Women and Media Fall 2018: "Why Ugliness Is Vital in the Age of Social Media"

Monday, October 29, 2018

"Why Ugliness Is Vital in the Age of Social Media"

Hi all!

Over the weekend, one of my favorite artists/activists Alok Vaid-Menon posted an interview they had with Mia Mingus, an writer and disability rights activist. The topic about the interview is super relevant for the readings we had about defining beauty – if anyone’s interested, I super recommend it! The interview also mentions a speech Mingus did, titled: "Moving Toward the Ugly: A Politic Beyond Desirability."

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Due 12/3

FINAL PROJECTS

Final project presentations will be on 12/3 & 12/10. All projects are due on the blog by class time on 12/3! I will choose the order in which you will present.

It's a party!! Bring snacks or party supplies to share :)

*if you are able.

Be prepared to present your projects to the class in approximately 7-10 minute presentations. Visuals are a must. Feel free to bring physical props and handouts if appropriate. Presentations should be structured as though you are ”pitching” the project to the class. Prepare a succinct and exciting summary of the project that is clear and makes the class want to look further at your project and potentially share the project, promote it and even get involved!

You must create a POST for your final project on the class blog. This is a portion of your final grade. The post must include a link to your project, a clear and well written summary, images and/or videos. You will present from your post. Your project must live in the world (online or not) but all components of your project and presentation must link from the blog post somehow. Your resource list/bibliography must be included in your post.

Print projects: papers, zines and pamphlets must be physically handed in to me on the day you present. This is only for print projects. Of course you must create a blog post from which you will present the project as well. Whenever appropriate & available (for zines and pamphlets especially) print several copies to pass around the class or print enough for distribution.

Checklist for posting your project to class blog:

-link to your project which lives elsewhere in the world must be clearly included in your post

-presentations (7-10 minutes) will be from your blog post and must be linked directly from the post PLEASE CHECK YOUR POST and be sure LINKS and images are working BEFORE ARRIVING IN CLASS.

-research must be handed in to me as resource list/bibliography or included in the blog post

Due 11/19

NO READINGS DUE!

Post 5 due

Choose and research a female/femme identified author, artist or film director/screenwriter and a single work or several works that you consider a feminist work. In a short post of approximately ~600 words describe their approach to storytelling. Explain the work and the importance of this story(ies). How does the artist explain their work and their process? How are the works and the artist received by audience and critics? Last post! Find someone wonderful that you may have never heard of or share with us your feminist art or film heroes!

~600 words include images and links. See previous checklist for guidance on format. Be sure to cite from 2-3 previous readings and any other additional sources you use in the research on your artist. Include works cited at the end of your post.

3 comments on other students projects (if you have not already done so)

Due 11/5

READINGS on Google Drive :

Audre Lorde, The Transformation of Silence Into Language and Action from Sister Outsider AND

Melissa Harris Perry, Crooked Room from Sister Citizen

Peggy Mcintosh, White Privilege: Unpacking the Invisible Backpack

Watch:

Chimanda Adiche Ted Talk

http://www.ted.com/talks/chimamanda_adichie_the_danger_of_a_single_story?language=en#t-283627

Post 4

Using knowledge from the readings, links, class discussion, and additional research/personal experience develop an essay addressing the policing of women's bodies and the impact it has on the way women are valued in society. What is the goal of these types of legislations/policies/ barriers? What kinds of messages are being sent by the enforcement of these barriers for women? Who is leading these efforts to restrict women's agency over their bodies? How does media impact the way we view these issues and how they are legislated? What is media doing to help combat negative views of women's bodies/sexuality? What does media do to hurt how women's bodies/sexuality are viewed?

*~800 words. Include citations of at least 4 of the overall class readings in your post, at least 2 images, and 2 links to additional resources.

3 comments on other student project proposal posts

Please leave feedback for 3 other student projects. Help with resources, links to inspirational examples, other projects, articles, books, scholars, and any other resources that might be helpful for various topics. Leave helpful criticism about narrowing of ideas, production direction or tips, distribution ideas and any other help you can provide. Spend time on these!

