Lady’s Work

 

From Bela: 

For my photograph I focused on the subtopic, the representations of femininity in children’s media. Media has much more influence on children than many realize. In the article, “Hers; the Smurfette Principle,”  Katha Pollitt discusses the role women play in children’s media and how it affects girls. She explains, “preschoolers are like medieval philosophers: the text-a book, a movie, a T.V. show- is more authoritative than the evidence of their own eyes” (Pollitt, 3.) Children’s shows that claim to be “progressive” still lack broader female representation. For example, “Sesame Street,” while having diversity in human characters, lacks female diversity in their muppets. Sesame Street now (even though it is very few), has female muppets such as Zoe and Abby Cadabby, that the younger generation has grown to love. When the show first aired, there were only male muppets.

            When we do see a female character as a lead, she is almost always forced into gender stereotypes. An example of this is the beloved Disney film “Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs.” Not too far into the film we see Snow White become a “housekeeper” for all those boorish boys, and of course she is portrayed doing it with beauty and joy. The typical stereotype that the woman does the cooking and cleaning while the man goes off to his “hard-working job,” is not only seen on TV but in toys too. How many toy brooms, vacuums, and kitchen sets have you seen catered towards little girls? Why is it that the toys catered towards little boys are things like tool sets and “Hot Wheels?” Exposing children from a very young age to gender roles causes them to feel obligated to fit in with the “norms.”

            In my photo I used foreground/background technique to truly catch the viewer's attention on the message I am giving. The photograph shows a woman dressed up in a fitting black dress and heels while sweeping the floor. In this photo she has a dismayed expression, opposite from Snow White’s expression shown on the TV behind her. Snow White is also seen with a broom, all dressed up. The walls and any other house decorations are blurred out to give focus on the woman, Snow White, and the girlish toys on the ground. In the foreground we see three feminine toys symbolizing that the woman has a little girl. From the faint symbols of the little girl we can conclude that she has also fallen trap towards gender roles, just like her mother. The toys and the Disney film showcase an innocence the woman once had when she too grew up being influenced by gender stereotypes. Another meaning of the displayed toys gives the viewers the message that these stereotypes will constantly be taught to the next generation, and the next, and so forth.