Mediated examples of Femininity as Specifically Sexualized

Analysis:

The first image is a two page layout for a Victoria’s Secret catalogue for underwear and clothing for women. It can be observed that even in mediums aimed to and for women, sexuality is still present if not pervasive. Although this example doesn’t present women in a ‘tough’ context as described by Coon, it does demonstrate the way that femininity is defined as synonymous with sexuality. When Coon describes the promotional content in relationship to the ‘tough’ women of shows and movies such as Alias and Charlie’s Angels the author says, “some offer a representative picture of the main texts, demonstrating the complexity of the characters and stories. On the other hand, many of the promotions isolate one aspect of the characters--their sexuality--and use that as the basis for selling the main text” (11). Even though Victoria’s Secret is a company designed for the comfort of women through bras, underwear and clothing designed for women the catalog insinuates the ever present male gaze. The sexual positioning of the models doesn’t seem to be designed to promote the product for women as much as the idea of attracting men.

To further explore the idea of sexual imagery of women in video games, I chose an image of Lara Croft, a female character discussed in Huntemann’s article. The way that she is objectified in the video game reiterates the idea of females as purely sexual and passive objects. When discussing Lara Croft, Huntemann explains, “furthermore, given the way she is designed and promoted, Lara Croft reinforces the notion that a woman’s ultimate value is her appearance” (255). Even the simple fact that the video game is in 3rd person, providing a full view of the player’s body presents Lara as an object to control. Her unrealistic dimensions large breasts, small waist, and long legs, enforces her femininity while she performs very masculine and ‘tough’ girl acts within the video game.

Another way that femininity is presented as sexual is in the way that woman are to perform physical fitness. The new craze of ‘strip aerobics’ and ‘pole dancing exercise’ further informs this idea of woman as sexual even when engaging in activities that are supposedly for ourselves. The Carmen Electra Striptease ‘Workout’ not only shows physical fitness for women as a sexual act, but presents an image of overt sexuality as acceptable for any woman creating the idea also emphasized by Sex and the City, “the woman are able to initiate sexual encounters and decline them with no negative repercussions” (Markle 55). Thus giving real woman an artificial environment of sexuality which may lead to objectification and other consequences in the real world.

The last two You Tube clips show some of the ideas discussed in class about the ‘new’ sexuality of femininity in popular culture. In one clip of the Real Desperate Housewives of Orange County the older, wealthy, beautiful divorcees, or ‘cougars’ are shown lounging in a VIP pool area in Las Vegas. Their wealth and power are clearly shown, as well as their want/need to prey on men. They clearly state their desire not to be ‘boring’ and exciting enough for each other and the men they plan to pursue. The idea of the ‘cougar,’ as sexually promiscuous woman who desire men, usually younger, parallel the ideas demonstrated in Sex and the City as the desire to ‘have sex like a man’ is encouraged, and even celebrated. Much like Markle‘s findings, the underlying idea of a happily after for these wealthy divorcees are presented within the show. In the comedic promo for MILF Island on the show 30 Rock, the ‘Mothers I’d like to F***’ are presented as sexually promiscuous further enforcing this idea of ‘having sex like a man.’