Complex and straightforward representations of LGBTQ+ people in Attitude Online

Stereotype - a widely held belief about a certain group of people 

Stuart Hall argued that stereotypes serve a variety of functions. Theft may be based on past experiences, and therefore have roots in reality, although all stereotypes are representations. Stereotypes can also construct an identity and even a sense of community. Finally, producers can use stereotypes as a shortcut to help target certain audiences. 

Hall argued that stereotypes are constructed by those in power to suppress the most vulnerable people in society. The most vulnerable groups are the most stereotyped in society. For example, compare the stereotypical assumptions of black people, Muslim people, gay people and travellers with the stereotypical assumptions of middle class people, rich people, straight people and white people. While there are definitely stereotypically ‘straight’ people in media products, this representation is often made completely invisible by the hegemonic and heteronormative assumptions that exist in society

Attitude constructs a number of highly leading stereotypical representations of gay men, including representing gay men as…

…drag performers, i.e wearing unorthodox clothes 

…obsessed with pop culture 

… as vulnerable and tragic

…as highly sexualised and prone to objectification

…sexually promiscuous

…as stereotypically feminine

…as othered, different and unique 

…being politically motivated and seeking equality 

…highly sexually promiscuous 

…enjoying wearing revealing clothing such as tight underwear 

…confident

…fixated on appearance 

…interested in gay rights and emancipation

…are flamboyant and camp

…are less interested in women 

…politically aligned to the left

…interested in media and the arts

…interested in fashion and beauty

…are interested in theatre

Why is Attitude so stereotypical? To construct a sense of community thorough the use of easily identifiable stereotypes!

Gay men may find a sense of community and identity through identifying with these stereotypes, and even acting them out themselves. By living up to certain stereotypes, for example camp ways of acting, gay men may be able to easily communicate with the world their own complex gender identity. This is a perfect example of gender performativity. 

But I'm a Cheerleader (2000) Trailer - how does this film use stereotypical representations to construct an easily identifiable sense of community?

• But I'm a Cheerleader uses a series of relatable representations of lesbians that provide a diverse and appealing mode of address to a target audience. The film constructs a diverse and positive representation of queer identity which may help the target audience to construct their own identity. It communicates to the young queer audience that they are not alone, by dealing in a humorous way with difficult issues. Finally, the film is camp, silly, expressive and fun. It helps the queer target audience to express their own sexuality and to provide them with gay icons
• The themes of the film focus on rebellion against heteronormative views. It constructs an ideological perspective of accepting yourself as you are. We also have highly stereotypical representations of masculine lesbians and feminine gay men that provides the audience with a sense of identity. These very specific representations allow the target audience to feel part of a specific community

Complex representations of gay men - Olly Alexander’s Attitude cover, in 7 stylish shots – as star talks ‘maximalist approach’ to new LP

• Article provides the target audience with an aspiration representation of an out and proud celebrity. 
• The muted colour constructs a mature and edgy mode of address, symbolising that Alexander is unique and sophisticated.
• The production values of the photoshoot are high, and serve as a binary opposition to more camp and trashy representations of queer identity, such as But I’m A Cheerleader. These high production values encode a more fashionable, luxurious and classy lifestyle: Alexander has value. 
• The article provides a style bible for the gay target audience to aspire to. The audience are encouraged to assemble their own look inspired by Alexander 
• The confident gesture code encoded within these images presents an empowering representation for the target queer audience to identify with. Further anchored through Alexander's rejection of hyper masculine stereotypes
• Olly Alexander is a pop star and a celebrity. This is encoded through the dramatic lighting, which constructs Alexander as a role model. As a highly successful gay man who has not hidden his sexuality, the audience can derive, pick and mix an open and confident identity
• The gay audience can take inspiration from the fashion choices. While this photoshoot focusses on high end fashion, the audience may be inspired to search for cheaper, more available alternatives
• Alexander is clearly confident, as encoded through his queer coded poses. The target audience can get inspiration from this confident mode of address, and this reinforces the dominant ideological perspective that it’s cool to be gay
• Alexander is not stereotypically masculine. In fact, he is somewhat androgynous and complex in his gender identity. He is neither hyper masculine nor stereotypically feminine, which provides an inclusive identity for the target audience
• The photoshoot has high production values, connoting high quality. It reinforces to the audience that to be a gay man has value, and that to be gay can involve lending a luxurious and privileged lifestyle. It has similar production values to high end fashion magazines like Vogue
• The backgrounds and the costumes construct a singular and compelling aesthetic. This in turn functions as a symbolic code, suggesting unity and togetherness
• Alexander’s style is singular and individual. It rejects stereotypical assumptions, and constructs a very specific brand identity, suggesting that Olly Alexander is proud of being a gay individual. This may inspire audiences to live an authentic life. 

