12/10/23- exploring complex representations

 Exploring complex representations

Ontology-a way of thinking about the world

Drawbacks of feminism: 

• Dividing the world into men and omen is potentially unhelpful
• Gender is way more complex 
• We are not purely defined by our genders; in fact there are a range of other factors that we can explore
• Some people have commented that certain groups, for example people of colour are left out of feminist debates.

Key Theory 9- Feminist theory- bell hooks

Intersectionality- Feminism is for everyone 

Intersectional feminism- It takes into consideration the many different ways each women experiences discrimination.

bell hooks summarised:

• Feminism is a struggle to end patriarchal hegemony and the domination of women
• Feminism is not a lifestyle choice, it is a political commitment. Therefore feminism should challenge patriarchal ideology.
• "Feminism is for everybody" and certainly not just for those that identify as women.
• Race, class and gender all determine the extent to which individuals are exploited and oppressed.  

Considering bell hooks- While sometimes hooks philosophy may be portrayed as a straightforward love-in, its really not! bell hooks's ideology is radical and exists to challenge deep trenched patriarchal hegemony. This may take the form of problematising media products.

LARGER THAN LIFE FALL WINTER 2022 Diesel- https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=526cl2NBk90

• The advert predominantly represents a variety of young hegemonically attractive and apparently wealthy people situated in a wealthy American city, possibly NY. Genders and race are represented in a diverse manner. This exciting and diverse representation is anchored through the edgy editing style that sees the models glitch and stutter on top of one another, which emphasises the casual urban, inner city ideology of the brand. This demonstrates the ideology that Diesel can be worn by anyone and is an inclusive brand.
• However a problematic reading could be that Diesel is an expensive and exclusive brand that potentially excludes the very people that it is attempting to represent. Additionally, the mannerisms of the models are posed, rigid and forced and they resemble catwalk models  which emphasises their hegemonic attractiveness, with a particular extremely thin body type being represented. This lack of representation of plus size models reinforces the dominant ideology that only one group of people can be attractive.