Gender, identity and advertising: blog tasks
David Gauntlett: academic reading Read this extract from Media, Gender and Identity by David Gauntlett . This is another university-level piece of academic writing so it will be challenging - but there are some fascinating ideas here regarding the changing representation of men and women in the media. 1) What examples does Gauntlett provide of the "decline of tradition"? The traditional view of a woman as a housewife or low-status worker has been kick-boxed out of the picture by the feisty, successful 'girl power' icons. Meanwhile the masculine ideals of absolute toughness, stubborn self-reliance and emotional silence have been shaken by a new emphasis on men's emotions, need for advice, and the problems of masculinity. 2) How does Gauntlett suggest the media influences the way we construct our own identities? Your life is your project - there is no escape. The media provides some of the tools which can be used in this work. Like many toolkits, however, it contain
