Media Representations: Sexuality

Media Representations: Sexuality

1. Moral Panics and Sexuality

   • Media representations over the years have led to many moral panics. Society learns to fear or be critical of certain social groups and they are discriminated against
   • Homosexuals were subjected to moral panics in the 1980's when the media blamed gay men for the spread of AIDS and referred to the disease as the 'gay plague'
   • The 1990's saw a moral panic surrounding teens who were deemed sexually promiscuous in order to secure benefits for a council house

2. Portrayal of Homosexuality

   • In the Media
     • Dramatic
     • Villain
     • Victim
     • AIDS
     • Deviant
     • Supporting Actors
     • Promiscuous
   • Batchelor (2004) found that being gay was not generally integrated into mainstream media representations. Rather, when it did appear, it was represented mainly as a source of anxiety or embarrassment, or it was seen as a target for bullying
     • AO3: More positive representations e.g. Stephen Fry, Clare Balding
   • Gross (1991) Symbolic Annihilation- Media rarely portray gay and lesbian characters when they do they are often stereotypical.
     • AO3: Butch lesbians and Lipstick lesbians
   • Green (2007) found that gay people were 5 times more likely to be portrayed negatively and gay life more likely to appear in entertainment programmes than factual ones like the news

3. Representations of Homosexuality

   • Craig (1992) suggests when homosexual characters are portrayed in the media they are often stereotyped as having particular amusing or negative psychological and social characteristics
     • Camp
       • Most widely used representation. Shows trivial characters often theatrical and over the top. Reinforcing the idea that gay sexuality is a hybrid of male and female characteristics
         • E.g. Louis Spence, Alan Carr
         • AO3: If there was not a characteristic the audience would not know they were being represented
     • Deviant
       • Gay men often shown as evil or devious in TV dramas, often guilty about their sexuality
         • E.g. Aaron (Emmerdale), Ryan (Hollyoaks)
         • AO3: Positive representations on the increase so stigma is decreasing- Craigs study is outdated
     • Gays in the news and coverage of AIDS
       • Critics argue that the news ignores and distorts lives led by gays and lesbians. Homosexuality is often presented as unnatural and the media have printed homophobic comments. Watney- 'Links have often been made to gays and the spread of AIDS'
         • E.g. Homosexuals criticised for the cause of AIDS, 1980's campaign demonised them
         • AO3: Elton John campaigns for AIDS prevention and rights- lot more education now
   • Gauntlett (2008) argues things are slowly changing. There is evidence of some change in representations of gay sexuality like camp, butch, lesbian. Media companies are also aware that the gay and lesbian consumer market 'the pink pound' is large and affluent
     • Companies appeal to people in LGBT communities- affluent, not able to have children. Production of magazines just for homosexual people, etc.

4. Sanitisation of Gay Sexuality

   • Gill (2007) suggests that to avoid offending heterosexual audiences, the media present homosexuality I a sanitised way
     • They appear mainly stylish and attractive, designed to appeal to women and not other gay men. Lesbians on the other hand rarely appear and when they do it is for the oldest male sexual fantasy- lesbian intercourse
   • These representations have the triple effect: Appealing to the gay and lesbian market, Not offending heterosexual media audiences, not challenging heterosexual ideology
   • The media thirst for head-grabbing stories around sexuality is now more likely to be satisfied by stories about paedophilia and grooming of children
   • Media have started to challenge the stereotypes but have been criticised for not reflecting bisexuality, asexuality, pansexuality, etc. This may be because it is easier to identify as straight or gay, so they are afraid to report on it . Media has to appeal to the majority and it is constructed by the malestream heterosexual owners
     • News Values- Unambiguity- events that are easier to report are more likely to be reported

5. Heterosexual Portrayal of Homosexuality

   • Media do not challenge heterosexual ideology, they tend to sanitise homosexuality so they don't upset people/drive them away
     • Majority audience- heterosexual audience therefore the largest consumers are not driven away if the minority were focused on the mainstream population would be excluded
   • Shows such as Will & Grace and Modern Family suggest that gay and lesbian characters are becoming more socially accepted in the media
   • Portrayal of Heterosexuality: dominant view of 'normal sexuality' is heterosexuality, this is a central aspect of both hegemonic masculine and feminine stereotypes. Traditionally women have been defined largely by physical attractiveness and sex appeal to men, seen as sex objects and subjected to the 'male gaze' in the mass media and advertising
   • Increasing Sexualisation of Men: Men are now becoming sexualised objects, there are now magazines based on how they look, what they eat, etc. Men's bodies have become a tool of advertising and there is growing interest in men's bodies. Women are still more likely to viewed as sexual objects through pornography
     • McRobbie (1994) argued that the beauty stakes have gone up for men as women have become more active viewers

6. Portrayal of homosexuality in the media has changed over the years. Some stereotypes identified by Craig still remain, it is now more likely that we see homosexuals shown as 'normal' characters. Sexuality is now more prominent in the media not least as the result of the increased availability of pornography and the increased sexualisation of men