Identities and the Media: Feminism

Media Magazine reading


1) Read Playing With The Past: Post-feminism and the Media (MM40, page 64 - our Media Magazine archive is here).


2) What are the two texts the article focuses on?

HBO’s Pan Am and Beyoncé’s music video for ‘Why Don’t You Love Me’


3) What examples are provided from the two texts of the 'male gaze' (Mulvey)?

Pan Am - purpose to be admired and sprites by women, and is visually enjoyed by men.

In the music video Beyoncé reinforces her body by rubbing her chest and her body while looking down to the camera which immediately tells u that she is being shown as a sexual objectification 'male gaze' (Mulvey)


 4) Do texts such as these show there is no longer a need for feminism or are they simply sexism in a different form?

The texts show that we are now in a period of time where we see feminism as a 'thing' and that it that there has been a drastic change in the way women are now tested. They both critics the representations of women by the media as they still objectify them. However, there are many changes that are noticeable from the 50s due to the rights we have gained and the stereotypes we used to receive.


5) Choose three words/phrases from the glossary of the article and write their definitions on your blog.

Third wave feminism – Was a movement that redefined and encouraged women to be dominant and sexually assertive.

Post-feminism – An ideology in culture and society that society is somehow past needing feminism and that the attitudes and arguments of feminism are no longer needed.

Nostalgia – A sentimental longing for the past, often only remembering the positives of the time.


No More Page 3



1) Research the No More Page 3 campaign. Who started it and why?

No More Page 3 is a camping to stop the Sun from having picture of tooled molds. The campaign was started by Lucy-Anne Holmes in August 2012; it reached 215,000 signatures by January 2015.


2) What are the six reasons the campaign gives for why Page 3 has to go?

-"Boobs are not news"

-People associated the models and Page 3's with rape culture

-Children shouldn't be able to view sexual content on newspaper front pages

-The Sun was sexualising images of women 

-portrayed women as decorative sexual objects

-Page 3 is a symbol of a society unable to come to terms with its own sexism.


 3) Read this debate in the Guardian regarding whether the campaign should be dropped. What are Barbara Ellen and Susan Boniface's contrasting opinions in the debate?

Susan Boniface argues: it’s time to end the campaign to stop Page 3 – it’s as outdated, pointless and past-it as Page 3 itself. Those early Page 3 girls considered they were sexually empowered and celebrating the female form. The problem with the No More Page 3 campaign is it began at a point where society was evolving.

Barbara Ellen argues: It’s bizarre to defend it on the basis that there are “worse things” – there’s no sliding scale for institutionalised sexism. Page 3 is the Old Order – reeking of male dominance, of women as sexualised and neutralised objects. The very passivity of Page 3 is offensive


4) How can the No More Page 3 campaign be linked to the idea of post-feminism?

Post-feminism is the idea that society is past needing feminism and that the attitudes and arguments of feminism are no longer needed. This could be linked to the No More Page 3 campaign as it claims that we have now passed the time of using women as sexualised objectification a for men.


5) What are your OWN views on the No More Page 3 campaign. Do you agree with the campaign's aims? Should the campaign continue?

I agree with the campaign 'no more page 3' as women should not be sexualised just for the fame of the newspapers. A women show want to do what she wants and feel the way she wants; it shouldn't be okay for a women to dress openly is she doesn't want to just for a man to see her; also children shouldn't be aware of this content as it effects them negatively.



6) Do you agree that we are in a post-feminist state or is there still a need for feminism?

I believe that we still live in a feminist society as women are still treated unfairly from men. Men are still superior in the job sector and in other areas. However, there have been drastic changes in the way women are now treated as they have reached high positions from where they used to belong. For example, they have broken the glass ceiling, a have gained the right to vote which were the significant factors in achieving equality.