Purpose:
Evaluate how media plays a critical role in understanding as well as undermining the complexities of gender, race, and sexuality. This assignment will provide tools to analyze media in popular culture to understand representation (or lack thereof) for diverse groups. For this assignment, you must address each point outlined under each section. You must also provide specific evidence drawn from the course materials throughout your paper (please see Writing Guidelines). You will submit your essay to the Assignments folder.
Section 1: Introduction (3-5 sentences)
For this assignment, you will use the media that you identified in Media Analysis, Part 1. Briefly identify your media selection, release/airdate, and provide a brief summary of the plot.
Section 2: Bechdel Test (1/2 page) The Bechdel Test is a tool to identify gender representation in media. The three questions of the Bechdel Test are:
- Does the media must at least two women in it?
- Do the women talk to each other?
- Are the women’s discussions about something other than a man?
Use the Bechdel Test to analyze the media you have selected by answering the three questions as well as explaining how the media does or does not pass each question. Use your readings on media to help support your argument.
For more information:
The Bechdel test for women in movies. Feminist Frequency. (2016, August 9). https://feministfrequency.com/video/the-bechdel-test-for-women-in-movies/
Section 3: People of Color (POC) Test (1/2 page) The People of Color (POC) test uses the same principles of the Bechdel Test to identify diversity in media. The three questions of the POC Test are:
- Does the media have two POC in it?
- Do the POC characters talk to each other?
- Is their discussion about something other than a white person?
Use the POC Test to analyze the media you have selected by answering the three questions as well as explaining how the media does or does not pass each question. Use your readings to help support your argument in Section 5.
For more information:
Johnson, A. D. (2009, September 1). The Bechdel test and race in popular fiction. The Angry Black Woman. http://theangryblackwoman.com/2009/09/01/the-bechdel-test-and-race-in-popular-fiction/
Section 4: Vito Russo Test (1/2 page) The Vito Russo Test uses the same principles of the Bechdel and POC Test to identify the representation of LGBTQ people in media. The questions of the Vito Russo Test are:
- Does the media contain a character that is identifiably lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and/or queer?
- Is the character not solely or predominantly defined by their sexual orientation or gender identity (i.e. they are comprised of the same sort of unique character traits commonly used to differentiate straight/cisgender characters from one another)?
- Is the LGBTQ character tied to the plot in such a way that the character’s removal would have a significant effect, meaning the character is not there to simply provide colorful commentary, paint urban authenticity, or set up a punchline - does the character matter?
- Is the LGBTQ character’s story not outwardly offensive (avoids defaulting to well-known tropes or stereotypes with no further development)? In films with multiple LGBTQ characters, at least one character must pass this point for the film to pass the test.
For more information:
Updating the vito russo test. Bi Community News. (2022, December 16). https://bicommunitynews.co.uk/19800/updating-the-vito-russo-test/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=updating-the-vito-russo-test
Use the Vito Russo Test to analyze the media you have selected by answering the three questions and explaining how the media does or does not pass each question. Use your readings to help support your argument. Section 5: Analysis (1.5-2 pages)
- Drawing from our readings on language and terminology, did your media selection use appropriate language in reference to gender, sex, and sexuality? Why or why not? Please give at least 2 examples and refer to your readings to support your argument.
- Drawing from our readings on feminist and queer movements, did your media selection approach gender, sex, and sexuality from a feminist standpoint? Why or why not? Please give at least 2 examples and refer to your readings to support your argument.
- Drawing from our readings on intersectionality, consider how applying these three tests reveal underlying issues that affect the representation and diversity of gender, sex, and sexuality in media. Please give at least 2 examples and refer to your readings to support your argument.
- Drawing from our readings on media, explain why it is important to analyze gender, sex, and sexuality in media using feminist and queer theories. Please give at least 2 examples and refer to your readings to support your argument.
Section 6: Conclusion (3-5 sentences)
- Please share any insights or revelations that applying these tests to media provided for you and how this assignment will affect how you might consume media in the future.
Writing Guidelines:
This assignment will use at least 5 sources from the course and the media selected for a total of 6 sources. In addition, you will use the three media tests to support your paper. attached is the proposal so you can see the movie chosen
I chose the movie sinners