Exploring queer coding - how queer themes are encoded through media language - Bananarama - Love In The First Degree

• The costumes of the male dancers are particularly revealing, drawing attention to their legs and their stomachs. The costumes are very feminine…
• The dance routines are very flamboyant and camp
• Camp - an over the top, flamboyant, silly and even ironic mode of address
• The train dance routine is ridiculous, silly, and frankly sexualised 
• The band themselves are playful, silly and ridiculous. For example, at one point, a joke is made through editing that the band themselves clearly have not executed a backflip… very silly and ridiculous 
• The video is set in a prison, which usually houses exclusively one gender
• Backing dancer costumes are very stereotypically queer. They construct a hyperreal representations as feminine and hypersexualised 
• The MES of exposed midriffs is stereotypically feminine, yet their bodies are muscular and masculine 
• The gesture codes of the male backing dancers are feminine, flamboyant and camp. The twerking/pelvic thrusts are highly sexualised 
• The tone and aesthetic of the video is very silly and tongue in cheek 
• The fake prison setting is very silly and sexually connotative
• The performers clearly are not trained dancers, and clearly are not performing their own stunts. 
• The close ups of the female performers pulling comedic facial expressions subverts the idea of a heterosexual male gaze

Roland Barthes argued that media products are constructed through a complex set of codes that connote meaning. Evaluate this semiotic theory. Make reference to Attitude Online to support your answer [15]

Knee jerk reaction - Roland Barthes’s theory of semiotics is highly useful when exploring complex meanings in Attitude, in particular, the extensive use of queer coding to allow the target queer audience to identify with the product. 

Another knee jerk - Roland Barthes’s theory of semiotics is extremely useful in analysing how meanings are constructed in Attitude Online. In particular, Barthes's theory can be used to explore how queer themes and ideologies are encoded in Attitude, to appeal to a niche and queer target audience.

• One way in which Attitude constructs a complex set of meanings is through the straightforward and highly conventional layout of the website…
• Another way in which Attitude presents complex connotations is through the precise and highly leading selection of images, which in turn construct a highly appealing and often complex representation of queer identity
• The complex set of codes presented in Attitude even extend to the fashion and lifestyle section, where the use of lexis is highly involving…
• Finally, we see a highly leading and connotational procession of elements being presented in the supplementary material of the online magazine, most notably the advertising, which provide audiences with a range of digitally convergent interactive features that spread beyond the remit of the online magazine…

 How can gay male audiences pick and mix their ideology from this article: Boys in pants: Dominic Albano underwear we’re lusting over this week, in 16 not entirely SFW images

• The lexis ‘boys’...
• The MES of the fashion selections…
• The framing of the images draws attention to…
• These images are highly sexualised, with special emphasis being placed on the buttocks and genitals of the male models. In fact, this representation is highly fetishised, with particular parts of the male anatomy being constructed through the use of high angle close up shots, positioning the target audience as a sexual partner. These highly queer coded images also present a highly voyeuristic mode of address. Additionally, by presenting hyperreal and hypersexualised representations of explicitly gay men, Attitude active puts off heterosexual men from reading the site, constructing a rebellious and exclusive mode of address. 
• The lexis ‘boys’ is infantilising, and constructs a child-like representation that favours youth and naivety. This sexualisation of youth is problematic and highly stereotypical.
• The muscular, stereotypically attractive men provide an aspirational mode of address for the target audience
• The article is related to fashion, and encourages the target audience to dress in a risky and sexualised manner, essentially self-sexualisation
• The article encourages the target audience to be comfortable in their own skin
• However, the models for the campaign are of a very particular body type. This reinforces a self-centred and superficial identity where self-value only comes from our appearance
• In short, this article constructs a sex positive yet highly stereotypical representation of queer men 
• The lexis ‘boys’ is reductive, and naive. It reduces the male models to a younger and more childish representation

To what extent can it be argued that Attitude represents a singular, stereotypical and reductive representation of masculinity… and why???

