What is there to be said for and against stereotyping in the media? Answer with references to specific examples. (‘00a)

For

• Easily identifiable, especially in adverts that only last 30seconds

‘Shake’n’Vac’ Advert women in domestic roles

• Audience re-assurance. ‘Brown Clown’ is to be laughed at, women should play the Proppian role of the ‘princess’, however this is subverted with the rise of female protagonists.

• Generates humour, for example blonde bimbos. ‘Goodness Gracious Me’ characters are exaggerated representation of Asians.

Against

• Stereotypes main the idyllic status quo of patriarchy

E.g. Madonna and whore stereotypes

Femme fatal = always punished for their promiscuous ways

• Spivak – differences between groups are romanticized and this shouldn’t be done.

Indian’s = exotic
Representing Asian’s in a third world status also allows Western ideologies to be promoted.

• Stereotypes fail to show the zeitgeist and progression.
  Asian’s aren’t always ‘the other’, the ‘brown pound’ = when Asian media was popular (the Indian summer of 1997), ‘Bend it like Beckham’ (2002)