The issue of the Media and the Representaion of Women is a key area for debate and links to both Representation and a consideration of Media Theory at A2. Anna Van Heeswijk, the grass roots co-ordinator for OBJECT [ a group that challenges the use of sexualised images of women within the media] , is a key figure in the Representation of Women debate and is an important voice when considering contemporary feminist theory. The following links will be useful when exploring the images of women in advertising and considering the influence of such images on society's attitude towards women. A copy of FHM should be a useful resource at A2 as it connects with a whole range of media issues relating to the Representation of Women. Click on link to watch a debate broadcast by BBC News in March 2010 that was responding to a report that criticised 'lad mags' as possibly encouraging violence towards women. In 2007 OFSTED published a report relating to attitudes towards sex that included a section that praised 'lads mags' for providing sexual health awareness for young men as parents were failing to discuss sexual issues with their children. This area should allow a discussion of Marxism, Pluralism, Feminism, Representation, Audience Theory, and general discussion relating to the influence of the media.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pgqr6GQDci4
Click on link to hear Anna Van Heeswijk's speech at the 'Million Women Rise' demonstration in 2009. Audio is imperfect but still worth your ear time.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jvnKsa5FVH0&feature=related
Click on link to access Object website:
http://www.object.org.uk/
I used FHM and ZOO at the beginning of A2 last year along with some recent statistics relating to sexual violence against women, a study of Pixie Lott's lyrics in the song 'Mama do' along with her FHM front-cover and the lyrics of Lily Allen's 'Fuck You' along with the use of imagery used on Lily Allen's MySpace site. It produced some excellent media analysis from a class that often struggled with Media Theory and were somewhat reluctant to consider complicated social issues.
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