Attitude presents a diverse range of representations of queer men. Yet in the Style section, a very singular representation of buff, young, hairless, beefcake men is constructed, anchored through the lexis ‘boys’. In doing so, Attitude is able to use existing stereotypes of gay men to appeal to a gay audience. Even negative, or problematic representations can be empowering, as it allows for representation of marginalized men. In this advert, these queer coded men are constructed as confident and powerful, which is constructed through the fetishistic use of direct eye contact. Additionally, these queer coded representations can be aspirational, not just in terms of body image, but also in terms of the confidence that is being encoded

Another take:

Attitude presents a diverse range of representations of queer men. Yet in the Style section, a very singular representation of buff, young, hairless, beefcake men is constructed, anchored through the lexis ‘boys’. By using such stereotypical representations, Attitude is able to target a gay male audience. In these fashion shoots, a focus is made on the buttocks of the male performers which queer codes this fashion shoot, appealing to a gay audience. It also serves the purpose of excluding heterosexual people from the website who may find this confrontational. This constructs a niche queer audience, and also constructs a safe space for gay men to enjoy explicitly gay erotica. Finally, by presenting such a confrontational and explicit mode of address over and over, it cultivates and normalises an ideology of queer men as sexual, out and proud. 

However, representations such as this reinforce certain stereotypical representations of queer men as being hypersexualised, and may damage their perception in mainstream society. It also reinforces for a young gay audience that in order to be a ‘normal’ gay person, one must be promiscuous’

“Stereotypes tell us men are strong and emotionless, women meek and emotional. And to place value on the physical difference between male and female is to say our place on this planet is dictated by our breeding potential. It’s why LGBT+ rights have always stood on the side of challenging gender stereotypes, and why I get angry when gay men show misogyny.

Gender division is the most violent thing to ever happen to humanity. It’s suppressed the voices of millions of queer and gay people for millennia. Anybody who challenged the binary was silenced, often violently: from the concentration camps of Nazi Germany, to the recent purge of LGBT+ people in Chechnya, and barbaric Islamic State executions.

Encouraging outdated ideas of masculine/feminine is buying into the ideals of murderers who believe that a man loving another man should be punishable by death. To them, gay love is unnatural and against God. Male dominance is born of violence and oppression, not anything remotely biological or "natural." What many understand as masculinity is too often a regressive by-product of this desire to dominate. Maybe we should aspire to be matriarchal by nature, like elephants, bees and ants.

All this is why I have, on occasion, donned a wig and thrown on a dress for a mad night out with my sistas. It’s why drag is so powerful; it’s not about men ridiculing women, it’s about men undermining the oppressiveness of masculinity.

I’d love to do away with all the labels and expectations of how a man should act and dress. Imagine having a conversation with another gay man and not worrying if they think you’re masc enough, or if that straight guy is judging the way you talk... This is the root of my frustration with the idea of gender differences. You see, I despise what men have done to this plan - Cliff Joannou

Cliff Joannou, the editor of Attitude, clearly demonstrates values that align with feminist theorists such as Judith Butler’s theory of gender performativity and bell hooks and her theory of intersectional feminism. However, often the representations of queer sexuality are simple, straightforward and even sexist in Attitude that construct hegemonic stereotypes of gay men.

Representations of gay men in popular culture - Big Gay Al and Silva from Skyfall

• Sexually perverted
• 
  
• Confident
• 
  
• Confrontational 
• 
  
• Invasive 
• 
  
• Flamboyant… yet not hegemonically fashionable
• 
  
• Other
• 
  
• Villainous or otherwise problematic
• 
  
• Humourous 
• 
  
• Historical representation of gay men
• 
  
• Overly sexualised and perverted
• 
  
• Predatory
• 
  
• Overly dramatic
• 
  
• Flamboyant and over the top 
• 
  
• Speech - lisping
• 
  
• Confident and authoritative 
• 
  
• Evil 

By leaning in to stereotypical representations, the producers of attitude cultivate and construct an audience who buy the magazine month after month, minimising risk and maximising profit. Yet also, by adopting these stereotypical mannerisms and representations, Attitude seeks to reclaim and reappropriate negative representations of queer men. 

