Representation of GenderScouting For Girls- She’s So Lovely

Who/ What Is Represented?• In this music video by Scouting For Girls, the main

representational focus is gender.• To summarise, the video is set in a bowling alley and follows

an attractive young woman who gains a lot of attention from the opposite sex.

How Are They Represented? • Women:

-Represented as young, attractive and physically perfect. Their physical features are focused on very often, with close ups drawing the audiences attention to certain areas of their body such as legs, chest and face.-The main woman in the video is wearing a lot of make-up, including bright pink lipstick, which may be linked with being “hot and sexy.” She is also wearing skinny jeans with red high heels which highlights her figure and shows confidence.-She is also represented as an object due to the way the males stare at her, and her boyfriend shows her off to the other males.

How Are They Represented?• Men:

-They are represented as almost being “hypnotised” by the pretty woman. This could be directly linked to Mulvey’s Male Gaze theory which states that media texts are created through the eyes of a heterosexual male, and that women are viewed for the pleasure of men. This theory is certainly followed in this music video.-Close ups are also used of the men as well as the woman to get the message across of how drawn into the woman these men actually are. Their facial expressions (wide eyes and open mouths) are stereotypical yet relatable to young men.-The boyfriend of the woman is represented as very masculine and pleased with himself. He makes eye contact with the other men when he hugs her, which gives the impression that he sees her as some sort of prize to be won rather than a person.

Men being represented as enticed by the attractive female. This is a clear example of Mulvey’s Male Gaze theory in action.

Could This Representation Be Offensive?

• This representation could be taken in an offensive way by females due to the fact that they are representing all women as having perfect teeth, hair, and body. They are also implying that women must look like this in order to please men, which is a negative message.

• Men could also find this representation offensive as many men are respectful to women, and may disagree with being portrayed as disrespectful.

Does The Video Conform To Stereotypes? • In the media especially, women are often portrayed as “perfect” and have no

flaws. This music video does therefore conform to this ideology, as it is conveying women in the same way that magazines, films and TV adverts do.

• Men are also stereotyped as only being interested in “hot” women. Their gormless facial expressions as the female walks by are also very stereotypical, even if they are slightly exaggerated.

Does The Video Challenge Stereotypes?

• This video seems to conform to all stereotypes of gender, which suggests that it is trying to appeal to a very wide audience due to following conventions.

• This view on men and women may be the dominant ideology within society, and therefore will be taken into account by the band in order to make their music video appeal to a mass audience.