Femininsm: Judith Butler Gender Performance Examples

Broadcast

Alternative Gender Performance: Females

The female protagonist in this film is alternatively represented which challenges the traditional female stereotypes. She is portrayed as a tomboy and wants to fulfill her ambition to become a successful football player. This conveys that the character is challenging the gender performance by taking on a masculine role, as sports was seen to be as part of the male domain.

Traditional

This cleaning advert is reinforcing the gender performance of women to be feminine and the domestic goddesses in the household. This reinforces the ideology that it is the role of the women to be taking on the domestic chores as they are suitable for it. 

Alternative Gender Performance: Males

This aftershave advert focuses on the successful athlete David Beckham who has been represented as a metro-sexual man. Throughout the advert the audience would be able to acknowledge that he is not represented in a stereotypical image as takes care of his appearance. As a result, this challenges the gender performance of men to be masculine as David Beckham is portrayed as the 'new man'.

Traditional:

This football advert clearly shows a traditional image of men being associated with sports as they are represented in a masculine way. Throughout the advert, there is no presence of a women which establishes that the advert is presenting to the audience with a dominant reading that football is associated with the male domain.

Print

Alternative Gender Performance: Female

This women's fitness magazine cover establishes that gender is only a performance which can be changeable. The central image of the female is alternatively represented which coveys that females can engage with sports as well as men. The fact that she is holding weights and exposing her abs may suggest that she is embracing her masculinity which may positively impact the female spectators.

Traditional: 

The Disney princess magazine cover reinforces the traditional stereotypes of females to look feminine and behave passive. The vibrant colours associated with the magazine such as pink, blue and yellow emphasises to young girl that they have to look a certain way to be accepted in society.

Alternative Gender Performance: Males

David Beckham appears on the front cover of ELLE magazine and is alternatively represented in looking sexually appealing. It could be argued that this portrayal of the successful athlete represents him as a 'new man' which subverts the traditional stereotypes of men not embracing their femininity. The fact that David Beckham has been shown on ELLE magazine which focuses on the latest fashion trends, highlights that he is taking on a different gender performance which challenges societal norms.

Traditional:

This Australian magazine reinforces the gender performance of masculinity reinforces the stereotype of males being aggressive and stronger. This indoctrinates the readers in showing them that sports such as boxing is part of the male domain and therefore males are socialised in to certain sports compared to girls.

E-Media
Alternative Gender Performance: Females

Tomb Raider 
http://www.playr.org/search/tomb_raider

This video game 'Tomb Raider' alternatively represents female in showing that they are not passive to male but are in fact powerful. The female character goes through a series of adventures which may positively impact the female audience in encouraging them to embrace their masculine side. As a result, this challenges the gender performance of femininity as females do not have to follow society's values on how women should behave.

Traditional
Barbie Dress Up
http://www.barbie.com/en-us/games
This Barbie dress up game reinforces the stereotypes of females to look and behave ladylike in order to satisfy men. This brainwashes young girls in believing that they their appearance is important in society for them to feel accepted which divides both males and females.

Alternative Gender Performance: Males

The franchise High School Music 4 is a example of gender performances of masculinity being challenges, as the male protagonist embraces his talent for singing. The audience would acknowledge from the first film that the character Troy chooses basketball over singing, which clearly establishes that he is going against the stereotype of males following a career pathway in sports.

Traditional
Sidering Knockout
http://www.arcadeshrine.com/boxing-games
The sidering knockout game maintains the traditional stereotype of males to be associated with rough sports such as boxing. The fact that the game does not include no female characters clearly reinforces the gender performance of masculinity as boys are socalised to be tough from a early stage and some are encourage to behave this way throughout their lives.