Reappropriate - to take on and to recontextualise a negative stereotype

Conclusion - Attitude presents a highly polysemic and complex construction of queer male identity to its gay target audience. 

Whiplash: conflict, ideology and representation

 

Whiplash initial discussion

In film studies, the five micro elements we discuss are

• MES
• Cinematography
• Sound
• Editing
• Performance

All five of these micro elements are primarily visually, and all of them in turn construct the three macro elements:

• Narrative
• Genre, and 
• Representation

• The final sequence is highly problematic, and it communicates to the spectator that Fletcher not only has got away with his abuse, but also has been vindicated and justified. Through all of Fletcher’s abuse and problematic teaching methods he has constructed the best drummer in the entire world 
• However, Fletcher clearly had no intention of making Nayman into a star. He tries to halt him on stage (“what the fuck are you doing?”), his angry facial expressions, bringing in a third drummer to increase the tension of Nayman, not giving Nayman the music or stealing his music, and abusive, manipulative and gaslighting Nayman at every opportunity. 
• In terms of the narrative of this film, Nayman is attempting to convince Fletcher that he is worthy of being in Fletcher’s band. The entire narrative is structured around Nayman’s desperation to make Fletcher happy. 

Conflict in Whiplash - interiority and exteriority 

Whiplash’s principal theme of conflict is situated within the psychodynamic conflict between Nayman and Fletcher. Moreover, the interiority of Nayman as a character is explored in far more detail than the main characters of the other films. Interiority refers to the inside of Nayman’s mind, and the idea that a character can have a fully formed internal life. 

Initial comparison 

	Battle of Algiers	District 9	Whiplash
Similarities	Political and physical conflict TORTURE SCENE POWER IMBALANCE  PSYCHOLOGICAL CONFLICT MALE PROTAGONIST FAILS THE BECHDEL TEST CONVENTIONAL THREE ACT STRUCTURE  Representation of combat Mix of professional and non-professional actors Cinema verité style Themes of racism and segregation In several languages PROBLEMATIC, COMPLEX IDEOLOGICAL PERSPECTIVES THAT TRANSCEND GOOD AND BAD	Political and physical conflict TORTURE SCENE POWER IMBALANCE  PSYCHOLOGICAL CONFLICT MALE PROTAGONIST FAILS THE BECHDEL TEST CONVENTIONAL THREE ACT STRUCTURE  Representation of combat Mix of professional and non-professional actors Cinema verité style Themes of racism segregation Scary bald antagonist who calls the protagonist names Timid and innocent protagonist In several languages Protagonist is manipulated by those in power PROBLEMATIC, COMPLEX IDEOLOGICAL PERSPECTIVES THAT TRANSCEND GOOD AND BAD	TORTURE SCENE POWER IMBALANCE PSYCHOLOGICAL CONFLICT MALE PROTAGONIST  FAILS THE BECHDEL TEST CONVENTIONAL THREE ACT STRUCTURE  Scary bald antagonist who calls the protagonist names Timid and innocent protagonist Protagonist is manipulated by those in power Deeply problematic ideology PROBLEMATIC, COMPLEX IDEOLOGICAL PERSPECTIVES THAT TRANSCEND GOOD AND BAD
Unique features	Assertive and charismatic protagonist	Messy narrative	Emotional and mental conflict Psychodynamic battle of wits Only professional actors Formal film making style In one language

When comparing these films, your comparisons can be PROFOUND (e.g. themes, representations, ideologies and so on) or SUPERFICIAL (for example Whiplash and District 9 both have a scary bald man in it). Even these superficial comparisons will be useful for discussion: Fletcher’s appearance is ABSOLUTELY ESSENTIAL for constructing the ideology of conflict that exists in this film, and he was likely cast for similar reasons for why the guy who played Koobus was cast in D9!

