm but even alluding to this man's sexuality in an obvious way was over the top for mainstream media.
Using comedy to introduce sexual health issues is common, as is seen in many Viagra commercials and also in these MTV commercials about AIDS and condoms. While comedy can be used to catch one's attention, it can also make light of a serious subject in a way that detracts from the importance of the message. Comedy provides a protective barrier to introduce these subjects that are considered uncomfortable or awkward, but it is necessary for these issues to also be talked about in mature conversations that speak to risk and consequence.






1. "masturbation talk" on Weeds episode




2. Gardasil (HPV vaccine) commecial link:http:



3. Lifestyles_2 Lifestyles condom ad

















4. banned Viagra commercial



5. MTV commercial: Condom vs. AIDS


MTV condom commercial

Wednesday, May 7, 2008

Pornographic Mainstream Media

Over the years, what is considered acceptable in terms of sexuality shown in mainstream media has broadened immensely. From the 1950's and 60's images on shows like "Leave it to Beaver" and "I Love Lucy" where even married men and women are not shown to be sleeping in the same beds, to exposed body parts on the Superbowl half time show (example 1) last year. "The line between televisual content and pornography has shifted and blurred over the past decade" ( Mayer, p. 302) Although there was much controversy over Justin Timberlake's and Janet Jackson's staged performance of revealing her breast on mainstream television at prime time, the fact that this happened offers a telling glimpse into the ways our norms and views around sexuality have changed as a culture. Just opening up the a copy of the local paper, "The Portland Mercury" (example 3), one is able to find hot hookups in the "Lust Lab" from individuals describing in explicit details what they are looking for sexually from anyone willing to give them a call. There are also numerous ads and photos for ready and willing women and transexuals prostituting sex (for money?) as well as ads for "gang bangs" from local sex clubs like "Angels". It seems that sex is truly all around us, even when we are not asking for it. Women are portrayed as aggressive and dominant sexual persuers in ads like this Calvin Klein jeans ad (example 3), which even though they are clothed and actually pornographic, the idea that is alluded to is that this couple is preparing to have sex. Where are the jeans they are selling?

The 1984 film "Basic Instinct" (example 4) is infamous for Sharon Stone's scene of her opening her legs to reveal her panty-less and exposed vulva. Her character in the movie is portrayed as strong, but still highly sexualized. There is "reluctance (in media) to fully embrace strong female characters who might be seen as threatening" (Coon, p. 11). In 1984, this scene was shocking, but today, twenty four years later, this kind of nudity and exposure in rated R movies is so normal that we are desensitized. Pornography has even made it's way into mainstream live theater performances, such as "Puppetry of the Penis" (example 5), where two men twist their penises into different shapes that resemble images such as the Eiffel tower and a hamburger. The images are cast with lighting onto a screen to create a puppet show of their penises. Although highly controversial in some towns (Portland loves them!), their show has traveled the world with great success.

1. Janet Jackson and Justin Timberlake Superbowl Half- time show

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2. "Portland Mercury's" Lust Lab

http://thestranger.selectalternatives.com/gyrobase/Adult/?readDisclaimer=yes


3.

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4. Basic Instinct crotch shot

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5. Puppetry of the Penis, live theater show

http://www.puppetryofthepenis.net/



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Sexualized Minorities and heterosexism in media

Sexual "otherness" is rarely represented in mainstream media and when it is, it is often done so in accordance with normalizing heterosexual behaviors. Tricia Jenkins in her article "Potential Lesbian at Two O'clock" says that "lesbianism is acceptable to mainstream audiences as long as it is heterosexualized for the straight male audience"(p. 493) and Helene Shugart in her article "Reinventing Privilege" says homosexuality is "not only recoded and normalized as consistent with privileged male heterosexuality, but it is articulated as extending heterosexual male privilege" (p. 68). HomoHop, the new term for gay and lesbian focused music, has now entered the mainstream listening wave. Johnny Dangerous, a white rapper, has been gaining attention with an in-your-face style of homosexuality that he boasts in his music video "Dirty is the New Black".
In 1999, Jerry Falwell brought attention to the Teletubby cartoon when he claimed that Tinky Winky was gay and therefore a dangerous role model for children. He received a lot of critique for this ridiculous opinion but the fact that it made such a ripple is an example of how rampant homophobia is in our culture and how intolerable any form of sexual otherness, even in cartoons.

Other forms of sexual otherness, such as polygamy which has gained a lot of media attention from the recent raid on the Texas ranch, and androgyny, portrayed in a SNL parody by the character Pat, are examples of the way that the media uses stereotypes to portray that which is outside of the status quo. Ru Paul, a famous transgender woman, was able to gain some mainstream acceptance and celebrity status despite the fact that she is a sexual minority.


1. Johnny Dangerous - HomoHop "Dirty is the New Black" music video



2. Jerry Falwell and "Tinky Winky Comes out of the Closet"

http://www.theory.org.uk/ctr-rol3.htm




tinkyhand.jpg (8531 bytes)



3. Polygamist sect- represented recently in media as (heterosexual) sexual minority

http://www.sltrib.com/polygamy/ci_8872379



4. Pat from "Saturday Night Live"

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5. Ru Paul

http://www.liebrand.nl/inthemix/RuPaul.jpeg