Feminism In The Media

                                                                History Of Feminism

Women played a major role in the 1789 French Revolution. But some argued if women had the task of 'bringing up the new citizens', they should also have a new status But the male leaders of the Revolution were basically hostile and in 1793 they outlawed all women's clubs. A woman's place was in the home, they ruled. This hostility persisted through the nineteenth century. Not until 1909 did French women have control over their own earnings it was not until 1944 did they get the vote. 

For black women living in slavery in America the late eighteenth century was a turning point, as Protestant evangelism combined with the anti-slavery movement. Women made up a large part of revival congregations - both in white and black churches. Black women realized that freedom from whites was not enough. They had to have freedom from men too. But uniting white and black women was not easy.
But during the 1960s feminism burst into life again in the US as part of a radical culture that included Civil Rights and sexual liberation. Feminist groups campaigned on issues such as childcare, health, welfare, education, abortion.

Lady Gaga, Beyonce and Hilary Clinton are just one of many who changed the worlds view on feminism. From the little things you do every day to fight the power, to the millions of women across the world who take a stand in the name of equal rights.

                                             

                                                         Feminism In The Media

Feminists believe that the media portray women as cleaners or housewives providing comfort and support for men or sometimes even a man’s sex object to service men’s sexual needs etc..

Some feminists believe that males are made out to be a superior gender in the media and that the media is male controlled.

                                                           The Male Gaze

The male gaze is a theory created by Laura Mulvey in 1975, as her belief was that film audiences have to view characters from a male heterosexual perspective. Feminists see people in three ways:

• How men look at women
• How women look at themselves
• How women look at other women

Some people believe that the male gaze is used in everyday life as sexualising the female body even when sexiness of the female has nothing to do with the advert or product at all, For example In some adverts women are made to look extremely sexy for no apparent reason other than to attract male attention. This can also be reversed as For example in the Diet coke advert an attractive man is shown cutting the grass, this has nothing to do with the product.