How conflict is encoded through micro elements in the ‘training montage’ - exploring ideology and conflict 

• In District 9 and Battle of Algiers, conflict is constructed through an opposition between the oppressor and the oppressed. While this is true in Whiplash, another form of conflict is the internal conflict that exists within Nayman himself
• In the long take of Nayman staring at the cymbal, constructed through punishing close up, the cymbal occupies a full two thirds of the screen, symbolising the sheer power that music occupies in Nayman’s life. We see the tortured performance of Nayman’s face staring at the cymbal in hatred, suggesting that the conflict that exists here is consuming his life. Immediately this montage, we cut to a cute scene of Nayman and Nicole in a cafe, symbolising Nayman’s desire for a normal life
• Nayman is autistic coded throughout the film, and his obsession is constructed through the montage of the drum related MES of his bedroom. The newspaper clippings, CDs, DVDs and the otherwise sparseness of his room suggest that for Nayman, drumming is his special interest and consumes his life. In doing so, a stereotypical representation of neurodivergent teenagers is constructed that allows the target audience to understand Nayman’s fixation
• Physically, Nayman falls into a stereotype of the skinny neurodiverse teenager. He is superficially similar to other archetypes such as Sheldon Cooper in The Big Bang Theory, which again allows the audience to understand this conflict
• The blurry out of focus shot of Nayman’s phone constructs an ideology where Nayman has rejected social and family contact in order to pursue his drumming 
• The MES of the drum related posters on his wall indicated a hyperfixation on drumming. One poster reads “if you lack talent, you end up in a rock band”, which suggests his fixation is purely on technically advanced jazz music
• A slow pan revealing Nayman lying upside down on his bed is connotative of Nayamn’s internal conflict. His life has been turned upside down by the abuse he has received, yet even in this state of relaxation he is listening to complex jazz music in preparation. This single shot also situates an image of Buddy Rich immediately above Nayman, reinforcing a hierarchy with Nayman at the bottom. Nayman sees himself as inferior and lacking.
• The extreme close up of the bleeding blister on Nayman’s hand is symbolic of the abuse he inflicts on himself in anticipation of the further abuse he will receive. The ECU also elicits an uncomfortable and abject mode of address. This repulsive MES allows the spectator to feel sympathy, yet also positions them in a conflicted mode of address. We are confused as to why he is pursuing his dream so far. Yet through intertextual reference to the sports film training montage, we understand Nayman must work hard to succeed. In many ways, this is a stereotypical representation of the american dream.
• Nayman’s obsession with drumming borders on sexual. His sweating contorted face is symbolic of orgasm, and his commitment to drumming seems to completely overwhelm his own sex life

How is conflict encoded through micro elements in the Not My Tempo sequence in Whiplash?

• In the hallway prior to this sequence, Fletcher leans in in close proximity to Nayman. This gesture is highly polysemic. It encodes friendship[ and a relaxed attitude to life. At one stage he smiles and softly replies ‘cool’, indicating that he is a calm and relaxed professional musician. Yet, by leaning in over Nayman, the MES of his body emphasises his physicality. This gesture is intimate, intimidating and completely inappropriate. Throughout the film, we see Fletcher utilise the gesture code of removing his jacket to display his muscular physique. By situating the two characters together in an over the shoulder close up, an intimidating binary opposition is constructed. This sequence functions as an action code, suggesting to the spectator that something awful is going to happen.
• Fletcher forces Nayman to repeat the same measure over and over again. There is a marked contrast between the volume of the band playing and the absolute silence. Here, Fletcher uses the intimidating and even violent gesture of an outstretched fist to silence the band. The absolute control that Fletcher wields is symbolic of his domination over the band. This is further anchored through the earlier sequence where Fletcher enters the practice room. A montage of shots of the second hand of the clock shown in extreme close up, and then a rapid fire montage of the panicked expressions for the students emphasises the extreme level of domination that Fletcher holds. 
• Initially, the orange colour grading of this sequence connotes success, happiness, warmth and acceptance. Yet as the sequence progresses, it comes to encode tension, anger, heats and frustration. This process of colour grading anchors a sense of conflict and intimidation throughout the sequence. However, the harsh and orange colour grading also serves to highlight and exaggerate and accentuate the intense lines that exist around Fletcher's face. Here the high contrast lighting constructs and emphasises Fletcher’s intimidating and expressive face. 
• The sequence utilises only diegetic sound, which forces the spectator to engage with the sound effects of the sequence. In particular, the pleonastic sound effect of Nayman being repeatedly slapped in the face situates and positions the spectator with Nayman, a fact which is anchored through the MES of Nayman’s slapped face. Here Fletcher is teaching Nayman a lesson through the use of physical abuse. By slapping him directly in the face, Fletcher is radically disrespecting Nayman's autonomy as an individual, and in turn dehumanises Nayman in front of his classmate. Additionally, Fletcher screams at Nayman ‘if you deliberately try to sabotage my band, I will fuck you like a pig’. This threat of sexual abuse is explicit and transgressive. This language is also abject and dehumanising. Fletcher is a perfect example of a repressive state apparatus. He is able to do these things because of the power of the institution he is associated with. 
• Horrifyingly, this abuse is normalised. Nobody comes to help Nayman or intervene, and nobody even seems to react

