The Representation of Women, Men, and Sexuality in Music...

OVERVIEW In this second update of 1991’s groundbreaking Dreamworlds, Sut Jhally critically examines the representation of women, men, and sexuality in music videos. Jhally’s primary argument is that music videos, not unlike other forms of advertising and popular culture, represent the pornographic imagination by offering a degraded and limited view of female sexuality based on narrowly defined adolescent heterosexual male fantasies. Locating the stories and images of music video in a wider context, the film explores how American popular culture, more generally, encourages and excuses men’s violence against women, and argues that we need a wider range of stories about femininity, masculinity, and sexuality. Special Note: This video†¦show more content†¦6. Market research drives a lot of what appears in music videos. This means that much of what you see is designed to sell something—whether it is specific products, ideas, or attitudes. Other than CDs, downloads, concert tickets, or band merchandise, what do you think music videos are designed to sell? 7. How does what Jhally defines as the Dreamworld of music video differ from or echo the â€Å"dreamworlds† of other advertising genres? ASSIGNMENTS 1. Cut out 3 or 4 magazine ads that feature pictures of men and women. Tape your ads to the walls of the classroom and then walk around and look at what everyone else brought in. Participate in a group discussion on any patterns you detect. What consistent stories about gender are told in these ads? How do these images compare to the images in music videos? 2. Interview other students about their use of music videos. Do they enjoy them? How often do they watch? What do they think of the images used? What do they think of how men and women are depicted? Do they think their own ideas about gender and sexuality have been influenced by music videos and other media? Many people will say no to this last question. 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