Feminism from Malik Faisal

What is feminism?

Third Wave Feminism (in the media)

Naomi Wolf THe Beauty Myth - 3rd Wave Feminsim

'No matter what a woman's appearance may be, it will be used to undermine what she is saying and taken to individualize - as her personal problem - observations she makes about the beauty myth in society.' 

Most urgently, women's identity must be premised upon our 'beauty' so that we will remain vulnerable to outside approval, carrying the vital sensitive organ of self-esteem exposed to the air.

'Beauty' is a currency system like the gold standard. Like any economy, it is determined by politics, and in the modern age in the West is is the last, best belief system that keeps male dominance intact.

Naomi Wolf quotes from her book The Beauty Myth: How Images of Beauty Are Used Against Women 1991

Feminists criticise lifestyle magazines

  “ Every woman knows that regardless of her achievements, she is a failure if she is not beautiful… the UK beauty industry takes £8.9 billion a year out of women’s pockets. Magazines financed by the beauty industry teach little girls that they need make-up and train them to use it, so establishing their lifelong reliance on beauty products” (Germaine Greer 1999)‏

Laura Mulvey

Laura Mulvey - Male Gaze theory

The gaze is a Feminist theory developed to highlight the power imbalance between men and women analysing the way men see women, the way women view themselves and other women. The theory suggests that an audience are forced to view the text from the perspective a heterosexual male, films constantly focus on women’s curves and events that happen to them are portrayed at a male angle. The male gaze denies women human agency, relegating them to the status of objects. Therefore the female viewers experience the text narrative secondarily, by identifying with a man’s perspective (male gaze). In addition she argues that sexism can also occur in the way the text is presented. Moreover, people are encouraged to gaze at women in advertising that sexualizes a woman's body even when the woman's body is unrelated to the advertised product.

 

The original essay first published in Screen in 1975 Visual Pleasure and Narrative Cinema -

Review of theories for Question 1 b

Have a look at this link for ideas to improve your Genre and Narrative essays from the mock exam. Type if up and then post on your blog.  henley mediablog