Representation and Whiplash

• “Stereotypes are a very simple, striking, easily-grasped form of representation” (Richard Dyer)​
• “A stereotype is a widely held belief about a certain group of people”
• Sociologist Walter Lippmann suggested that stereotypes were negative images. ​
• Stereotype has come to mean a less than fair appraisal of a person or a group, often times linked to a negative prejudice. ​
• Films, however, often use stereotypes to communicate information quickly about characters or groups to the audience. BUT by doing this, the stereotypes are reinforced.​
• Alternative images and unexpected representations – countertypes – also exist, and can be used to challenge stereotypes. ​
• Over time, these countertypes can become more popular and may encourage a change in hegemony. ​
• When analysing ideology in films, we should consider where and how these types have been used, and what the intention is in doing so.  ​

Stereotypes and countertypes in the three conflict films 

Whiplash	Battle of Algiers	District 9
Fletcher - countertype of conductor? Subverts expectations of old skinny, upper middle class men Fletcher - stereotypically passionate and over the top representation of somebody in the creative arts Nayman - awkward teenager archetype. Easy to manipulate  Nicole - a passive girl next door. A plot device	French people - arrogant and racist. And chic and fashionable! French military - brutal and efficient Ali Lapoint - attractive, motivated, violent, revolutionary	Wikus - An awkward nerd archetype. Tank top Father in law - macho guy Koobus - hypermasculine soldier Nigerians - terrifying criminal black magic users…

Film studies revision checklists

Please note that these revision checklists are for A-level film studies, NOT A-level media studies! If you are looking for A-level media studies revision checklists, then click here: there are three of them!

The following checklists contain all the content it is necessary to cover in your revision for A-level film studies. As you go through the list, RAG (red amber green) the boxes with how confident you are.

These checklists were made by Naamah. Thanks Naamah!

Component one

Component two

Online media Easter holiday homework SUPER FUN

Over the Easter holiday, you have the opportunity to complete a bonus assessment. Each of the questions below are potential 30 mark, 50 minute long extended essay questions that are typical of component two. And, while in the final exam you will not have a choice, here you do.

Pick one or more of these questions, and email your teacher your response. The deadline is the first lesson back after the Easter holiday. Students who submit their response will get a mark, a grade, and feedback. Students who do not, will not. 

Media language 

How have new and digitally convergent technologies affected how meanings are constructed through media language in online media products? Make reference to Zoella/Zoe Sugg and Attitude.co.uk in your response

Representation

To what extent do the representations in the online media products you have studied reflect complex and diverse ideological perspectives? Make reference to Zoella/Zoe Sugg and Attitude.co.uk in your response

Industry

Sonia Livingstone and Peter Lunt argue that the regulation of Online media is ineffective by design in order to favour tech giants and vast corporations. To what extent do you agree with this view of media regulation? Make reference to Zoella/Zoe Sugg and Attitude.co.uk in your response

Audience

Compare the extent to which the needs of both mass and specialised audiences are met by the online media products you have studied. Make reference to Zoella/Zoe Sugg and Attitude.co.uk in your response

Music video remake week

 1 - planning

1. Teams
2. Screening 
3. Storyboarding
4. Prop acquisition 
5. Location scouting

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9ujWUrZTulo

2 - filming

3 - editing