READINGS: Body Image: Google Drive

Susan Bordo -- "Hunger as Ideology" from Unbearable Weight

Maggie Wykes/Barrie Gunter --"Conclusion" from The Media and Body Image

ONLINE:

Pretty Unnecessary: Taking Beauty Out of Body Positivity https://bitchmedia.org/article/pretty-unnecessary-beauty-body-positivity

Here's What Bothers Me About the New Dove Ad

https://bitchmedia.org/post/heres-what-bothers-me-about-the-new-dove-ad

Roxane Gay Takes Down Netflix Insatiable as "Damaging"

https://www.refinery29.com/roxane-gay-insatiable-review-fat-shaming-essay

READINGS: Politics of Sex

Roxane Gay The Alienable Rights of Women

Jennifer Nelson Introduction from Women of Color and the Reproductive Rights Movement

‘Hobby Lobby,’ and a Woman’s Right to Sexual Exploration

http://rhrealitycheck.org/article/2014/07/10/hobby-lobby-womans-right-sexual-exploration/

Post 3

Using all of your readings, class discussions and additional research develop a short essay addressing gender, sexuality and advertising images. Look at the larger picture of the systems that advertising supports and the relationship of ownership and power between advertisers and media (old and new). Look at ads themselves. Analyze the sexism, racism and power hierarchies found in so many of these. What is the purpose of these images? What unintended effects might these pervasive images have or reflect? Is popular culture found in these? Learned? Critiqued? In addition to this analysis choose 5 favorite media examples that you consume: a tv show, newspaper, magazine, novel, podcast, radio program, blog, instagram account, website etc. (at least 1 news source) and analyze the ownership structure and advertising model of these. How does the ownership and advertising affect the content? Does it? How can this change? Can it?

~800 words. Include citations of several of the reading. At least 1 image, 2 links.

Final Project Proposal

Semester project topic due - printed and handed-in and posted to the blog

~1 page explaining your semester project idea as well as any research and resources you have already discovered. It must be printed and handed in to me. See syllabus for semester project description. Be as specific and clear about your idea and research so far, include a project timeline and as clear a description of your intended final project as possible. What are you making? What is it about? Why are you making this? Who are you making this for? How will you distribute/share this with your audience? Where will it be published? How does this fit into your portfolio of work? How can this grow and progress after the semester is over?

Also share your project proposal on the class blog. ~2-3 paragraphs, images and links to resources. From this post the class will give you feedback in the comments.

Due 10/15

NO CLASS 10/8

READINGS: On Google Drive in folder "Due 10/14"

Advertising, Magazines and Women

from Gender Race and Class in Media

Sex Lies and Advertising - Gloria Steinem Ms. Magazine

Beauty and the Beast of Advertising - Jean Kilbourne

Commodity Lesbianism - Danae Clark

Group 2 Presents

ONLINE:

FreePress Media Ownership Policy

https://www.freepress.net/ownership/chart

Diversity in Media Ownership & Employment

http://www.civilrights.org/media/ownership/

WATCH:

Reel Girls Media Consolidation

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=e2Kq5H_5hDg

Due 9/24/18

POST 2 - On ways of seeing/viewing

Please answer the following questions based on your readings and class discussion. Use your own experiences and realizations to help illustrate your understanding of the material - cite from the readings.

What is the male gaze and why is it a pervasive form of vision in popular culture? Give illustrative examples in a variety of media. What is the oppositional gaze and why (as described by bell hooks) has it developed? Give examples. How have you come to understand these structures and in what ways has this understanding changed your views about various media examples and of your own identity and role in these structures?

5-6 paragraphs. Include citations of the readings (Berger, hooks, Mulvey) in your post. Please include at least one image and one link.

READINGS: Google Drive in the folder "Due 9/24"

Cutting Girls Down to Size by Jean Kilborne

Poetry is Not a Luxury by Audre Lorde

The Beauty Myth by Naomi Wolf

Due 9/5/18

POST 1

Who do you think you are?

What is your role in media consumption, critique and/or media making. How much of who you are is measured against media examples? How much of our common experience involves shared mass media events? How does the media fit into your life and your identity? Use several media examples to illustrate your description of your relationship to media. Your blog post must be at least 3 paragraphs and you must include at least one link and one image.

READINGS: available as pdfs on Google Drive (week 1 only)

- let me know IMMEDIATELY (via email) if you have trouble accessing the readings.

John Berger - Ways of Seeing

Laura Mulvey - Visual Pleasure and Narrative Cinema

bell hooks - Understanding Patriarchy/The Oppositional Gaze

bell hooks- The Oppositional Gaze: Black Female Spectators

Syllabus and Class Discussion Guidlines

Link to the Syllabus

Discussion guidelines

The course material and discussions can often be provocative and challenging. We must therefore be careful to be respectful of each other and all of our viewpoints. No student shall ever be made to feel uncomfortable because of race, gender, sexual orientation or religious beliefs.

We must come to class prepared and ready to discuss the readings!! Please keep discussions focused on the readings and class materials and keep examples relevant and appropriate. If you have not done the readings you are not to participate in the discussion.

Monday, October 29, 2018

"Why Ugliness Is Vital in the Age of Social Media"

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