3. Definitions
Sex: The state of being male or female
(biological)
Gender: The state of being male or female
(typically used with reference to
social and cultural differences rather
than biological ones)
Sexuality : A name for the sexual feelings and
behaviour of a person.….sexual
orientation
4. How can sexual identity be
represented? https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KrlzaBNgz-M
Through:
• Physical appearance
• NVC (body language, gestures…)
• Clothes
• Sound like
• Behaviour
• Occupation
Anything else…..
5. Media stereotypes of…
Sexuality:
It could be a still images or a video clips
Think about how the representation has been constructed and
whether you feel it is negative or not.
• Homosexual: male / female
• Bisexual: male / female
• Heterosexual: male / female
Anything else…..
6. Homosexual representation
stereotypes (1) Men
• Gay men are portrayed as overly effeminate
• There can be the belief that all gay men desire to be women or are
feminine
• Gay characters are condemned to a life alone without children
• Mothers regret being too close to their sons, thinking that is what "made"
them gay
• The idea is that its just a phase.
• Drifting from one sexual liaison to another, they end up old and alone; Gay
men are only concerned with sex
• Gay men are flamboyant , feminine characters, have camp mannerisms
• Represented as often feared, pitied or being the subject of laughter
• Gay men do professions like fashions, material design and hair styling
• Gay men are often depicted as suffering family rejection
• Speak with a lisp
7. Homosexual representation
stereotypes (2) Females
• Gay women are portrayed as overly masculine
• Often represented to be aggressive and mouthy
• There is always the ‘masculine’ and the ‘feminine’
partner in any gay female relationship
• Drifting from one sexual liaison to another, they end up
old and alone
• Gay women do jobs such as sports/P.E. teachers and
military and are butch Lesbians commonly represented
as pursuing heterosexual women.
• Gay women are often depicted as suffering family
rejection
8. Stereotypes about bisexuality
• People deny that bisexuality is real
• They are confused, undecided, dabblers,
insecure, experimenting or “just going through
a phase”.
• People are either ‘gay, straight or lying’
• They are promiscuous
• They are greedy
9. Stereotypes about heterosexuals
• They are always monogamous
• It is the ‘norm’
• There is nothing at all wrong with
heterosexuality’
• Stereotypical gender roles: Masculinity V
Femininity
10. Ideology
• Residual: Ideas about sexuality from the past
Criminal - Death penalty / prison
Immoral
Mental illness - curable e.g electric shock
(conversion therapy)
Homophobia
11. Some facts....
• Wolfenden Report) in 1957, which recommended that
private homosexual liaisons between consenting adults
be removed from the domain of criminal law
• A decade later (1967)the recommendation was
implemented by Parliament in the Sexual Offences Act,
effectively decriminalizing homosexual relations for
men age 21 or older
• Further legislation lowered the age of consent first to
18 (1994)
• Then to 16 (2001), the latter of which equalized the
age of sexual consent for same-sex and opposite-sex
partners.
12. Some more facts....in England
• Civil Partnership Act 2004 (registry office, hotel)
Allows same sex couples to have same rights
and responsibilities as civil marriage
(e.g. property, children, pensions... )
• Same sex marriage 2014
Religious readings, music or symbols – currently
banned during civil partnerships - will now be
allowed.
13. Few more facts....
• The Equality Act 2010 makes discrimination
against lesbians and gay men in the provision of
goods and services illegal.
• 2011 Civil partners Martyn Hall and Steven
Preddy were successful in their case against B&B
owners the Bull’s.
• Hall and Preddy were refused a double room at
the Bulls' B&B, Chymorvah Guest House, which
courts found was in contravention of the 2007
Equality Act Regulations
14. Last round of facts
• Gay and lesbian citizens have been allowed to
serve openly in the Her Majesty's Armed
Forces since 2000
• 2002 Same-sex couples are granted equal
rights to adopt
For more info see:
http://www.youngstonewall.org.uk/lgbtq-
info/legal-equality
16. Discuss the ways in which the extract
constructs the representation of sexuality
using the following:
• Camera shots, angles, movement and composition
• Editing
• Sound
• Mise en scène
[Total 50]
EAA: Explanation, analysis, argument-20 marks
EG: Use of example-20 marks
T: Terminology-10 marks
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E5F-cqQ1Uwk
