WST 371 Notes.

Week 1 Women studies = research and teaching that places gender at center Gender attentiveness = culturally specific ways of acting and appearing masculine/feminine must both be examined Feminist = person belives in/works toward social, economic, political equality for women Goal = move towards inclusivity and celebrate diversity (no exclusion/discrimination) Popular culture = create/maintain ideas about what’s normal and ideal in society Can promote negative and stereotypical ideas about people but also challenge stereotypes/create new multidimensional representations Virgin/whore dichotomy =women represented in culture as good/desexualized mothers or independent/sexualized/dangerous Movie Obsessed (married man stalked by single woman and goes for wife) Essentialist =core sexual self, biology/genetics, universal/ahistorical Constructionist = sexuality innate, power of culture, meaning of sexuality vary Sexual script = whom people have sex with, when/where have sex, what/why do sexual things Gender, race, class specific EX: boy snaps bra straps and girls don’t iniate sex Social phenomenon = body interpreted through culture imagery/influences EX: women thin/toned Theory of social construction = popular culture and social institutions as integral site which cultural ideas about sexuality made/altered/inforced Popular culture/media increasingly create and dissemate sexual scripts Influence way see own body and others 2 way process = Popular culture reflects society back to self and is a force in shaping the society Invisible style = erase all signs that we are looking at a product, constructed through decision-intensive collaborative process Denaturalize popular culture texts to analyze them Consumer products carry a variety of different cultural meanings, health care nursing notes individuals use commodities to define them Effective media analysis = avoid excessive plot summary, interpretations of popular culture in specific evidence (narrative/stylistic), don’t speculate characters thoughts/emotions if aren’t presented as part of representation Be specific why you chose theme/pattern/elements of text and how it supports your argument Thesis statement communicates your overall argument Week 2 Out-of-Body-Image Subliminal message = women bodies are objects for others to visually consume 70% females at LA college medium or high self-objectifiers (internalized male gaze and monitored physical appearance) Men experience but at lower rate More prone to depression and low self esteem Habitual body monitoring - can lead to eating disorders Lower self objectification have higher GPA Self objectification = less likely to vote/run for office, impairs motor skills, great anxiety, prioritize men during sex Girls are taught to view bodies as projects that need work before attraiting others What to do about self objectification = recognize everyday actions (boycott companies and activism), contact companies to voice concerns, refuse to patronize businesses that depict women as sex objects, avoid bad media Boys taught that your body is a tool to master the environment Doll Parts: The "Barbie Executioner" Barbie is large figure in young girl lives - mainstream beauty standards (young, thin, white (unhealthy standards) Barbie not defined by her career Daughter took apart barbie dolls cause they’re unrealistic Mattel's New "Monster High Dolls' Play On Old School Stereotypes Desire to escape ordinary boundaries Platform heels, nipped waists, long hair Themes: popularity, fashion, competition in cliques, appeal to males, sexiness Why Aren't We Protesting Miss America? People used to always have a goal of being miss america Protests made it so it no longer is in many people's minds but still in objectified society Happy-To-Be-Nappy Barbie Used boiling water and pipe cleaners to give curly haired barbie Black barbie reinforces white supremacy - standard white barbie painted brown This Week, Drown Barbie Lack of body fat = can’t menstruate Smiling, sleek, smooth, naked and do what you want with them (silent/submissive) - girls don’t want to be 1950's Golden Age Lecture 50’s = simple time TV is center of family life - nuclear family (father is head, mother domestic, children naive) White middle class family, sexuality doesn’t exist Virgin until marriage, be attractive but not sexual, women harsh social constructs Kinsey reports - 1948 and 1953 contradicting views of time regarding sexual behavior in males and females 68% males and 50% women premarital sex Overview of 50's pop culture/media and of gender roles More disposable income, rock & roll, baby boom, TV Conformity (gender roles) but in 60’s there’s the “sexual revolution” African american women not portrayed much Miss America Began 1921, after labor day, define ideal American woman, in Atlantic city Bathing suit contest (Bather’s Revue) Point breakdown = 5 for head, 5 for limbs, 3 for torso, 2 for leg First miss america = margaret gorman (16, tiny, petite, blonde, ringlets, 5’1”) “Strong, red-blooded, able to shoulder responsibilities of homemaking and motherhood. It is in her type that the hope of the country rests” Hopes that winning give career in show business Fascination with beauty pageants is there is a winner agreed on by society 1933, curvy blonde, unsophisticated, naive, enthusiastic, talented Documentary Miss America 10,000 women enter 1200 state/local beauty pageants each year in hopes of becoming Miss America 27 million viewers 20s = lenora slaughter rules to legitimize and require ages 18-25, with chaperon, white Changed to evening gowns in crown and speak on social issues 1984 - first african american crowned American Experience First modern beauty contest - Barnum circus in 1850s “dime museum” Miss america still every september in Atlantic city with celebrity hosts 1921 - fall frolic 5 days Tennis tournaments, parades, concerts, ball, 7 swimsuit divisions Beachfront bathing suit parade of "thousands of most beautiful girls in the land” Winner got a trophy and $100 Symbols of 20s - worldliness/modernity/innocent with no makeup or bob hair Cosmetics were “skin improving” and paint was “skin masking” Paint associated with social climbers/trick men Pale skin is ideal, black communities use skin whiteners Cosmetic industry built by women End of 20’s makeup perceived as expression of individuality Beauty care was sign of mental health and accepting femininity 80s became more multicultural - wear with own desire 50s beauty contests around world, towards nationalism 1996 - miss world (80+ countries) contest in India had feminist protesters picket and threaten mass suicide 1948 Miss America Beauty Pageant 1948 made Rule #7 Barring non-white women from competing (good health & white race) Rules: resident of contest 6 months, single/never married, high school grad or senior, 18-28 yrs, good character/beauty, 3 minute talent,