Chapter 7 from Grazian textbook.
The scanned readings from the Dustin Kidd textbook that are posted for you on canvas
The video on the representation
The videos on neurodiversity in popular culture and gay men on 1970s television, for which there is a link
https://youtu.be/DvwtPD6o_z4?si=Sqh8wo-XNakY1rTvLinks to an external site.
Answer each question on its own. not a paper that should be combined. The Question 13 and 14 should have longer responses
Question 1: Why is the issue of “representation” important? What can the effects of the representation of various groups in popular culture have or be on society overall?
Question 2:What is The Bechdel Test? Give an example of a Television Program or Film that passes The Bechdel Test and explain why.
Question 3: What is a “Racial Trope”? Give an example and EXPLAIN why it is a trope.
4: Explain the term Hyperembodiment in the context of gender/sexuality and
popular culture.
5:Briefly explain bell hooks’ criticism of Beyonce. I am not asking your opinion on bell hooks or Beyonce; I am asking you what hooks’ point was.
6: What kinds of tropes exist for LGBTQ characters in TV and films? Give/explain one example
7: How accurately are the working class portrayed on television? Why/How?
8: What is one of the common themes about class that appears in movies
9: When we talk about popular culture spreading “The Dominant Ideology”, what is “The Dominant Ideology”?
10: What is Symbolic Annihilation? Do you think this applies to LGBTQ as well?
11: Choose one of the following tropes for the physically/mentally handi-capable. Explain and give an example from popular culture
The trope of the savant
The trope of isolation and pathology
The trope of self-sacrifice
The trope of asexuality and dependence
The trope of violence
12: What is McDonaldization and how might it be affecting popular culture? Do you think social media is contributing to this “McDonaldization”? Why?
13: What is racialization and what role does popular culture have in that?
14:Watch these two videos. They appear exactly in this order in the original movie.
Sweet Transvestite – Rocky Horror Picture Show
What was the significance of this movie in popular culture? Google it if you don’t know already, just give me a sentence or two. Not a long analysis that you cut and paste from a website.
Your professor has become obsessed with the notion of Popular Culture being subversive towards society, where it can be and where it cant, what forms the subversion takes, etc. From the clips, HOW is this film/music/video subversive? Are there tropes it is challenging?
what are your overall impressions of these clips?
“Subversive”–seeking or intended to subvert an established system or institution. “Undermining” “Exposing” could be alternatives.
15:
This is a very brief review of sexuality in pop culture. There is so much more than simply what is here. This is by no means at all comprehensive and I’ve skipped over A LOT….but what is here is some extremely well known stuff.
But you also dont necessarily need to watch any of these videos to answer the question below.
1) This is a clip of Elvis Presley gyrating his hips in as manner that was found extremely offensive. In the mid 50s when he first began to be on television, they would only show him from the waist up. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5-oow8zDob0
2) This is a classic clip of Marilyn Monroe and was considered quite risqué at the time. She recreated it live at a movie premier and the photos show more of her body.
https://youtu.be/wUjege2gYEU
3) This is similar to Elvis, but it’s the Rolling Stones. This was considered extremely sexual.
4) A much different persona from Marilyn Monroe, these are clips from a movie called “Barbarella” staring Jane Fonda.
Once you get to the 70s more diversity enters the scene:
5) We get Androgenous characters like David Bowie
6) women of color such as Donna Summers.
7) The 80s bring us to icons such as His Purple-ness
8) And Madonna
These themes of diversity continue with a wider range of racial and ethnic groups represented as well as more women with power/control and also LBTQ.
9) But of course pop music still loves its white folks…
AND THAT LAST CLIP IS STILL 20 YEARS AGO!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
So the question is…..
What’s so different about today? How is the representation of gender and sexuality different today? Do you see any other trends besides an increase in diversity?
Why is the issue of “representation” important?
bell hook’s critique of Beyonce
hyperembodinemt
The Bechdel Test
Symbolic Annihilation
Representation of Women and LGBTQ in popular culture
Tropes-Racial trope
Tropes for LGBTQ characters
Specific tropes for disability characters (be sure to look at the reading)
“McDonaldization”
Dominant Ideology
Representation of class on television
Themes of Social Class in Popular Culture
Racialization and popular culture
